My sister is a patient at Brigham and Women's Hospital with an aggressive and rare uterine cancer. She also has special needs and cognitive challenges, which have certainly made it harder for her to understand what is happening. This demands a very special form of empathic, caring communication style to grasp what M is saying and to effectively help M comprehend what is occurring in the most appropriate and compassionate ways. Debra is that person and so much more. She has exemplified excellence, empathy, grace, kindness, and has made M feel welcomed and understood with open arms. Debra has embraced all of our family, who are, needless to say, saddened by what M is experiencing. M has never encountered a practitioner like Debra. She consistently tells me – every single day – how much she “loves Deb” and asks, “when can she see her again?” That is extraordinary in my book.