Our 11-year-old daughter has an ultra-rare disorder. She’s been in and out of the hospital most of her life, from Birmingham to NIH to Mayo Clinic. We’ve met and had many wonderful nurses over the years, as well as during our recent visit. However, during our recent stay, one nurse stood out among the rest and is by far the best nurse we’ve ever had. With five years of bi-weekly infusions at one point, that’s saying a lot!

Chloe Wade was my daughter’s nurse for one day at Children’s and left a major impression on us. Chloe went out of her way for each of our needs. Any time we needed her, she was there, bringing positive vibes, encouragement, support, and a wealth of knowledge. She was approachable and willing to help at all times. She was on top of every single thing, and seemed to know the answer to anything we threw her way. Additionally, she was urgent to call on resources to assist us. She was reassuring and eased my own doubts about learning how to tube feed and handle the obstacles we face with it. In addition, although both of us were there to take care of things when there were ‘not so pleasant’ accidents, Chloe stepped in, fully and without hesitation, to help. She has been the only nurse to do this. When we were doing difficult tasks, she was alongside us helping in any way she could when most would just let parents handle the situation because it’s beyond a nurse’s duty.

Due to our rare situation, many nurses tend to simply say they have never heard of the condition; however, Chloe wanted to know more about the disease, us, our daughter, and the entire journey. She was interested in our daughter’s story and her as a person. She not only cared for our daughter, but she cared for us. She encouraged our daughter and was her own personal nurse cheerleader, which helped her feel more comfortable. She acknowledged us as parents, commended us, and encouraged us, as well.

Later, when our daughter’s “Mimi” came (on her birthday) to visit, we found out it was also Chloe’s birthday. This spoke even more volumes. Not only was Chloe working on her birthday, but she was showing up and showing out for her patients and families. Ultimately, she showed up, went beyond her duties, and said (without having to say): “I see you. I care about you. I am here for you. I will do whatever is needed and in the best interest of my patient and her family.” When we told Chloe how appreciative we were, she responded that her mother taught her to do all things to the best of her ability.

Chloe showed selfless compassion, true connection, empathy, passion, and care. I believe all nurses could learn from her example. My favorite Maya Angelou quote has always been: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” We will never forget how Nurse Chloe made us feel.

Note: This is Chloe's 2nd DAISY Award!