My son has entered the hospital to undergo an artery bypass operation. It was a terrifying experience for me as a mother. Thank god the operation was completed with great success. Meriam was working the day my son was admitted to the unit after the surgery. I was intensely anxious, so Meriam reassured me and took care of my son as if he was her son, as was the case with all the other children admitted. She took care of everyone. As a mother, I was also taken care of, which had a great impact on me.

One day I almost fainted from fatigue and Meriam sat me down and measured my pressure and took my vitals, and made sure that I was not complaining about anything. She asked me to sleep and that I should not worry about my son’s condition, because she is there. I was able to rest and sleep because I knew I could trust her with my son’s life.

Her concern for my son was a mother’s concern for her children, and that is why I nominated her. Meriam’s kindness and empathy extended to those children without their families in the unit. She was not just a nurse; she was a mother, a sister, and much more. My son would talk to her and ask her for whatever he wanted without being shy and that is not usually one of his characteristics. For him, Meriam was like family.