My husband was diagnosed with stave IV colon cancer last June and had to have emergency surgery to remove a mass in his colon in January at Providence. To add to our already very full plate, the surgeon suggested that he receive an ileostomy to prevent any risk of leakage in the colon. My husband is young and active and having an ostomy has been devastating.

We were so fortunate through all of this to have Natalie. From the moment we met her, she has put our fears at ease and made a very difficult life change feel normal. She is hilarious and smart and any time I have had a concern or problem, she jumps to our aid to order supplies, answer emails or phone calls or examine his stoma ASAP to make sure everything is going well. Every time we leave, my husband and I are in terrific spirits and spend the next few days saying how tremendous she is.

There is no question I have presented that she has not answered fully and her advice is reasonable and shows she genuinely cares. She just makes you feel great and confident that we are receiving the best care and we so value the patience she has shown with this occasionally needy client. She has this gift to reassure and calm her patients. She has been a light in an incredibly difficult journey. She exemplifies excellence in medicine and her care goes above the call of duty.