Working with Emily these last few years has been such an honor, and watching her growth as a nurse has been incredible to witness. In the past year, I have personally watched Emily exude extreme compassion, advocacy, patience, dedication, and love to one patient in particular, whom most people turned away from.

In the Summer of 2024, an Arabic-speaking patient and her mother were admitted to the BMT unit for a transplant. Upon admission, the patient and family struggled with trusting the healthcare team. Utilizing an interpreter, Emily found ways to connect with the patient and the mom. She made sure the cafeteria knew what foods the patient and mom liked; she organized activities to encourage the patient to move around, she found a way the patient and mom could watch their favorite shows on the television, and she provided emotional support by being a consistent, caring face to a family that came to this country with no one else.

It is now March 2025, and this patient remains inpatient with us. In the past year, the patient has faced multiple complications that we rarely see. In the last year, Emily has fought for this patient every day that she is here. Emily exemplifies excellence and strong advocacy for this patient and her family by initiating biweekly multidisciplinary meetings to ensure that the entire healthcare team is aligned and realistic goals are established for this patient. She has advocated for the patient to have visits to the Imagination Room to get a sense of normalcy, she's encouraged the patient to do her physical therapy exercises, and as a reward to completing difficult tasks, Emily treats the patient to her favorite "girl-time" activities such as painting her nails, doing her make-up, and having impromptu dance parties! These are just a few examples of how Emily has spent the last year ensuring this patient receives the best care possible, while also having fun with the patient.

Witnessing the patient and Emily light up when they see each other is heart-warming. The patient, who came to us barely speaking English, managed to learn how to say, “I missed you!” after being away from Emily for a while. While I could go on and on about the dedication, compassion, and excellence Emily exudes with this patient, I want to be sure you all know that she also brings the same amount of joy to her coworkers. Her smile lights up the darkest room, her charisma inspires us all to bring joy to our patients, and her confidence motivates not only the patients but us as her peers as well.  

While the prognosis for this patient is currently unknown, Emily continues to celebrate life, practices with passion, and fosters hope, ensuring that every day she spends in the hospital is the biggest party of all.