Danielle Caselli
October 2021
Danielle
Caselli
,
RN
C6 Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/BMT Unit
UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital- San Francisco
San Francisco
,
CA
United States

 

 

 

Danielle sat there, gently adorning our daughter’s toes with beautiful, press-on, glitter polish until her smile could not grow further.
My five-year-old daughter went to UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital to receive a stem cell transplant, and the whole process would require us to be away from our home and family for about three months. Though my daughter is strong and determined, she struggled throughout treatment with being away from family and finding things that brought her joy to pass the time more quickly. On the first day, we had Danielle, she listened to our daughter’s wants and needs, and gave so much of her time to make sure she knew that she was heard and validated. The next day we were blessed with Danielle again, and she had brought with her things to give our daughter a pedicure fit for a princess. For the next hour, Danielle sat there, gently adorning our daughter’s toes with beautiful, press-on, glitter polish until her smile could not grow further. It was, by far, the most above and beyond gesture I've ever witnessed, and I will never forget it.