Nurse Taylor came into our room like a beam of light. Our daughter is at Phoenix Children’s to receive immunotherapy closer to home than the specialist hospital she has been treated in NYC. That hospital set the bar high for us. Nurse Taylor blew my expectations out of the water. I was having an intimate conversation with my husband about the static between us. Taylor comforted our child and played with her, lightening the air as I let out my painful frustrations to my husband. The fishbowl of this room makes it hard to have space for the flood of emotions that a tense visit can bring. Our daughter had a fever and I was nervous that there was a complication, as this cancer treatment has been a rocky journey, to say the least. Taylor rained compassion on our family’s emotional fire. She came to us with her gentle voice and changed our child’s diaper. Taylor took our family as hers in every detail. I felt supported, and her tidal wave of joy and innumerable small actions of grace and care were truly remarkable.

The DAISY chain on her name badge is no coincidence, she carries the spirit of compassion with her in every move. I had to take a moment to let the tears go in the bathroom and some of those tears were of relief, in no small part due to Taylor’s care. The journey of a parent through the trial of childhood cancer is a thorough wringing of self. I feel deboned and pulverized. Each moment is difficult. Experiencing joy is difficult. Every breath is tense and filled with fear over what is to come. Having a one-year-old, two siblings, and a strained marriage makes my days apocalyptic. This relentless existence only continues, but with the warm glow of Taylor, I was able to find comfort. I felt a moment of pulling myself together. I felt my distraction growing stronger so I escaped in a craft from the supportive child life team.

I was hunched over in the bathroom. The washer was out of service so I’m in my last clean clothes, which are unflattering, to say the least. Taylor comes in and quietly delivers me a chair to sit in and continue my craft, also keeping my daughter completely cared for. This moment of dignity was almost too much to bear. The tears come again. Where does someone like Taylor come from? How is this possible? All I can do is repay her kindness with gratitude. So I’m writing this note with a hug and a humble request to grant a well-deserved DAISY Award to this healthcare hero, someone who sees me and my family as worth saving. Thank you, Taylor, from the bottom of my heart.