WOO! Year 2 and now marathon #3, let's do it!!!!!

As many of you know, I work as a pediatric nurse on the Hematology/Oncology/ Stem Cell Transplant unit at Lurie Children's. As soon as I tell people, the question I often get when I tell people what I do for my job is "how do you do it?". 

I respond with the truth: some days are uplifting, some are empowering, and lots are heartbreaking. But to be alongside these warriors as they take on their hardest days has and always will be the biggest honor. Being in this job for 6 years has given me a front row seat to what life looks like for our patients and families as they take on some of the most unimaginable days. I have learned the importance of celebrating the little moments, because sometimes those are the most important. As nurses, we can't take away a kid's cancer, their pain, or the heartache their family is dealing with.But, we have all the power to make everything these patients and families are going through a little lighter. 

What does making things a little lighter look like?

It looks like bringing my patient a prize after they had to be poked for more labs, their port needed to be reaccessed because their needle change was due, or they needed to get their central line dressing sticker changed for the week. 

It looks like putting a small sticker over the tape that we had to put on our patients' faces to secure a tube that goes from their nose to their stomach to help supplement nutrition and take medicine because they no longer can eat or take medicines by mouth. 

It looks like celebrating the end of chemotherapy treatment or being in the hospital for a stem cell transplant with a bubble parade, a big sign, and music. 

Where do you fit in?

All of our supportive items and experiences are made possible through your generous donations. Just $10 can provide a thermometer for a family to monitor life-threatening infections, while $14 covers a parking pass so both parents can visit without added stress. A $50 donation brings games and toys to hospitalized children, and $100 helps a parent attend a support group.

Please join me in lightening the load for these incredible kids and families as I run 26.2 miles this October in their honor!!