Angelica was a normal 11-year-old Colombian girl. Pink was her favorite color. Tweetie Bird was her favorite cartoon hero. Abuela’s (grandmother’s) home-made chicken soup was her favorite food. She loved to dance to Salsa music. And she adored dogs and dreamed of becoming a veterinarian one day.

Angelica’s youth and dreams sadly were cut short on her twelfth birthday when she was diagnosed with cancer. Her parents moved the family from Colombia to Houston, where Angelica could receive quality care from a top cancer center at the University of Texas.

Against all odds, there was hope that cancer treatments would give Angelica the opportunity to dance, to sing, to smile—to live again. To everyone’s dismay, however, the cancer spread and Angelica’s health worsened.

After a courageous year-long battle against cancer, the family agreed to meet with Dr. John Lerma, MD, Medical Director for VITAS’ Houston program, and Martie Carney, VITAS Inpatient Unit Team Manager at Park Plaza. Angelica was admitted that day to VITAS’ Park Plaza inpatient unit.

Anticipating her arrival, the staff decorated Angelica’s room with pink balloons and Tweety Bird sheets. They also arranged for a VITAS pet therapy dog to greet her at the door.

From the start, VITAS staff cared for Angelica like a family member. Friendships developed and the staff spent countless hours at Angelica’s bedside.

“Because Angelica was so young, even our team had difficulty accepting her condition. I felt a lot of pain and sadness,” said Dr. Lerma, who has a 13-year-old daughter of his own. “How do you really say good-bye to a child?”

Richard Paire, a VITAS inpatient RN at Park Plaza, knows. He recently experienced the loss of his own daughter and could relate to the despair Angelica’s parents were feeling. He spent time consoling them through their pain and fears.

Other inpatient nurses took Angelica’s two young sisters under their wings—playing games and offering food, friendly conversation and hugs. Aracely Neely, Houston Bereavement Manager, speaks Spanish and assisted in translating funeral arrangements. At any hour, Nehiel Rojas, VITAS Team Chaplain, could be seen praying with the family and providing psychosocial support.

Hours before she died, Angelica asked for one last helping of Abuela’s home-made chicken soup, and to be remembered as a “niña linda.” She said, “ …please remember me as a beautiful girl.”

Indeed, Angelica, your family and VITAS caregivers do remember. With a smile that brightened every room, you filled the lives of those who knew you with warmth, laughter and love.