Elaine Drew is well known by everyone at Bridgton Hospital and the community. She is a wonderful diabetes educator who treats all of her patients with the utmost respect. Elaine will often stay late and/or come in early to accommodate her patients' needs, to the point of giving out her home phone number to her patients.

Elaine's unique act of kindness happened recently, and she included many staff members in her project. While working with a patient in her Foot Care Clinic, she learned that this gentleman had a most disappointing Thanksgiving Dinner at a local restaurant, with a cold meal and an unfriendly waitress and a costly $19.00; an experience that made him quite sad and feeling more alone than usual. As Elaine was discovering this situation, she decided to ask her patient "out to lunch" when our cafeteria staff was serving a turkey dinner with all of the fixings in December. Some fellow staff members joined Elaine and welcomed this patient with conversation and fun. "This was so delicious; can I come back again?" he asked as his smile lit up the room, exposing how much he thoroughly enjoyed this experience.

Elaine often goes above and beyond her nursing role to make patients feel like they matter and are special. We are all thankful and blessed to have the gift of Elaine Drew with us.