Having gone through the experience of a cancer diagnosis with family members and friends over and over again, I cannot begin to tell you how many doctors, nurses, staff members, etc. I have come to meet over the years. More times than not, every single one of these people has gone above and beyond the call of duty. However, recently a very good friend was at the end of his life after a very courageous battle and ultimately lost the fight from the actual cure that defeated the cancer. He laid there in the ICU, literally a shell as the side effects of his cure overwhelmingly riddled what was left of a once beautiful human.
As we sat there listening to the brilliant minds conveying the news that we so did not want to hear, a stranger in that room was taking it all in just as we were but he was processing the words in quite a different way. Though, I am sure his heart was heavy after hearing the words that were just spoken, there was more to it than that. In that short time, he processed the words, took into account that our loved one was soon to meet our most beautiful savior, came up with the words that would give us comfort and conveyed them in a way that lifted the heaviness from our hearts. As the evening went on, Kevin dried our tears, expressed comfort, gave a reassuring smile and I believe shed a tear all the while maintaining the professionalism that was taught to him long ago. Upon shift change, he came to the room where we waited, made sure we knew that he was leaving and introduced us to the new person that would continue to take care of such a beautiful soul. The evening was full of snow covered streets and with such a long drive home I am sure surfacing the thoughts in his mind, he did not leave until he knew that each of us were at peace with what was soon to happen and showed no sign of annoyance at the fact that we did not want him to leave us as now he was the rock that we turned to. To you Roswell Park, thank you for employing a man that exemplifies the truest meaning of self-sacrifice. I personally know that if I was at the end of my life, I would not hesitate to be in his care.