Looking Past Your Own PainThu, 02/13/2014 - 03:15

Looking Past Your Own Pain
I met a dreamer-catcher in the most unusual way. I was sitting in my office in the basement of the Hospital, far away from patients, when I got this request. "Lisa can you come up to Turner 4 to speak with a patient? I went to the room they were calling from and there sat a women hooked up to her chemotherapy drip. She was so happy that I had taken time to come and speak with her. Through her battle with cancer she kept wondering how she could give back for all the kindness and caring she had received. This patient was also a professor at the local College, so she was wondering if she could bring her students in to volunteer? We came up with a group project for her freshman class that needed to complete community service requirements. They planned and implemented a weekly activities session for our rehabilitation unit. Evenings of games, refreshments and craft projects were organized. Patients benefited greatly from the opportunities to socialize and participate in rehabilitative recreation. Through all this- their fearless leader went through more chemotherapy and reconstructive surgery, yet always stayed focused on how she could help others and inspire her students to do the same! She was a dreamer that didn't let her own problems stop her from reaching out and helping others