I am nominating Kidist after receiving a wonderful letter from a patient’s daughter. I spoke with her daughter and she gave the approval to use her letter in support of this nomination. The following is an excerpt from her letter:

“I could write pages and weave them into novels of how I feel about the loss of my mother. The purpose for my reaching out to you however is to give the highest extent of acknowledgement possible to the individuals responsible for my mother’s care during her last weeks of life. Without their roles, I know my thoughts would be plagued with questions and doubt. It is with certainty that I know they were meant to be with our family during this most unthinkable time.

My mother’s main nurse on the 5th floor was a young woman named Kidist. This wonderfully kind hearted and deeply caring person is exactly what the medical profession needs. Her heart shines through her eyes. Kidist knew I wanted to be with my mother all day and night but that I couldn’t. She looked after my mother with such genuine love for her profession and for patients. On the morning that we lost my mother, Kidist did not hesitate to immediately secure the help my mother needed. It is very apparent that she has been called to her profession. She is an angel put in a place and at a time that we needed one.

On the morning of my mother’s passing, she had become locked in an agonal pattern of breathing, which I watched in horror as it clearly heralded death. Kidist acted swiftly to retrieve immediate help from a physician. When my mother passed that morning, I stayed close to her body. The next precious gift we were given by Holy Cross and your medical director was time.

I left my heart and soul over my mother’s body and I was given the time to do that without even asking. My godmother and closest friend to my mother had the chance to come and say goodbye to her and to be a source of comfort to me as well. I suspect that Dr. N and Kidist were the angels that let your director know that it would benefit me to say with my mother that day. That closure was such a profound offering for our suffering.

I see my mom everywhere there is love. There is no end to her legacy. I can lay to rest any anxiety that I might otherwise have had if my mother had been anywhere else and under anyone else’s care. You have my utmost respect for establishing an environment that is conducive to facilitating the kind of care my mother received, and the kind of care my father and I received as well.”

This is not just an isolated event, Kidist is kind and caring to every patient and family she touches. We are fortunate to have her on our staff.