Joy Gerow
November 2024
Joy
Gerow
,
RN
Littleton
Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers
Denver
,
CO
United States
Joy had single-handedly evaporated the “brick wall” my father had so carefully been building around himself and his treatment plans.
I am writing with immense gratitude and appreciation for Joy Gerow, RN. I would like to celebrate her remarkable leadership, compassion, and professionalism I observed during my father's recent chemotherapy infusion treatments at Rocky Mountain Cancer Center (RMCC) in Littleton. It brings me great honor to nominate her for the DAISY Award.
Amid the uncertainty associated with starting a new chemotherapy treatment, my father, was having a lot of anxiety and seemed determined to keep his loved ones shielded from everything he was being told about his care plan. He wanted to "be the tough guy" who didn't need help or support. As those of us closest to him tried (and failed) to convince him to “let us in” so we could support him, we were frustrated as he explicitly prohibited us from entering RMCC and especially the infusion room.
That was day one. While waiting in the hotel room for an update from him, we received a message: "The nurse is really great! And her name is Joy! It was meant to be!" We didn't know what had happened. Perhaps he had been given a high dose of "happy" medication and was feeling especially elated? It was so unexpected to get a positive message from him at that moment.
But that simply turned out to be the moment that his mindset had changed. From then on, his closest loved ones would be invited to share in his treatment journey and fully support him, including the next day in the infusion room, where I was still a little shocked that he had invited me in.
Once I sat in the room for a couple of hours, it all started to make sense. A team of world-class nurses who embody compassion and attentiveness were taking care of a room full of infusion patients.
Joy Gerow happened to be my father’s nurse again that day, and it became clear that she has a special touch when it came to understanding and communicating with my father. In short order, she had single-handedly evaporated the “brick wall” my father had so carefully been building around himself and his treatment plans.
But throughout my visits to the infusion room, I began to observe that Joy Gerow had that special touch with all of her patients. She could effortlessly build rapport, provide firm and compassionate instruction, and could adapt her approach as needed for patients of different personalities.
Joy Gerow exhibits strong leadership, astounding empathy, and astute attention to detail. She is a gift to the field of nursing, and RMCC is lucky to have her. For these reasons and many more, I wholeheartedly nominate Nurse Joy Gerow for the DAISY Award. Her impact on the well-being of her patients and the overall infusion experience is truly deserving of this prestigious recognition.
I leave you with a quote from my father as we were leaving the infusion room on the second day of his treatment under the care of Joy Gerow. "I feel so much better about my life," he said as we waved goodbye to Joy.
Amid the uncertainty associated with starting a new chemotherapy treatment, my father, was having a lot of anxiety and seemed determined to keep his loved ones shielded from everything he was being told about his care plan. He wanted to "be the tough guy" who didn't need help or support. As those of us closest to him tried (and failed) to convince him to “let us in” so we could support him, we were frustrated as he explicitly prohibited us from entering RMCC and especially the infusion room.
That was day one. While waiting in the hotel room for an update from him, we received a message: "The nurse is really great! And her name is Joy! It was meant to be!" We didn't know what had happened. Perhaps he had been given a high dose of "happy" medication and was feeling especially elated? It was so unexpected to get a positive message from him at that moment.
But that simply turned out to be the moment that his mindset had changed. From then on, his closest loved ones would be invited to share in his treatment journey and fully support him, including the next day in the infusion room, where I was still a little shocked that he had invited me in.
Once I sat in the room for a couple of hours, it all started to make sense. A team of world-class nurses who embody compassion and attentiveness were taking care of a room full of infusion patients.
Joy Gerow happened to be my father’s nurse again that day, and it became clear that she has a special touch when it came to understanding and communicating with my father. In short order, she had single-handedly evaporated the “brick wall” my father had so carefully been building around himself and his treatment plans.
But throughout my visits to the infusion room, I began to observe that Joy Gerow had that special touch with all of her patients. She could effortlessly build rapport, provide firm and compassionate instruction, and could adapt her approach as needed for patients of different personalities.
Joy Gerow exhibits strong leadership, astounding empathy, and astute attention to detail. She is a gift to the field of nursing, and RMCC is lucky to have her. For these reasons and many more, I wholeheartedly nominate Nurse Joy Gerow for the DAISY Award. Her impact on the well-being of her patients and the overall infusion experience is truly deserving of this prestigious recognition.
I leave you with a quote from my father as we were leaving the infusion room on the second day of his treatment under the care of Joy Gerow. "I feel so much better about my life," he said as we waved goodbye to Joy.