Healthcare Heroes

When I was in college in Richmond, I worked as a volunteer at The Medical College of Virginia.  I got to know a little girl named Elizabeth who was suffering from a rare & serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. 

The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. He hesitated for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes I'll do it if it will save her." 

As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled seeing the color returning to his sister’s cheek. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded.  He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away?” You see, being young, he had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her.

At 5 years old, that kid had the heart of a hero.  Most of us won’t be called upon to give our all for another, but we are called upon every day to give of ourselves – our time, our attention, our talents – to others.  The “primacy of patient needs” is a doctrine that says our patients’ needs come before our own and we can give of ourselves…every day, every patient, every encounter…to have a life-changing impact on someone else.  That is a mission worthy of any hero!