Leo Flores is one of our most outstanding nurses on the nursing staff in the ASC PACU/Proton Therapy PACU. His ability to connect with the pediatric patients in the proton therapy PACU is incredible and he is often recognized online for the Proton Therapy on the Facebook page through MD Anderson.
Leo uses his artistic ability to connect with patients. Proton therapy often lasts several weeks. Upon a patients start to treatment, Leo connects with the pediatric patient to find out what their favorite character is. He then begins a large drawing that turns into a canvas painting, often displaying his progress each week when the patient returns for treatment. At the end of the treatment, the pediatric patients get to ring the bell and they are presented with their final painting.
Leo is not only artistic with painting, but he is also quite the cake decorator. Recently, he had a young teen that was not taking their diagnosis and treatments well. The patient would have outburst toward the parents and staff. Leo discovered that the patient's birthday was approaching. He calmed the patient and asked her to draw a picture of her most favorite birthday cake and what it would look like. The patient drew a three-tiered pink strawberry cake with a design on top. The night before the patient's birthday, he went home and made and decorated a cake for the patient. It was three-tiered, beautifully decorated, and just like the patient had drawn in the picture. Leo presented it to the patient and celebrated after the patient's treatment.
Leo Flores is one of the most selfless, caring individuals that I know. He is constantly striving to brighten a patient's day and make it easier using his artistic ability.