Sometimes, the simplest of gestures make the biggest difference for our patients.

That was certainly the case when Emily Estus, RN, of Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital helped cheer up a patient she was caring for in a special way. After Estus learned it was the patient's birthday, she went down to the gift shop during her break time to buy a balloon and a Mickey Mouse stuffed animal to give as gifts. Then, she and much of the team on the floor went into the patient's room to sing "Happy Birthday" to her.

"At first, I don't think she knew what to do, because she was so surprised," Estus says. "Then she started to cry. Afterward, she talked about it the rest of the day and how it made her so happy. Even though I did go down to get the gifts, it was a team effort. So many people stopped what they were doing to sing to her, and it was a really caring experience."

"Through tears of joy, it truly meant a lot to her patient," adds Harley Wells, one of our clinical assistants who was there for the spontaneous celebration. "Emily is such a kind and caring person overall and a wonderful nurse. She always puts patients first."

We're grateful for everything our care teams do to improve the physical, emotional and spiritual health of our patients and their families!