Tori Hutsell inspires all of us to do everything we can for our patients and families. She is very compassionate and caring. You often see her providing comfort in the hallways to families that do not want their children to see them cry. She is non-judgmental and is willing to meet families where they are in the difficult journey of childhood cancer. She does it very gracefully and with a cheerful, gentle spirit.
Tori is a great advocate for the children and families that she cares for. This behavior is visible every day in her communication with other team members and when she is appealing denials or requesting prior authorization for medications that the child needs. Tori is often the last person who leaves at the end of the day so that she can make sure that her kids are taken care of. She is readily available for consult on her days off.
What makes Tori most deserving of this award is that she is always able to find the humor or best of a situation and approaches every day with a smile and a great outlook. Even though a diagnosis of cancer is devastating, the kids and families days are always brightened with they see Tori's positive attitude, contagious smile and the sparkle in her eye. I think this spirit is exactly what the family of J. Patrick Barnes saw in the nurses that took care of him that inspired them to create this award.