Faith McDonald
July 2025
Faith
McDonald
,
BSN, RN
Oncology Transplant Unit
St. Christopher's Hospital for Children
Philadelphia
,
PA
United States
Thanks to Faith, the patient was not alone.
Recently, Faith stayed with a patient during her final hours. The young girl was alone, with no family present at the bedside. Without hesitation, Faith stepped in to be the comforting presence she needed. The RN sat by her side, held her hand, and ensured she remained as comfortable and peaceful as possible. Even in the face of such emotional difficulty, Faith never let the patient sense their own fear or sadness. The RN was calm, strong, and deeply compassionate. Faith remained with the patient until her mother arrived—just moments before the young girl passed. Thanks to Faith, the patient was not alone. The patient was surrounded by warmth, dignity, and kindness in her final moments. What Faith did took immense bravery. As a coworker, I watched Faith put the needs of her patient and patient’s family above all else, even when it was emotionally challenging. Their presence made all the difference—not only to the patient and her family, but to all of us who witnessed her compassion in action.