Dedicated to Helping Others

This is not about me, but about my grandmother, Jean. She dedicated a great deal of her life to being an oncology nurse. She voluntarily continued her education throughout her 50-year career (45 of which were at Ingalls Hospital in Harvey, IL). She balanced family, career, and social activities effortlessly. In 1987, she cared for her dying father until he passed. In 1999, she tended to her daughter through illness until the end. In 2005, she nursed her son through cancer, once again until he too left us. All this time she also worked full-time at the hospital and part-time at a nursing home. In the middle of this (2002), she herself was diagnosed with breast cancer. She went through treatment without a complaint. She worked the entire time, and still found the strength to take care of her family. Last week marked 5 years cancer-free, and she is as active as ever. She finally retired, but continues working as a hospice nurse.

jean, 77

Dolton, IL

October 17, 2007