By Martha Keochareon received her nursing degree from Holyoke Community College in South Hadley, Mass. Twenty years later, Martha placed a call to the college. She was dying of cancer, and she had a proposal.
Martha wanted to use her experience with cancer as a way to strengthen the future of nursing. So she volunteered to be examined by nursing students from her alma mater in her final days. They were encouraged to ask questions about pancreatic cancer, pain management and her full range of emotions as she prepared for death. This would allow students to step outside the classroom and experience care for a terminal patient in a very real and illuminating way.
Watch a clip about this inspiring nurse below. You can also find a more detailed account of her story here, in an article by the New York Times.
We’d love to hear from you! Please share your thoughts on Martha’s unwavering dedication to nursing in the comments below.
