- Belong: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Related story: When staff and patients are one and the same
Life lessons
Providing cancer care can be emotionally draining at times, but many staff members consider it a privilege to be part of someone's life at a profoundly meaningful time.
Through her work with adult and pediatric patients over the years, for example, social worker Amy Grose, LICSW, has realized that "life is precious and unpredictable. I have learned that the human spirit is much stronger than I ever imagined, and that gives me hope for facing my own challenges," she says. "I've also discovered that hope takes on different forms—and it isn't always for a cure. It can be for a healed relationship, peace, or comfort."
"You constantly hear patients say, 'From the moment I walk into this building, there's something special about the way people act, no matter what their job.' "
—Cynthia Medeiros, LICSW
Maria Zano, RN, BSN, a nurse caring for adult patients with solid tumors, is one of many staffers whose decision to choose oncology changed her outlook. Since coming to Dana-Farber 22 years ago, she has shifted her priorities and, while on the job, focuses on putting herself in her patients' shoes."I like to make my patients feel special and thereby make their stay here as comfortable as possible," she notes. "I have grown emotionally and professionally here. It's rewarding when patients say they can tell I love my job just by watching me."
Because their work can be emotionally intense, DFCI employees find outlets for their feelings, such as meditation, travel, exercise, or participation in a fundraiser like the Boston Marathon® Jimmy Fund Walk or Pan-Massachusetts Challenge bike-a-thon. If a patient dies, some light candles, attend services, or share stories with each other.
Social worker Meghan Lemery, LICSW, who like Winer chose the field after being seriously ill as a child, says a former supervisor encouraged her to find a ritual to honor patients who pass away. "I try to write a note about the patient, what he or she taught me, and the work we did together," says Lemery, who staffs DFCI's bone marrow transplant program. "I touch on the unique gifts and talents of that patient. Then I mail it to the family."
- Next: Teamwork is key
- Page: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Related story: When staff and patients are one and the same
