Cheering on a patient for his 81st birthday
For more than two years, Becky Sutton has seen the same transplant patient every month. As a respiratory therapist at UCHealth Memorial Hospital Central, she works in pulmonary diagnostics providing breathing treatments to prevent pneumonia for patients.
Sutton got to know her patient pretty well, and knew that he was going to have his 81st birthday, and she wanted him to feel special.
“I wanted to make it a big deal for him,” Sutton said. “I wanted to make it real memorable for him.”
When her patient arrived for his appointment, she gathered a few colleagues to assist her with the surprise.
“Do you know what this month is?” she asked enthusiastically upon his arrive. “It’s your birthday month.”
Staff waved red and silver pompoms in celebration, and when the patient realized the surprise was for him, his face turned red, and he expressed his gratitude for their kindness.
The celebration wasn’t over. Sutton accompanied her patient to the treatment room, opening the door to reveal birthday decorations on the walls.
“Where he sat to do his treatment, I had a birthday hat so when he sat down it looked like he had a birthday hat on,” Sutton said.
Directly in front of the patient, Sutton decorated the walls with a picture of cake, the patient’s name and colorful balloons.
At the end of treatment, Sutton gave the patient goodies she purchased in the cafeteria – a sugar cookie and bag of chips.
“He was so appreciative,” Sutton said.
A respiratory therapist for 33 years, including 18 years at UCHealth, Sutton is a self-proclaimed cheerleader for her patients. She offers words of encouragement during breathing treatments and often shows extraordinary compassion.
“I’ve always gone the extra mile for patients because you never know if tomorrow is going to come,” Sutton said. “So I take every moment for what it is – today – and live in it.”
“Becky is the department queen of celebrations and decorations,” said Kevin McQueen, director of respiratory therapy system lead. “She does so much for our department and the morale. Becky truly deserves the recognition.”
You Make Extraordinary Possible Together, we recognize and honor the qualities within ourselves by shining a spotlight on how each and every one of us improve lives in big ways and small.