Dana Williams
October 2023
Dana
Williams
,
RN
Intensive Care Unit
Broadlawns Medical Center
Des Moines
,
IA
United States

 

 

 

I will always respect and love that woman for making nights easier for my dad during the hardest fight he has ever fought. Her smile, laugh, heart, and love shine bright in this rapidly changing, scary world.
My Dad is fighting hard with stage 4 lung cancer that metastasized to his brain. The tumor pushes on the nerve that functions his whole face; he can't blink, close his mouth, or feel his face at all, so communication is very hard. His health is declining faster by the day, and Dana has been a heaven-sent. She walks in with a genuine heartfelt smile and attitude, followed by a hello, are you excited you get me tonight, are you ready to have a good time, do you need anything, are you feeling any discomfort, anything at all I can do for you?? She makes everyone in the room smile, laugh, and feel at ease, knowing she genuinely wholeheartedly cares for her patient in a time of pain and sorrow. She is incredibly upbeat, very responsible, unbelievably respectful, and she never stops trying to find family or patients' answers when she doesn't know the answers in a very timely manner. Importantly, she never makes us family feel like a burden when asking for this, that, anything, and everything. She truly cares and wants everyone to enjoy and understand their stay. She followed me out the doors to talk and make sure I was OK. Just wanted to be there for me to talk to before driving back home alone an hour away by myself. She made me feel thankful that she truly cared. The loving and sincere care she has given my dad is incredible, and I will never forget her. I will always respect and love that woman for making nights easier for my dad during the hardest fight he has ever fought. I am forever grateful for Dana. Her smile, laugh, heart, and love shine bright in this rapidly changing, scary world. She deserves this award and a whole lot more. I am thankful and grateful forever for the smiles and laughs my dad and I shared whenever she came in the door.