She originally hails from Haiti. So when a Creole-speaking patient with AIDS was admitted to her unit, Marie was the only one able to effectively communicate with her. The patient also had a small daughter who was attending primary school at the time, but who would sleep at the in-patient unit and go to and from school from there.

Sharing the Creole language helped the two women, patient and caregiver, form a special bond. Marie not only cooked delicious native Haitian meals for her patient but also, when the daughter needed time away from the inpatient unit, took her home with her - to spend a few carefree hours of play as every child should.

As the patient continued to deteriorate, she became very concerned about what would happen to her daughter after her death. But she needn’t have worried. Marie promised she would take care of the little girl, and initiated adoption procedures.

The adoption went through, and a VITAS patient made a peaceful transition from life to death, knowing that her little girl would be taken care of.

Patients and families come first.