A Year of Promise

This past year, we've had the privilege of hearing our patients share their heartfelt stories, showcasing incredible courage and resilience during challenging times. We're deeply inspired by the respect, care, and compassion demonstrated by our team members—it's often the smallest acts that make the most significant difference in the lives of our patients and their families. We invite you to take a moment to glimpse these impactful stories, reflecting the true essence of our Promise and the care we strive to provide every day.

Podcast Transcript

CHARLIE:

One of the. Feelings that I'm most had difficulty dealing with my disease and while I was sick, was the loss of control, the loss of independence. I used to be a diplomat, so I lived all over the world, and I managed to, you know, not do bad. But then I got sick, and all of a sudden, I. I lost control of everything. I remember sitting in the thoracic oncology clinic waiting lounge. I was not happy sitting next to my parents. I was not happy feeling that I had no control and absolutely anything. And then, a nurse came up to me and she didn't come out to my parents. They stood up and she didn't address them. She addressed me and she asked me, who do you want to meet with the doctor? You can go by yourself if you want.

And it's something. It's a silly question now that I think of it, it's not even that big of a deal. It sounds normal. Normal and commonplace and ordinary. at that moment I felt like that nurse threw me a lifeline. She saw me struggling. She saw me struggling. She saw me in, in a hole. And she said, you can make this decision. You are empowered to do so. You're not your disease. You're not your medications. You are your own person.

For me, that that one moment was a game changer because it's the first moment I remember that I finally took charge of my treatment and my disease.

JASON:

The things that we took away with us were probably not things anybody would have thought were the most important things by far. But what we go home and write on Facebook about or tell people at church or brag to people about, is the care that we got at Moffitt. I think there's a difference between treatment and care. Treatment is you're going to get this drug for this many days. The care is when they're listening to you and they understand how you feel, and they ask how you feel. And, you know, sometimes it takes a whole team to fill in those gaps. You know, not any one person, you know, some are better than others, but that's a complete package that's hard to come by. Somebody that can do all of those things. We found it at Moffitt, though.

Every little thing you do for a patient is so important. We really take it to heart. You are the face of Moffitt, and when we leave here, that's what we remember is how you treated us.

JULIA:

All doctors and nurses, especially our first visits, made sure even when I was next to my dad and my husband. And we could translate. But they always make sure that we will use interpreter service. Um, and when they talk, they talk the three of them. Doctor Tan is always looking at my dad and is talking to him, looking at his eyes and making eye contact. And in the beginning, my dad wasn't involved because I don't understand. Um, uh, I don't know, English. Um, but. A little bit later. He is used to that and he's like looking at Doctor Tan and talking back to him, and you just can hear the voice of interpreter that did just between them. Uh, but yeah, I appreciate that. They always treat my dad and make him feel involved and, um, special and that he is important, that they want to make sure that you are totally aware of the situation, that you totally, uh, understand what's going on and that you will make your own decision, uh, relayed to your health, uh, that we can be next to you, but, um. But you are in charge. Yeah.

People who work in here. It's every day you have another person, uh, with a cancer, who is struggling. They don't make this as, like, routine. Yeah, they still have that light and kindness to see you as a person and see your story. That for you is a huge today. Yeah, it's maybe the biggest challenge of your life.

People are so dedicated. This process of recovery is you’re fighting. But you are not alone. I don't have enough words to express what the people from the Moffitt Center made for my family. Yeah, um. They don’t just do the work, like, every day. Yeah, they do magic.

MARY:

 I actually found it more difficult to recover from depression and the addiction multiple times than it was to recover from cancer.

if it wouldn't have been for those nurses who somehow understood where I was coming from, even though they did not, may not, most likely did not experience that themselves. Ever. Probably knew somebody or a loved one with the same kind of difficulties in, um, their life. And they lifted me up so that I started to feel like I want to get better. And I can't tell you, you know, how much that plays into your recovery. But I'm going to guess it plays a whole heck of a lot because my heart started to beat a little faster, you know, like just with a little more joy.

And part and parcel that is primarily credited to the remarkable people at Moffitt Cancer Center who treated me like a whole person. They respected me for having gone through what I did in the past rather than judged me. They talked with me about things rather than to me. But with the staff coming in and scribbling on whiteboards and nurses greeting you not in any annoying capacity, mind you, they'll give you time to rest and sleep. But with their gentle visits and their compassionate approach, I became sort of resurrected, I don't know. I'm excited to live life. I am privileged to be aging.

ROBIN:

So, the doctor who was doing the biopsy, Doctor DuPont, agreed to meet with my husband and me at 730 the next morning, and she was lovely and kind and gentle, and she did the biopsy. And then she was showing us, uh, the views of the mammogram. That's when she said, based on what I see here and based on what I know, you should prepare yourself for a diagnosis of breast cancer.

Now, I consider myself to be a very rational person and a very positive person. But at that moment, I just felt this volcano, uh, inside and I knew I was going to erupt. And I lashed out at her, and I said, why did you just say that? How can you say that? What kind of doctor are you? I was very rude. And to her credit, Doctor DuPont just watched me and looked at me. Saw me, uh, very gently deflected all that anger which I was hurling at her, and somehow looked at me without dismissing me and without reacting to me in an angry way. She just looked very calm and compassionate, and she said, you are right, and I will be in touch with you later today.

And if I can remember that when people are lashing out at me, that usually it comes from some deep place of tremendous fear and feeling out of control. Then it gives me the strength to say, this is not about me.

I think it is great that we get to practice on a daily basis, showing compassion to our patients and being able to realize that they're coming from a place where they need to be held, if you will, in an environment that is supportive and compassionate.

HUGH:

When I first came to Moffitt, it was on August 21st, 2018, and I can tell you I was more like a deer in the headlights, just not knowing where to go and feeling more than just a bit overwhelmed.

 I first went to the information desk inside the gold valet, and I met a tall guy and gentleman named Stuart, and he had a big, warm smile and he and he took the patients and the time to help me find all the locations that I would go to that day. And, you know, as I think back now, he didn't know much about me or all the anxiety and the stress that he was able to relieve from me that day and make me feel like someone like family. All along on my journey, and especially during the outpatient bone marrow transplant process, uh, where I would see Stuart nearly every day. He always gave me a big smile, and he was one of my biggest cheerleaders and encouraged me each day.

The specific ways to make a difference in the patients’ lives and, uh, is just to recognize them as, you know, individuals that are needing, uh, some hope, some love, uh, some guidance. And, you know, that may be just from a smile or, uh, just answering a simple question, but you just never know how endearing that can be to the person you're talking to that you know, that may change their life direction. Just that simple smile. You know, I found that in Stuart. You know, that one first positive experience, uh, you know, just became, you know, the stronghold of my entire life.

PATTI:

I was a mess in 2010 when it was back again, and I really didn't know how I was going to come back from. Had lungs, liver, soft tissue, bones. I thought, I'm done. This is the beginning of the end.

The biggest crux I think I had right was do I sit on the sidelines and cheer everybody else on as they reached their milestones, in their goals, in their life. Or do I get in it? And live it? I said, I want to be a mom. That is explosive to everybody but because I got to work it out with my social worker, my argument became, living is for the living and nobody knows how long they're going to live.

And so, I did. And now my daughter is 16 and I’m married 18 years. And I just think if I didn't do that, I would have had 18 years of wondering. I woulda, shoulda, coulda. But because my social worker sat with me and hashed it out and asked me the right questions to draw the right thing out of me. Where would I be?

AMY:

I know I was at the point where every day they were saying you might be discharged. Like that was some kind of…and it probably is great news for somebody who has been sitting right there and, you know, in their lovely, cozy home awaiting them and their caregiver and all that. Um, but it horrified me, and I thought, you've got to be kidding me. Uh, I didn't even think anybody else was seeing that. I don't know, I didn't really think it was their problem that I was alone.

And this nurse angel Lauren, um, she came around, and she got down on her knees right next to me, and she just said, you know, I see the fear in you when they start to talk about sending you home. And it just it validated that someone else saw what was going on. She understood that there wasn't anybody there.

She saw me when I was just so in peril. And sure enough, her words stood. You know they didn't let me fail. And I got what I needed. The care and the connection, the family, the support system. I was not alone in this. Moffitt - this was like my my ship that that came in. I wasn't going to be left adrift.

ELIZABETH:

My mom had to be on campus at 530 that morning for pre-op. I was just worried about my mom and her getting through this surgery and how much longer I was going to have with her. And when we pulled in, the first thing that we saw was the trans inclusive pride flag, front and center. And it felt so relieving. It felt like we were being seen.

It felt like as a family, we were seen coming into the entrance that it wasn't just cancer patient number X coming in. But, Gloria, you and your daughter and your daughter in law who are coming in to support you. We see you and we value you.

 I think we came in with the assumption that we would not necessarily be supported in this space. And walking onto Moffat's campus and seeing those symbols changed our understanding of the climate here in this organization, in this setting, that we felt safe, and we felt that we could be a strong, loving, supportive family to help my mom and her recovery, which is what we were here for. And that was the most important part.

JASMINE:

Hi, my name is Jasmine Cherry. I work in the cell therapy facility here at Moffitt. So, anything that's like cutting edge isn't quite standard of care yet. I get to work on with my team. My white blood count is really elevated, which are like classic indicators of that something is wrong. And just from working where I work, I saw those numbers and I, I just had a really strong feeling of what it was. I actually got a phone call from the oncologist, and she was confirming that. Just from the preliminary test that it is cancer. It's leukemia.

Apart from my family. The whole cell therapy facility as a whole like supported me through this from like the beginning up until the end. So, um, for a bone marrow transplant, the day that you get your cells, they call it your second birthday. So that's like your day zero of remission. So, December 2nd, 2022 was like when I received my brother's cells. So, I came back to work. And December 2nd of 2023.

My coworkers threw a surprise birthday party for me. It was super sweet. They decorated my desk. I had I had hot dogs. I love hot dogs. So, we celebrated my second birthday that day. And then I had my actual birthday this past February, where I was able to celebrate another birthday. Thanks to Moffitt. I turned 27, so I'm really happy to see that. Because without the options that I had here at Moffitt. Without being able to be treated at Moffitt, I wouldn't be here right now.

RICK:

Sir Jeremy is the concierge in the radiation department.

That's the first person you see the moment you get your wristband, and you walk through the doors and you see this young guy behind the desk, or kneeling, talking to one of the patients. Um, you realize it's kind of a special place. Wait a minute. This is a hospital. How do they have a concierge?

The young man is is a remarkable listener to people. And he really gets a sense and can size up each individual's needs at the right time to deliver the best kind of care. And what best first impression for somebody that's anxious, nervous, and afraid to spend ten minutes, 15 minutes on the radiation table. Then they get to be soothed and calmed by Jeremy's care. there was no variance in his treatment of a patient. They all got the best treatment. So that's why, you know, he immediately comes to mind when I think of Moffitt. You know, what do you think of Moffitt first? Jeremy's face lights up in my head.

HEIDI: 

There is something about this place that is unique. I've been to different cancer centers and seen different approaches and seen very caring people working in oncology. But there is something about the way things are done at Moffitt. You can tell that your hiring is not just for skill, but for value fit and culture fit. And that dedication to patient centered care of patient and family centered care really comes across. And for us, it came across from day one.

So, if I had the opportunity to speak to team members as a whole, regardless of whatever their role is, this is what I would tell them. I don't know if they realize that from when you walk up and drop your car off. If that valet is upbeat and 99.9% of the time they are and says hi and opens the door for you and takes your key, and then you walk in and you check in and those people are upbeat, and you develop a relationship with them. And then you go back with your MA and the MA is another touchpoint making you feel cared about as a person. Then you're with your nurse, then you're with your provider, then you go to the cafeteria. Then housekeeping or Environmental services is coming through and they're talking to you and asking how you're doing. I don't know if they realize individually how much that makes a difference, because it's the aggregate of all those positive acts over the course of a day's visits at Moffitt. That changes how you feel about that experience. That you come out of here, even though it's hard, even though sometimes it's depressing. But you come out of here feeling cared for and acknowledged as a fellow human on this planet.