Lisa Sowers
October 2025
Lisa
Sowers
,
BSN, RN, CPHON
Texas Children's Hospital
Houston
,
TX
United States
Her dedication and extraordinary efforts ensured that this patient was able to travel safely home and spend their final days surrounded by loved ones.
We had an end-of-life patient from another country whose dying wish was to return home to pass away surrounded by family. With only 24hr notice, obtaining portable oxygen for an uninsured patient and arranging flight assistance seemed nearly impossible. Lisa promptly contacted the provider, who used his resources to connect with a foundation that offered to help cover the cost of the flight. She took it upon herself to contact the consulate directly to obtain travel permission, which she secured. Lisa also coordinated with the airline regarding the patient's oxygen requirements. After learning that the airline could provide in-flight oxygen and required 48 hours' notice for medical accommodations, she explained the extenuating circumstances to the airline. Thanks to her advocacy, the airline granted an exception, allowing the patient to bring portable oxygen on board. In addition, Lisa worked closely with the social work, palliative care, and hospice teams, as well as the patient's family and the airline, to ensure all logistics were addressed. She even arranged for the flight to be rescheduled to a later time to make this possible. Her dedication and extraordinary efforts ensured that this patient was able to travel safely home and spend their final days surrounded by loved ones.