A 54-year old mother and grandmother had just retired from working and serving others for almost 40 years. Her plans to travel with her husband and enjoy her young grandchildren were destroyed when she was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. The patient was sad, her husband was angry, her son was devastated, her grandchildren were too young to know what they would miss not knowing their grandmother.

One afternoon, the patient was experiencing unusual pain; a more intense headache than usual. Her nurse was in another patient emergency and was not available to help. Angie stepped in immediately. While Angie did not know the patient, she knelt next to her, spoke softly to the patient, assessed her pain in a gentle manner and quickly met the need. Angie's attention to this patient was surreal. As I watched from the hospital room doorway, the compassion and empathy Angie extended to my good friend who was dying, was like a portrait and is forever etched in my mind. This story highlights a single intervention but reflects Angie's care and concern for oncology patients over many years.

Angie is an exceptional, competent and compassionate nurse as she cares for her patients and their families. This compassion for her patients extends beyond the doors of the hospital to the local community. Angie has authored over a dozen grants for the benefit of her patients and community. To educate patients, families and community members on the role of nutrition in the cancer journey, she wrote a grant and hosted a cooking class at an area church. This passion also extends beyond age barriers as she organizes the annual smoking education to area schools during the Great American Smoke Out.

She also cares deeply for her fellow nurses and advocates for them. This mentorship role extends far beyond her small community as she serves at the national level to help facilitate the National Certification for Oncology Nurses. Angie's honesty and sincere concern for her patients is obvious to all her know her. She serves on the Ethics Committee and local Oncology Nursing Society chapter in leadership roles and annually organizes the hospital's Relay for Life efforts. Angie is conscientious, responsible and an excellent steward of the organization's resources. She has an awesome laugh, a beautiful smile and brings a positive point of view to her work. At the bedside or in any other task, Angie brings her passion for oncology nursing and her love for her fellow human beings. Often, she assists patients, families and their nurses through the death experience in a beautiful and gentle manner.