I am 23 years old. One year ago, I was rushed to the emergency room for what we thought was a severe migraine. It turned out to be a rare "pediatric" brain cancer. I would be lying if I said the past year hasn't been hard. Most of my treatments are done down at the University of Pennsylvania (UPENN) in Philadelphia. However, I have weekly blood work taken and often have to have fluid infusions and occasionally platelet infusions. These are done at the cancer infusion center at St. Luke's Anderson, where I met Nurse Kelly.

Kelly is an angel. Truly. She is so bubbly and deeply caring. We quickly became good friends. Kelly lights up the room. Her energy and cheer are simply contagious, and she cares so deeply for all her patients. I see it when she takes the time to check on me whenever we see each other, even if she is not actively treating me. I've seen the same care for other patients as well. She is also very gentle and skilled at putting the access needles into my port. She always takes the time to give out hugs whenever she can too. Kelly is willing to help in whatever way possible. She is always there for me and genuinely and deeply cares for me. She sees her patients as people beyond the hospital and infusions. She gets to know her patients for who they are as people. She even relayed to me she once worked in the ER but was called to serve in the cancer infusion center. She told me it was because she felt like she could care for people more deeply this way.

Yet she did not completely remove herself from general hospital care. She also told me she works a second job in the main hospital accessing ports for patients there. Often, she does so after working all day in the infusion center. Kelly has truly made my tough journey easier and brightens the infusion center with her care and bubbly personality. Thank you for all that you do Kelly, you are beyond wonderful.