My wife was diagnosed with stage 4 Ovarian Cancer. When we checked in to Baptist Medical Jacksonville, I did not know what to expect and was scared I would lose the women I love and have been married to for 35 years. Then I met Valerie, my wife's nurse. I noticed right away she seemed to have a special interest in my wife and spent an incredible amount of time to make sure she was comfortable and understood what was happening.
When I arrived at the hospital, Valerie always called me by name and would answer any question I had. My wife and I took an immediate liking to Valerie because her smile and enthusiasm for her job never failed to light up the room. As we got to know her, we learned she was also an Ovarian Cancer survivor. She received amazing care at Baptist Medical; she went to nursing school at age 40 so that she could help others like her. There is no way to thank nurses like Valerie; she gave us realistic hope for the future and that is something we will never forget.