This story of Shari's peerless, unwavering and selfless relationship with the L family starts in June. K L, my wife of 27 years, my best friend, was admitted to the MMH Oncology Unit two weeks after starting chemotherapy for Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Unfortunately, less than five months later, K passed away.
From June through the morning of October her passing, Shari cared not only for K and her family but K's friends too. This in itself may seem routine - it is far from routine indeed. K made many friends during her weeks and months of stays on the Oncology floor and the CCU floor. Shari brought each of K's friends, new and old, and her family into the team of caring for my best friend, K.
When K cried, Shari physically held K and cried with her. When K laughed, Shari genuinely laughed with her. During K's last month on Earth as a physically living human, Shari was her nurse, her friend, her advocate, and her truth-teller. Shari allowed me, K's husband and best friend, to care for K from the first to the last moments at MMH. Shari was with K when she died, and on the worst day of our family's life, Shari made that day tolerable.
Shari encouraged us to bring K's chemo dog to be with K in her last days. We did, and Shari is always the first one we think of when we remember K's struggle to beat cancer for the third time. Shari is our family friend to this day and never did Shari's care lessen for K from that relationship. This is rare indeed and worthy of the DAISY.

Note: This is Shari's 2nd DAISY Award!