During my husband’s recent stay with Lahey Hospital in Burlington, there was one nurse that stood out above all of the others.

Joanne Giugno was the one positive thing that came out of our recent experience at Lahey Hospital Burlington. My husband was diagnosed with cancer there but we soon realized that he was not going to recover. We had and still are having a hard time with this whole thing that took only about 6 weeks from diagnosis to his passing. Joanne was so understanding and helpful to us. She did not treat us like patients, she treated us more like family! My husband never had the same nurse twice but Joanne was the one we could count on. She was there for us with information, options, and resources and just to listen to us. She never sugar-coated anything. Joanne even contacted me over the weekend to see how my husband, myself, and our children were doing. We never felt like we were bothering her, she really seems to love her job and all her patients. My husband was eventually transferred to hospice care and Joanne reached out to make sure he was comfortable.

My husband has since passed and Joanne has reached out to me to make sure I am doing ok. She sent me a card with a caring note inside and also posted a message on the funeral home page. Most nurses don't reach out to you after you leave the hospital. I feel we were very lucky to have met Joanne and you are lucky to have her at your hospital. She is the type of nurse that is not looking for recognition but certainly deserves praise for doing her job and going over and above what is expected of her.