What:
I'd like to arrange a special treat for the nurses on the Leukemia and Bone Marrow Transplant floors of Memorial Sloan Kettering and The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania - the two hospitals where I was treated. At this point, I plan to write them a letter telling them my story and how much nursing care meant to me, along with some kind of healthy treat to get them through the shift.
Why:
As a two-time survivor and transplant recipient, the nurses are the ones who dedicate so much of their lives to helping others. I developed intense relationships with many of them that end when you go back to "normal life." Three years later, I'd just like to brighten their day with something simple to let them know they are appreciated. As some have told me, many of their patients don't make it, and those that do just disappear back to their normal lives. I know from talking with them that this can be exhausting - they only get to see us at our worst. I hope that I can remind them why they do such a hard job that has such little monetary reward in comparison to some career paths they could have chosen.