I’m currently in my second of three rounds of BEP chemotherapy for testicular cancer. I’m only 32 years old, which presents its own set of emotional and social challenges. I watch my peers hit new personal and career milestones while I’m in my treatment chair feeling like my life is on hold. 

Amanda has been an incredible nurse who has gone above and beyond to make me feel like I’m a normal person - not just a cancer patient - all while providing exceptional treatment. Amanda was my nurse during the first week of my first round of chemo and I'm so grateful. She has a positive, uplifting energy that rubs off on everyone around her, including her peers. Amanda clearly explained everything I should be expecting - the procedures for administering chemo, and how I might be feeling - and referenced other experiences she’s had with patients going through BEP chemo. She is also exceptional at finding veins and inserting IVs - something that might seem small, but with all of the labs and IVs I’ve needed, it really makes a huge difference.

Any question I've had for Amanda, she's been able to answer or find the right resource to get the answer I need. Amanda made an effort to form a real human connection, asking me about my life beyond being a cancer patient, which was refreshing to talk about other topics like music, TV, movies, and family, instead of just test results and treatment procedures.

After a short hospital stay for fever and low WBC count towards the end of my first round, I came in for treatment the day after being discharged and was fortunate to have Amanda again as my nurse. On top of the hospital stay, I was suffering from a number of unbearable side effects. I was at a real low, questioning how I could find the emotional and physical strength to keep going. When Amanda walked in and asked how I was doing, I broke down in tears. Amanda listened to all of my challenges with such compassion and empathy. She talked me through some practical steps of how she was going to help advocate for me with my doctors, arrange for a visit from the dietician because I had lost so much weight, and had a resource nurse come look over my veins which had been damaged due to chemo. On top of that, Amanda provided much-needed words of encouragement and put these challenges into perspective - that this is just going to be a short period of my life, that I have plenty of life to live, and that she, the other nurses at Beth Israel, and my boyfriend, family, and friends are all here to carry me through the tough times. That talk really turned around my mental state and is a conversation I play back in my mind when I’m feeling down.

Amanda was not set to be my nurse during my second round of chemo but made sure to re-arrange with some other nurses so that she could continue providing me with treatment. I am deeply touched that she would do that for me. Simple as it sounds, It’s one of the kindest things anyone has done for me. It’s providing me a sense of comfort and continuity as I continue through treatment and I fully trust Amanda’s judgment, guidance, and exceptional care. I know I’m not alone in receiving this type of care. When other nurses happen to stop by, they all rave about what an incredible nurse Amanda is, and I’m not surprised one bit.

Amanda shows up for her patients as a person first - she is there for us on so many levels. She understands that there are many challenges we face in our lives when we leave that treatment chair and treats us with dignity and respect. She is a genuinely friendly, kind, and caring person and I’m so lucky that she is my nurse. I don’t know if I can ever repay her for the deep impact she’s had on me, and Amanda is deserving of this DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses. I could rave about Amanda for hours.