My mother was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year and was recently referred to the U of I for further treatment. While all of our experiences with Kelli (and all staff at the U of I) have been extraordinary, one specific day Kelli just went so far above and beyond, and I couldn’t be more grateful.

My mom and I left for Iowa City at 6 a.m. for an 11-hour day of tests and scans. The first appointment was a biopsy where my mom fell asleep after the procedure. She was so weak – in both a wheelchair and on oxygen. We had several hours to wait until the next appointment and were asking Kelli for a recommendation for a quiet area in the hospital to sit and wait. Kelli ultimately found us an open private room that we were able to pass that time in, with a bed where my mom was able to get much-needed rest. Kelli set an alarm to come and take me to the cafeteria for lunch and another alarm prior to our next appointment so she could show us the way. She got my mom an extra oxygen tank so she wouldn’t have to continue conserving the one she brought, as well as held onto the one we brought for us so I wouldn’t have to struggle wheeling both that and my mom across the hospital. At the end of the day when she met us to exchange the oxygen tanks, she ended up going all the way to our car with us to help me get my mom situated and to return the wheelchair for us.

I didn’t think we would see Kelli again that day after our very first appointment – yet she was there at every turn, making a long stressful day so much more bearable. Her kindness and compassion have been beyond what I’ve ever experienced. She was clearly very busy that day, being pulled in so many directions, and yet was there for us at every opportunity, even after we were no longer in her immediate care. Since then, I’ve heard stories from my dad about how Kelli has been an angel, a person they’ve relied heavily on as now frequent visitors of U of I Hospital.

A couple of additional examples include her providing gift cards to them for the cafeteria and a situation where she was able to get an appointment moved up on a day my mom wasn’t feeling well so she wouldn’t have to wait as long. Every time she sees my mom in the waiting area, she makes a concerted effort to come over and say hi and see how she’s doing and how she can help. I’ve never seen someone more suited for the job they have and am beyond grateful for her – as are my parents. We can never thank her enough for all she has done and for all we are sure she will continue to do for us. She is an amazing member of your staff, and we hope she is able to receive the recognition she deserves – and more. Again, we cannot say thank you enough to Kelli and to all the staff at the U of I Hospital.