I am writing to share my complete pleasure and gratitude for my nurse, Hope Velez. She was the Oncology/Med Surg nurse assigned to my sister for her final hours of battling cancer. I was initially worried that we would be turned away from being able to be with my sister in her final hours but Hope gave us a beautiful gift.

Although my sister’s death was heartbreaking, she was surrounded by her husband, sons, sisters-in-law, and cousins. I was extremely grateful. Nurse Velez was so empathetic, kind, and in tune with how our family was grieving. The grace she showed when my sister stopped breathing, the gentle way she informed us, the respect she used to move out of the way and let the family have the space to mourn and go through their emotional collapse. As I reflected on the moment I recognized her compassion and was moved to reach out and share the impact of her kindness and caring spirit. I have found that people often move expeditiously when it’s time to complain, but they don’t want to take that same time to show appreciation when it is deserved.

Nurse Velez, we thank you for your kindness, your attention to our loved one, and the sincerity you provided to all of us during one of the hardest moments in our lives.