Written by Cheryl Williams
Director of Marketing at Wambi

For most of my life, I took the people who worked in healthcare for granted. They were just part of the system that I expected to be there for me in my time of need: an issue pops up, I visit a doctor, my issue gets fixed — end of story. Then in 2015, I was pulled unwillingly into the heart of the system when my 2.5 year old son was diagnosed with a DIPG brain tumor. 

I will not pretend I was an easy parent for healthcare workers to deal with; in fact, I was the opposite. From the moment of my son’s unexpected 100% terminal diagnosis, I scowled at almost every person who entered our room, requested a meeting to review MRI results, or even passed me in the hallway. I assumed they were all wrong, that they weren’t trying to save my son, and that it was my new mission in life to find a way to beat the odds. Of course, they knew what I didn’t at the time: I was in denial. 

We spent almost seven months mostly inpatient at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, battling the system and the tireless healthcare workers who worked there only to serve. Countless times I argued with neurologists, yelled at nurses for needlessly waking my son up during a rare period of deep sleep, pushed attending physicians out of the room for being insensitive, and scoffed at physical therapists when I thought they weren’t doing enough to keep his feet from dropping. Only years after losing my son have I come to realize that every single day, whether in Oncology, the Emergency Department, the PICU, or Transitional Care as we were trained to take him back home, I neglected to show appreciation for the hundreds of workers who took special care to be kind and patient. In fact, only after what would be his final MRI that showed a combination of his stroke and the tumor’s progression had taken over his “thinking” brain did we accept the inevitable and begin to look at the teams around us through a more compassionate lens. 

In hindsight, there are so many moments that I wish I could revisit to pause and thank someone for their kind word or action. Because now, years later, it’s not the times when I was angry or annoyed that have been permanently pressed into my memory of that experience—it’s the positive moments that have staying power. And while my son was in the care of countless amazing nurses and doctors, there were so many times the other healthcare workers I remember most.  

 This year, Hospital Week takes on new meaning for those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. While my story has a different theme, its purpose is the same: to share appreciation for every person working in the hospital ecosystem, often the unsung heroes working just shy of the limelight. Here are some of my experiences with them:  

MARKETING  

Early in our diagnosis, we spent some time in the Oncology unit, taking for granted peace and quiet of its hallways that we would soon miss when we landed in the PICU as a long-term home. One day, a surprise visitor showed up, going room-to-room to greet patients and offering to pose for a photo with them…a Cincinnati Reds player! My son wasn’t bedridden yet, so we came out of our room for an unexpected photo op with a real-life major league baseball player. It was a special moment; a moment that took lots of behind-the-scenes coordination by the Marketing team and countless others. For your thoughtfulness in creating big moments, to Marketing I say, “Thank you.”  

SOCIAL SERVICES  

You can’t possibly fathom the value of social services until you find yourself in a medical situation where you don’t care if you pay your mortgage or your electric bill, because those things have moved to the very back of your mind and are no longer a priority. During our stay and in the aftermath, our Social Worker was always available, oftentimes at the drop of a hat, to help with anything I couldn’t bear to do, whether it was filling out medical paperwork or paying my bills. She came armed with information, found ways to help with the financial burden, and even arranged the payment of things on my behalf. She filled out forms and just showed me where to sign. What’s more, she rolled with the punches of whatever anger and helplessness I dished out on her and continued providing her unwavering support. To all the Social Workers advocating for their patients, I say, “Thank you.”  

NUTRITION SERVICES  

Perhaps one of the few people I was kind to in-the-moment during our stay was our Dietician. She dedicated her time to experimenting with tube-feeding formulas I demanded in lieu of what was standard at the hospital and met with me frequently talking through pros and cons of different experimental diets for cancer patients. Farther down the road, she patiently explained the body’s lessening need for calories as body systems begin to shut down and helped me prepare mentally for the future. To dieticians working to keep patients nourished, I say, “Thank you.”  

CHILD LIFE SERVICES  

The proactive involvement and constant presence of Child Life was indispensable for our family. In the beginning, they came to our room one day with plaster and water to create a mold of my son and my daughter holding hands—we still have the original and have also worked with a 3D printer to make sure we have it forever. We celebrated my son’s 3rd birthday in the PICU, and they were there with musical instruments and singing to make the day as special as it could be. For my older daughter, they took her to their activity room to get any toys or movies or crafts to help her cope with the situation. To say this team goes above and beyond in creating memorable moments is an understatement. To Child Life Services, I say, “Thank you.”  

INTEGRATIVE CARE  

I am a big believer in the power of holistic healthcare. I treasured the visits from Massage Therapy, who not only massaged my son’s skin to keep blood flowing, but also offered me massages and affirmations that I was a good mother and to give myself grace. Music Therapy gave special attention to my daughter, and even came to our house to do a recording session of her singing my son’s favorite song, with a recording of his heartbeat in the background. I still get emotional thinking back on how much they helped so many days to calm down my racing adrenaline so I could be more present. To Integrative Care teams, I say, “Thank you.”  

ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES  

As I settled into my habit of spending 24 hours a day, day after day, in an intensive care unit, my nerves began to wear down and every little noise, every little detail had the potential for sending me into a fury. I never learned her name, but one of my favorite memories is of a woman in Environmental Services who worked the night shift. Rather than come in and perform her duties in the room while my son was sleeping, she carefully tiptoed in to grab the garbage cans and full linen basket and took them back out into the hallway. She would quietly shut the door to our room and do all of her emptying and bag-changing out there, simply to avoid waking him up. Did it take her longer to finish our room? Absolutely. But the extra care she took to think about what could make his experience better was priceless. To Environmental Services workers, I say, “Thank you.”  

FOOD SERVICES  

Many months of living in the hospital meant I got to know faces of the cafeteria workers. I rarely spoke to them because I was walking around in a stupor, but I recognized them day after day. One day that was especially rough, it must’ve shown on my face, and the person dishing pasta onto my plate paused and said, “I gave you a little extra because you seem like you could use something special today.” I vividly remember his warm, empathetic smile. Not to mention several times when I accidentally journeyed to the cafeteria without any way to pay, and the cashiers graciously gave me a free pass. To the Food Services workers I say, “Thank you.”  

These highlighted moments are just a few of dozens of stories I could share to showcase the importance of the workers that span every department of the hospital ecosystem. We cannot thank them enough! And on the flipside, as a family member who supported a patient and practically lived in the hospital for months, we should urge patients and families to recognize and thank everyone who supports them during their stay because the science is real: showing appreciation and sharing gratitude for others positively impacts our mental and physical health. Let’s take special care this year during Hospital Week to recognize those amazing people and memorialize the moments that impact us. Thankfully, there is now a simple tool that connects patients to those healthcare workers to easily share that meaningful gratitude: Wambi.  

Learn more about how Wambi works here. To see Wambi in action, request a demo.

Cheryl is an experienced marketing leader with 20 years across the B2B, retail, and direct-to-consumer landscapes. She joined the Wambi team in 2019 to focus on brand identity, marketing strategy, and digital transformation. Cheryl’s expertise is in bringing ideas to life to achieve organizational goals, through a careful blend of imagination and analysis. Her affinity for marketing stems from a lifelong love of art, language, and the power of communication. Born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, Cheryl lives in Cincinnati with her husband and two children. Hobbies that spark joy in Cheryl’s free time are reading, yoga, all forms of art therapy, and dabbling in decadent cooking.  

•   Connect with Cheryl on LinkedIn  

For those who are looking to practice positivity more frequently, inspirational quotes are a surefire way to reaffirm oneself. From inspiring historical figures, to favorite pop culture references, there’s no shortage of motivational quotes! Wambi’s Chief Clinical Officer, Dr. Bonnie Clipper, looks to Audrey Hepburn’s famous words, “Nothing is impossible, the word itself says “I’m possible!” for her quick pick-me-up. In a world where real-time feedback loops can provide instant motivation, these easily-accessible, pocket-sized words of wisdom are effective empowerment tools in confirming what we deep down know to be true about ourselves and our impact. And when it comes to nursing that impact couldn’t be greater, which is why we turned to our users in Wambi to share the quotes that inspire them most. 

Reshare these quotes on social media and tag @wambicares on Instagram and Twitter to celebrate nurses and their abounding wisdom that can inspire us all:

From Marie Foley-Danecker, Chief Nursing Officer at Ocean Medical Center (Hackensack Meridian Health)  
 
I share this quote every month at nursing orientation, “Be kind for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle you know nothing about.”  It is from The Candymakers by Wendy Mass. While the demands on the care team have never been greater, it is essential we ensure we are providing humanistic care.  

From Marshanell Wright, Clinical Adult Service Director, DNP, MSN, RN 
 
I live by the below quote and it is why I recognize my team through Wambi because they deserve to feel special for the positive impact they have on patients:

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou

From Rennier Marc Razal, Director of Critical Care at East Orange General Hospital
 
Maya Angelou’s quote reminds me of why I stay in leadership role and in nursing. I believe it’s true.  Emotions/feelings are what drive people to say things and do things. If we can all treat it each other with respect, empathy, and dignity, that’s a great start with any relationship. 

From Thelma Orozco, RN and Assistant Department Manager at Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Center 
 
As a leader, my goal is to create and shape the environment and culture to support practice excellence. This builds a safe environment, leading to positive patient outcomes, and supports next generation leaders.  
I related to this quote that I encountered in one of my leadership class and adopted it:

“There are two ways of being creative. One can sing and dance. Or one can create an environment in which singers and dancers flourish.”– Warren G. Bennis

Giving meaningful recognition creates a different culture and leaves a deeper impact on the recipient. The staff love Wambi for recognizing their work. Many thanks. 

From Maurice Davis, Certified Nursing Assistant at Palomar Vista  
 
Every day, I’m asked, “How are you?” by the staff and patients.  My answer always the same:

“Just another day in paradise, and if it gets any better than this, I couldn’t take it.” – Anonymous

From Melissa Copeland, Nurse Manager at Upper Chesapeake Health

As a nurse, we have the opportunity to heal the heart, mind, soul, and body of our patients, their families, and ourselves.

“Be the change you wish to see in the world”- Mahatma Gandhi

From Kim Armstrong, Registered Nurse at Upper Chesapeake Health

“The thing always happens that you really believe in; and the belief in a thing makes it happen.” – Frank Lloyd Wright

From  Sara Camperi, Nurse Manager for Labor and Delivery Unit at Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Center 
 

“Stay away from those people who try to disparage your ambitions. Small minds will always do that, but great minds will give you a feeling that you can become great too.” — Mark Twain

Looking for more powerful tools to help improve your workplace experience? Read “Never Forget The Power of Empathy.“

Meet Michelle Mahaffey of Community Health Network.

“I know we cannot put our patients first unless my team puts our employees first. I have to think about all of my employees. How are they doing that? What are they thinking everyday when they wake up and they head into the healthcare facility or the office? What is it that is getting them energized and making them excited about opening their laptop or putting on their coat or putting on their badge?”

Listen to the episode below to learn how Community Health Network puts their employees first, ensuring a healthy and engaged organization so they can focus on the patient experience.

Michelle Mahaffey models the Wambi value of compassion in distinguishing the definition between “being healthy” versus “being engaged.”

“You really kind of have to separate out healthy and engaged at first and then bring them back together. When we think about being healthy, each one of us is an individual and we’re responsible for our own health. But as employers, we do have a role, and we can’t make our employees take care of themselves. But what we can do is we can reassure them that we support them and taking care of themselves. We can provide resources and programs. We can support them in utilizing those resources and programs, and that is huge as an employer.”

Want More? If you liked this podcast, listen to Bonnie Clipper’s podcast episode on How Is Innovation Driving Employee Engagement.

Strengthen your organizational resilience and align team goals with The Resilience Workbook,  a free 12-page resource to mitigate clinician burnout. Download here.

This Gut + Science episode is sponsored by Wambi. Don’t miss out on future episodes; subscribe today!

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