On the acute care cardiac unit, we often have patients who stay with us for weeks and months receiving care. This can be a difficult adjustment for most patients and some present additional challenges. One such patient has been on our unit for almost a year. His care has been difficult at times - his psychosocial situation is extremely turbulent and his diagnosis is very severe. However, one nurse stepped up to the challenge and has gone above and beyond to advocate in this patient's best interest. That nurse is Melissa Fong. Recently Mel took steps to identify how we could best support this patient. She worked with Child Life to implement interventions such as creating a routine for the patient and ensuring all the other nurses were informed and adhering to the plan, reorganizing his (previously extremely messy) room so that everything had a place, and in the absence of his having parents around, doing things like reminding him to "use his words" and say "please" and "thank you". One of the most caring things Mel does involves preparing this patient for school. At 9:30 am, she gives him a choice of what kind of drink he wants to take with him. Because he's on a fluid restriction, she carefully packs his drink of choice in individual, pre-measured bottles that he can ask the teacher for when he gets thirsty. She also ensures that he has his snack of choice tucked into his wheelchair. Mel was able to support both this patient and the nurses who care for him by developing tools to ensure we are providing consistent, therapeutic care. In the setting of this kind of stability, he has thrived. Whereas he used to have to leave school often because of severe behavioral issues and would become aggressive with nursing staff, he is now thriving in school and working extremely well in his new routine in his room. Mel has been equal parts mother, friend, and nurse to this patient and the impact of this has been palpable. Thank you, Mel!