June 2025 Honoree
Dana Vazquez, RN
Recently (on a Friday), Dana was notified that a pregnant Veteran required fetal surgery in Colorado at Colorado Children's Hospital due to fluid in the fetal chest pressing on the heart. There was limited staff on Friday, but that did not stop Dana.
She became the largest advocate for the Veteran and reached out to every resource possible. Dana included the Community Care department, Gynecology, Prosthetics, Social Work, Nursing Management, and the Travel department.
She also utilized resources in Colorado: the Colorado VA, the Rocky Mountain Fisher House, Colorado Children's Hospital, and the Ronald McDonald House Coordinator.
By the end of the day, she was able to coordinate travel for the Veteran and get her and her family safely to Colorado Children's Hospital in a timely manner for the surgery.
Since then, Dana has continued to follow up with the Veteran to ensure she is receiving the care needed. The Veteran ended up needing more testing and procedures to be done, requiring more travel back and forth to Colorado. Fortunately, Dana has been able to assist with this too.
When Dana was faced with the challenge of getting a Veteran from Phoenix to Colorado for fetal surgery, she did not let any barriers stop her compassion and empathy for this Veteran.
Dana demonstrates this consistently with every Veteran she encounters.
She became the largest advocate for the Veteran and reached out to every resource possible. Dana included the Community Care department, Gynecology, Prosthetics, Social Work, Nursing Management, and the Travel department.
She also utilized resources in Colorado: the Colorado VA, the Rocky Mountain Fisher House, Colorado Children's Hospital, and the Ronald McDonald House Coordinator.
By the end of the day, she was able to coordinate travel for the Veteran and get her and her family safely to Colorado Children's Hospital in a timely manner for the surgery.
Since then, Dana has continued to follow up with the Veteran to ensure she is receiving the care needed. The Veteran ended up needing more testing and procedures to be done, requiring more travel back and forth to Colorado. Fortunately, Dana has been able to assist with this too.
When Dana was faced with the challenge of getting a Veteran from Phoenix to Colorado for fetal surgery, she did not let any barriers stop her compassion and empathy for this Veteran.
Dana demonstrates this consistently with every Veteran she encounters.
Thank you, Dana, for your exceptional compassion, advocacy, and dedication to your patients. You truly make a difference.
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