Scott Jarmon

In thanking a hospital visitor for generating a quick response to an emergency, Safety and Security officer Jarmon learned that the man's family was facing a difficult time. The great grandmother had suffered a stroke, and wasn't responding well to treatment. This family crisis had forced the cancellation of a two-year-old's birthday party. Jarmon responded by collecting donations from fellow officers to buy the boy a birthday cake. At the end of his shift, Jarmon picked up the cake and presented it to the family. This act of kindness lifted the grandmother's spirits. It also made the whole family's visit to UI Hospitals and Clinics a better one.

Ed Heffron

Ophthalmic photographer Ed Heffron extended a helping hand to an out-of-state patient and his wife. The patient's car had broken down on his way to the clinic and was being fixed at a local repair shop. When it became clear the patient's visit would not end before the shop closed, Heffron suggested the patient's spouse take a courtesy car to the repair shop and wait. After the patient's evaluation, Heffron then used his own time and vehicle to take him to the shop. Along the way, Heffron and his wife helped get the patient's oxygen tank flowing again. In this way the patient and spouse got all their required tests done and returned home the same day (fortunately, the patient's eye disease-which everyone feared was serious-proved treatable).

Howard and Shanna Seigel

The Seigels, both respiratory therapists, had days off together that they chose instead to devote to the patients they serve. Howard Seigel helped to successfully extubate a 15-year-old muscular dystrophy patient after previous attempts had failed. Seigel's efforts for the critical first few hours after extubation were critical to the patient's well-being. Meanwhile, Shanna Seigel used part of her day off to take a ventilator-dependent child outside. It was the first time the 7-month-old child had been outside the hospital since birth.

Tricia Kroll and Phyllis Ferrel

A grateful patient recalled several instances when Kroll and Ferrel, both social workers, went out of their way to help him. This included a time when he was too ill and unable to focus his vision well enough to drive to the Emergency Treatment Center. One of them devoted her lunch hour to pick up the patient at his home and take him to the ETC. "If I were to list all the things these women have done and accomplished for me, it would be 10 pages long," the patient said. "They care!"

Lynn Forbes

Forbes, a nurse in the Burn Treatment Center, received heartfelt thanks for the personal attention she gave a mother at the time her son was admitted to UI Hospitals and Clinics. Forbes made a special trip to a store to buy personal items for the mother and drinking cups for the child. "I offered her money, but she declined," the mother says. "She really made me feel like she cared a great deal for my son and I appreciate that more than she will know."

Regina Johnson

A grateful patient penned these words about Johnson, a staff nurse in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit since 1999: "Gina's kindness, patience, compassion and expertise cannot be measured or put into words. Her powers go beyond medicine in touching our hearts. Miraculously, she was able to calm all of us and perform miracles in slowly bringing back my husband's health. Gina's phone calls (on her day off) to check on my husband and to report to me personally gave me comfort and assurance that he was in the best of care."

Cynthia Heaton

"She always made time to talk to me and offer support when I needed it the most," a patient said of Cynthia Heaton, a staff nurse in the Digestive Diseases inpatient unit. "My stay was more pleasant and enjoyable because she had been my nurse."