My husband was recently diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. From the minute we met Leah at Dana Farber (scared and anxiety ridden), we knew she saw him as a person, not just a cancer patient. While the treatment and supportive care are critical to treating cancer, so are our lives and how this disease affects them.

Leah has a way of conveying kindness and compassion that fostered our trust. She truly listened and understood our tremendously difficult journey and tailored the treatment plan according to our goals of care. When it became apparent that treatment was no longer curative, and my husband's wishes were comfort, not longevity, she took the time to really explain things in detail so that we understood what our options were.

She told him that what he decided was very courageous. He needed to hear that. No one truly understands what it is like to choose dying over continuing treatment when one realizes that there is no cure. Leah could not have been more compassionate. She put in motion several key steps to help us make him comfortable at home, so he can have some quality of life in the time he has left.

When he was fighting she was our biggest cheer leader and supporter, when he decided it was enough, she was our biggest comfort. Her words will stay with me forever. While all trained nurses can access ports, monitor labs, and administer chemotherapy, not all nurses can do so and be great at listening and offering the comfort and support that we needed to make this decision. Leah is a gift to the world.