Organizers of the Blue Hope Bash Denver are launching a statewide search for the Colorectal Cancer Supernurses who dedicate their lives to caring for Colorado’s colorectal cancer (CRC) community.
While medical advances have made treatment easier and more effective every year, the people who really make chemo-time fly are the cancer center nurses and staff who combine top-class medical skill with a brilliant bedside manner day-in, day-out.
Bash organizers have received numerous remarkable entries, some of which are shared, in part, below. To nominate your nurse, click here.
Lindsey Wilson nominated Michele Naes Lehman.
Lindsey says: “Michele is a highly trained nurse, but the real skills that have motivated me to nominate Michele can not be learned from a textbook.
Her medical training brings a calming reassurance that you are in safe hands, but this comes wrapped up in her compassionate and caring aura.
She has a genuine interest in her patients that goes way beyond the illness. Her seamless conversation completely distracting attention away from the severity of the real purpose of the visit.
My brother is now into 18 months of remission but still receives maintenance treatment every fortnight for an infinite period of time. Michele has managed to turn this fortnightly burden into a visit with a friend.”
Rob Winter nominated Karen Schultz.
Rob says: “I had the opportunity to meet Karen during my very first chemotherapy treatment, where she brought compassion to a nervous and uneducated patient. Through 77 rounds of chemo (and counting), she has been the most caring, supportive, and professional caregiver and friend. We have laughed and cried together, but I have never seen Karen have a bad day at work, even though I know there are days that have been emotionally and physically tough for her.
Karen has gone above and beyond to ensure that my care has received her top game. When I adopted Hawaiian shirts as my treatment attire, Karen purchased floral scrubs (closest she could find to Hawaiian) out of her personal money to wear on my treatment days.
I moved to an oral chemo regimen a few months ago, but during my regular appointments with my oncologist, I always stop in the treatment area to visit with Karen. She unfailingly finds the time to sit with me to see how I am doing.”
Kristin Tabeling nominated Cheri Rice.
Kristin says: “My husband Chris was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer in October 2015, and Cheri Rice was our nurse coordinator at Kaiser Lonetree until Chris passed away in March 2018.
Cheri made us feel safe from the very first meeting. She provided us not only with a tour and a “what to expect,” written information, and kind, gentle, soothing words, but also with her phone number. I called her almost every day, at least multiple times a week, and although I may have been “over the top,” she knew my voice and always greeted me with warmth and smile.
Cheri was part of our world of cancer, but she is also became our friend, our true friend, who I still talk to and care about to this day.
Even since Chris has died, it still makes it a little easier to know that Cheri, Dr. Klancar and all of our awesome chemo nurses at Kaiser Lonetree care about us.”
To nominate your Colorectal Cancer Supernurse, submit your story, in 400 words or less, to coloradonurses@ccalliance.org, ideally with a picture or two, by the closing date of Friday, February 15.
If you would like to take part in the 2019 Blue Hope Bash Denver as a sponsor or guest or donate items or experiences to the auction, visit https://www.ccalliance.org/events/2019-blue-hope-bash-denver or contact the team in Denver by e-mailing bluehopebashdenver@ccalliance.org.