When Jess first called me back in 2022, shortly before I was to begin chemo treatment for Stage 3B cancer.  Initially, I was put off by some nurse contacting me to discuss my condition.  I did not trust the intentions of the health plan and I had no idea what the purpose of our calls would be.  I could not have been more wrong – both about the role that Jess would end up playing in my life and on my journey and the value of GEHA.

During that first call, I remember thinking, what is this really all about, and why is this worth my time? But Jess’ gentle, angelic-sweet style of speaking kept me on the phone with her (and I was ready to end the call at any minute).  Being such a polite Midwesterner, Jess managed to put jaded me at ease, even despite the slew of skeptical questions I threw at her!

We planned to speak after various milestones of time, after a certain number of chemo treatments, after chemo ended and chemo-radiation began, and so on.  On each call, I would ask her all the main questions that were on my mind at each stage.  I would always learn so much from her.  During each call, I would (and do still today) take pages and pages of notes on what she shares with me.  Jess’ direct experience in the oncology world (and with the large oncology clinic, too) makes her an incredibly valuable asset to both me and other GEHA members. Her knowledge base, though, is only one part of what makes Jess so very special!  She is such an amazing listener and is always so patient with my lengthy list of questions! She deeply appreciates the oncological patient. Honestly, the City of Hope clinical care team that is guiding my care plan is amazing. However, I can assure you that no one, not even staff local to me, has time to answer the level and number of questions that I have had – even during my scheduled in-person appointments.  Jess serves in that role as the critical missing link in my care!

Jess is the model of empathy and caring!  She has truly made a point to get to know me as a person.  I am a stereotypical SoCal woman, one who is very physically active, has always been health-forward, teaches yoga as a side hustle, and embraces alternative medicine.  I would often share with her what I was doing or considering next from an integrative medicine perspective and ask what she thought about it.  Jess never judged my efforts; instead, she would provide me with empirical evidence on acupuncture, medical-grade mushroom extract, green tea, meditation, affirmations, yoga, or any other “crazy thing” I asked her about!  Jess was never preachy or condescending, only always hopeful for the greatest healing for me.  After each call, my life felt a little easier and lighter, regardless of my diagnosis.

Slowly, I began to rely on these periodic calls for Jess’s kindness, supportive listening, and knowledge, and I would/still do really look forward to our time together. I cannot underscore enough the difference that having Jess in my life has made. There is no monetary price that can be put on my ability to sleep better at night and feel less anxiety. Jess’s true empathy and genuine caring have yielded real, measurable outcomes that have made a dramatic difference for me and my family.

Jess communicates compassion in every word she speaks! My relationship with Jess has not been direct patient care in the clinic, nor one of coordinating care, per se. All from afar, in a different time zone, and over the phone, Jess manages to have extraordinary skill in extending kindness to me (the details of which have already been provided in other sections of this nomination). When I would be feeling bad, she would provide warm, nonverbal support over the line. She is never patronizing, and never resorted to clichés like, “You Got This!” 

There have been so very many special moments of connection over the time I have known Jess. I wish I could recount all of them here. Sadly, some moments are fuzzy, due to those months of active infusion chemotherapy. Because of my own complex personal family dynamics, I have shared my diagnosis and treatment process with only a handful of people in my life. I have chosen to tell only a few dear friends who either have or have had cancer, or, they have been a caregiver to someone experiencing cancer. Jess is and has been truly one of the most treasured of my relationships during this journey for that reason as well. She only wishes to extend comfort and knowledge to me – not strictly because I am a “member,” but she treats me as if we have been friends forever.

One of the most powerful moments of connection happened recently. I was asking about what I could expect with the laparoscopic surgery and ileostomy bag in my near future. She explained everything to me in great detail, and somehow (!), instead of feeling worse, I felt very informed and less fearful. What is particularly empowering is that when I told my husband (the Subscriber) everything Jess had shared, I quite literally watched his whole body soften and relax a little. A little knowledge can go a long way in shedding light on a situation shrouded in fear and mystery. To be clear, it was not like Jess was being unrealistic about what I would face, but she could share clear-eyed knowledge of what a patient will most likely experience in my condition. 

It is not an exaggeration to state that everything Jess has done was to establish a special connection with me and, by extension, my husband and son. Through our periodic calls, she provided/provides me with the knowledge I needed/need to feel more at ease about approaching the next stage of my treatment.

Jess’s tone of voice is always positive and upbeat. I am not actually sure how she can maintain this, call after call, month after month, but she does. 

As for her professionalism as a clinician, I can comment there, too. I realize that I have mostly discussed the emotional connection that Jess established with me and the empathy, compassion, and patience that she embodies. However, she is also a rock-star Nurse with the research!

Jess has continuously offered to provide me with the latest medical research on how to manage my symptoms and/or what I should know about the next stage of treatment. The examples are plentiful. One example from my course of chemo was that I prescribed a host of certain medications used to help treat the different symptoms created by infusion chemotherapy. I prefer not to take Rx, so I would ask her about benefits vs. risks of each one. She would jump right on the research and compile and email a report right out to me. On another call, I asked her to give me options for how to address my chemo-induced neuropathy. Jess dove right in and, within hours, had provided me with a list of options in a table, based on a meta-study, with multi-national perspectives. Another time recently, she proactively compiled an email about ileostomy bags and post-surgery care, all with the intention of educating me to empowerment!

I consider having access to Jess on my team, with her huge heart and brain, to be one of the biggest blessings of my life. 

Note:  A final word to Management:  We feel so extremely grateful to have GEHA insurance during this awful time in my life. We GEHA members are so lucky to be offered such this humanity-affirming service, of the Oncology Support department. A loving and educated voice on the other end of a call, especially during these times of great vulnerability and fear, has been enormous in my life. I must believe that GEHA has calculated that this outreach to patients pays dividends on the back side of the financial spreadsheet. Thank you, GEHA, for funding a department like this – and for Jess.