When the patient transferred to our floor, her father shared with me how meaningful it was that an ICU nurse had connected him with another father who had gone through the same experience. He expressed how helpful it was to finally speak openly with someone who truly understood what he was facing. His words stayed with me, and I wanted to learn more.

Through follow-up, I discovered that the nurse who made this connection was Marcia. When I spoke with her, she explained her deep passion for advocating and educating around this condition. In 2016, her best friend was diagnosed with autoimmune encephalitis, and Marcia walked beside her and her family through that difficult journey. Thankfully, the best friend recovered, but the experience left a lasting impact on Marcia. She made a promise to always look out for patients with this condition, to ensure they were cared for with compassion, and to support families through the uncertainty.

With her best friend and her family’s blessing, she has shared their story and contact information so others facing the same struggles would not feel alone. That is exactly what Marcia did for her patient and her patient’s father. Though she was not the primary nurse, she was deeply involved in her care—educating staff, advocating for her diagnosis and treatment, and reminding the team to approach the patient with compassion even during her most difficult moments. Most importantly, she made sure her father had someone to lean on during the hardest part of their journey.