Nominated by Alyssa Byrd | Radiology Manager

I want to recognize Toni for the work she does in assisting radiology. Radiology frequently needs our patient’s ports accessed. Most of the time, the patients go to the Cancer Center first, however that is not always the case. Today we had a patient come in and we were going to use her port for her CT. Unfortunately, the patient had the wrong tubing started initially. Toni graciously walked over and corrected the line, and stated “Just call me and I will come back over to de-access the patient”. No sooner than when she got back to her office, we had another patient that needed access. Toni returned without hesitation and accessed this patient. Again, as she left she stated “Just call me and I will come back to remove it." Toni came over after the first patient had been scanned and removed the patients access. She waited for us to scan the second patient and removed the access for that patient as well. Toni does not have to do all this. Regardless, she does it with a smile and a warm heart. She wants to make it easier and more convenient for the patient. The amazing thing about this is Toni feels like this is just part of her job and she doesn't feel like she is doing anything extraordinary. The patients sure appreciate her going out of her way to come to them and she also comes over and helps with any difficult IV's that require ultrasound guidance. Toni has a compassionate heart and does her job with love for our patients. Radiology couldn't do this without her. Thank you for all you do!

Nominated by Laura Gryder | Navigation Coordinator

I would like to nominate Toni Busch for an exceptional care award. We had a new patient at Nor Lea Cancer Center who was needing to travel to Lubbock for a biopsy to confirm a malignancy. Without this biopsy no other care could be decided. Toni worked tirelessly to coordinate transport due to the patient being in a wheelchair and other social issues. She encountered numerous barriers, the final being that the patient was required to have a friend or healthcare worker accompany them to and from the procedure. The patient voiced that they had no support and was living in assisted living alone. Without this coordination, the biopsy would be cancelled. Toni quickly volunteered her time to travel with the patient to and from the procedure. Toni is a single mother and had to coordinate  for someone to keep her son overnight so she would be available to leave in the early morning with the patient. Not once did she flinch. She knew it was the right thing to do, and she stepped in and agreed to do it. This is just one of the many examples of the effort Toni puts in day in and day out for our patients. I am proud to work alongside someone so caring and compassionate. Thank you, Toni for always doing what is right, even when no one is watching. You are the epitome of Nor-Lea values and your patients and the hospital is blessed to have you.

“Our human compassion binds us the one to the other – not in pity or patronizingly, but as human beings who have learnt how to turn our common suffering into hope for the future.”
 – Nelson Mandela

Click here for a list of previous award winners