On August 30, pediatric ophthalmology faculty and dermatology faculty were surprised with a Strength Hope and Caring award after being nominated for the award by a patient's family for exemplary care in a time sensitive and complicated emergency. A large cross-diciplinary team helped work up and try and diagnose the patient's condition to keep her from going blind. Pediatric ophthalmologists, Sharon Freedman, MD Grace Prakalapakorn, MD, and Dermatologist, Jane Bellet, MD accepted the award (pictured above).
In the nomination form, the family wrote, "Everyone we met had the same goal in mind: to find an answer or a diagnosis for what was going on with my daughter’s eyes. I want to give my sincere thanks to the people for all they did during our three-day stay at Duke for the complicated work-up on my daughter to try and diagnose her condition so a little girl wouldn’t go blind."
The Strength, Hope and Caring Program was created to honor and reward Duke University Hospital employees who go well beyond expectations and whose actions reflect the very core of who we are as an organization -- one that provides Strength to people who need support, and Hope to the people we serve, and one that provides Care even beyond the clinical sense of the word.