Nurse Denise has been such a tremendous help to me since I started at the Treatment Center that I had to make sure someone knew. Years ago, when I started treatment, I, like many in the community, looked down on the use of Methadone. There is such a stigma attached to it! I was really tempted to quit and go back to using heroin. Denise was instrumental for me at that time because she didn't look down on me and talked to me about the stigma and treated me like I was a regular patient. She always asked how I was feeling and still does. You can tell when someone is just asking and when someone truly cares. Denise cares and has always shown me that. Thank God with the support of Denise and my counselor, I didn't let negative feelings lead me back to Heroin addiction and the usual endings such as jails, institutions, and death.

I must thank you for having Denise in a front-line position dosing patients. I am sure she is not there by accident. Anyone can see she makes everyone feel equal and never gives the impression she is looking down on them. When I see her training someone, I always feel glad because I am sure she will do all she can to impress upon that person how important the interactions they have with a patient are. It could be life or death. She would be great in a management role or head of training so she can show every employee how to care for the patients that come in. Having Denise as part of my treatment team has truly helped me stay on this path of sobriety. To me, it is just as important as Methadone because I wouldn't reap the benefits of taking Methadone if I felt less than or self-conscious coming to the clinic. I would have stopped going long ago, before I was able to reap any of those benefits.

I wanted to take the time to commend Denise for helping me lose that stigma of using Methadone. It was really a sticking point for me. We are all quick to let someone know when we are wronged, but I am trying to be just as quick to let someone know when they have gone above and beyond, and Denise has