My 14-year-old son was airlifted to CHLA. He was in a delicate state, and the staff at CHLA did their best to help him fight to live. There were several doctors, nurses, RCPs, x-ray techs, etc., who teamed up with me to help my son, who was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia called MPAL. Not too long after arriving at CHLA, there was a nurse who was assigned to him who worked the night shift. This nurse was Chelsea Watts.

Chelsea treated my son as though he were her little best friend. I know this because she spoke to him, she held his hand, and she paid attention to what he liked and disliked. She even communicated as best she could with him when he couldn’t speak due to being intubated. My son had over 10 IV pumps and had a lot of needs, but Chelsea never seemed overwhelmed. She exuded confidence, expertise, and lots of compassion. She gave me peace of mind so much so that I requested she be my son’s primary night nurse, and she accepted my request. She bonded with our family, and she advocated for him, causing me to trust her. Trusting her allowed me to sleep a little easier while holding my son’s hand as he lay on his hospital bed.

My son sadly passed away during the day. Chelsea honored my son by accepting an invitation to speak at his funeral. Although it wasn’t an easy task, her speech was perfect and so heartfelt. Chelsea went above and beyond as a nurse because she went the extra mile to show my son wasn’t just a patient with a medical record number, but he was her little best friend she loved. You could see it in how she took care of him, how she spoke to me, how she paid attention to his needs, by her tone, etc. I never knew Chelsea before my son went to CHLA, but she’s impacted my life forever.

I was at CHLA day and night while my son was there, and I paid attention to everything. Chelsea was all business and made herself approachable and accessible. She was at work to care.