Since 2008 I have been a patient in the Neurology department. After a couple of tours in Iraq, I was afflicted with some undetermined syndrome which manifests itself like Parkinson’s disease, complete with severe tremors. As a 100% rated veteran who is permanently disabled, with each passing month I have become more dependent on the VA’s range of care, medication, and services. The VA team has been good to me and I take note of individuals who go above and beyond. Ken Cheever is one such team member.

Ken fully exemplifies the core values of ICARE: integrity, compassion, advocacy, respect, and excellence. The MVAHCS can be a rather ominous and frustrating bureaucracy to tackle when soliciting care, or even the simplest communications. The impersonal telephone prompts and auto answering causes a lot of veterans to give up in despair. Ken helped me to warm up to the VA with his constancy, friendly can-do attitude, and empathetic nature. Knowing there is the same person with mild humor who has my back in the same spot each time I arrive is comforting.

On my last visit to the VA, Ken greeted me by name as he always does (without looking at my chart) and asked how I was doing. He took the time to make small talk, and while updating my records, he showed a genuine interest in my retirement process. Ken painstakingly assisted my physician and me with several printings and edits of a letter of support for my disability review board. I had endless questions and administrative requests, but Ken cheerfully addressed all of them. Before I left, he produced an information packet on student loan forgiveness he said he had been saving for me, based on small talk from my last visit. His compassion and advocacy made me feel like a respected, valued patient in a small-town clinic.

Three days later my car was broken into and my briefcase with the same letter the neurologist, Ken, and I had so painstakingly drafted was stolen from my trunk before I could get it submitted. In desperation, I returned to Ken’s office to see if they might have a record of it. I spotted Ken as he was heading out to lunch and he noticed my distress, asking how he could help. With no further discussion, Ken asked me to take a seat and returned to his office. He located the letter, reprinted it, and managed a fresh original signature. I was awestruck and speechless. Ken Cheever is a valuable asset to the MVAHCS as shown by his professionalism, attitude, and selfless service. He is the face I associate with the VA and as a veteran, is the organizational standard bearer I would want for my healthcare provider.