When I was a 17-year-old girl, my leukemia diagnosis was devastating. I was rushed to a hospital that was hours away from home and I was placed in the ICU right away. Everything was scary and unfamiliar, and at that time, I didn’t know that I had 9 exhausting months of chemotherapy ahead of me. I also didn’t know that I would meet the most influential person in my entire cancer journey on that very first night. Tara was my ICU nurse, and she went above and beyond for me. Not only was she crucial for starting my treatment as a high-risk cancer patient, but she helped me find comfort in my situation. While maintaining her professionalism and performing her nursing duties, she made the extra effort to get to know me and who I was beyond my diagnosis. She also did everything in her power to make me feel more at ease in my new hospital environment. On my first night as a patient, I remember she painted my nails with hot pink polish while we bonded over our shared interests, and I told her that for the first time in my life, I finally felt like I had a big sister. It’s clear that nursing is far more than just a job to her. Tara lifted the spirits of me and my family, and even in the sterile ICU setting, she had us all laughing and smiling. She provided us with a feeling of home. Tara set the tone for my next 9 months of treatment. By the time I was stable enough to leave the ICU, I felt loved, supported, and confident in my hospital because of the care she provided me. She also set the bar very high. Throughout my cancer experience, I met countless doctors and nurses, and while they all served me very well, none of them impacted me and my family as much as Tara did. Years later, as I’m older and cancer-free, I still think about her and her kindness every day, and I regret not nominating her sooner because no one deserves this more.