lcmh.com 17 When he had questions he hadn’t had a chance to ask his doctors, a nurse would pull up a chair beside him. “They aren’t just doing a job,” he says. “They sit next to you. They explain everything. They know when you’re scared. There’s no dollar figure you can put on that type of work.” He also noticed how much they gave of themselves day after day. Watching them move through long shifts without real breaks, Shearman decided to do something in return. On his treatment Thursdays, he started sending in sandwich trays for the staff. “They can’t always leave,” he says. “Might as well have something good to eat.” It was his way of thanking the team members who understood what their patients were going through and supported them at every turn. The golden rule in practice Throughout treatment, he returned often to the golden rule: treating others the way you would want to be treated. For him, Memorial embodied that value. “You see it everywhere,” he says. “In the way they talk to you, in the way they look out for you, in the way they look out for each other. It all comes back around.” Compassionate care close to home Shearman didn’t have to leave his community or the routines that brought him comfort. Between treatments, he walked his marina, mowed his yard and spent time outside because, as he puts it, fresh air and sunshine were their own kind of therapy. After six rounds of chemotherapy and 25 radiation sessions, he is grateful for both the outcome and the journey. “You can do everything you need right here,” he says. “And you’re 10 or 15 minutes from home when it’s over. But it’s more than convenience—it’s the people. Those nurses in Room 215? They’re stars. The whole thing is an art.” Shearman’s treatment plan proved to be incredibly successful, impressing even his doctors. But he wasn’t surprised by the outcome, and he doesn’t call it luck. He calls it faith. He calls it community. And when he talks about Lake Charles Memorial Health System, he highlights the people who made the difference. “Compassion. Empathy. People who really care about you,” he says. “That’s what I found at Memorial.” Why supportive, humancentered care matters Cancer patients who report high levels of clinician empathy have better symptom management, improved emotional wellbeing and greater treatment adherence. Source: American Journal of Managed Care Strong care-team relationships can reduce patient anxiety by up to 60%, which may improve overall health outcomes. Source: National Institutes of Health Are you at risk for lung cancer? Ask your doctor about getting a low-dose lung CT scan. Learn more about it at lcmh.com/lunghealth.
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