Compassion Through Kindness in Cancer Care

Our mission statement here at Ironwood is “Compassion Through Kindness.” Kathy Shine, B.S.N., RN, demonstrates this every day with the quality care she provides to our patients and how she treats staff members. She is also celebrating her 41st year of nursing and will celebrate her 20th year with Ironwood Cancer & Research Centers in November 2023.

Kathy is a faithful servant leader. In her time with Ironwood, she has worn many hats, including being a nurse manager at our busiest clinic. I admired Kathy’s leadership style so much that when she decided to step down from the nurse manager title a few years ago, I was motivated to step up to leadership myself. I wanted to be like her. She may have given up the title but is still a leader in our practice in every way at Ironwood.

She mentors and leads by example with how she treats others and the excellent care she provides patients. Kathy is uniquely able to stay calm in all situations, which ripples out to others when she is around. She is respectful, patient and kind to all. She often brings flowers and special treats to the nurse station, which puts smiles on the faces of others and helps brighten even the most stressful days.

When you walk into the infusion room, it is evident that Kathy’s passion is caring for our patients. She is often seen at a patient’s chairside, smiling, going beyond standard assessments, taking her time to get to know them and ask- ing about family and recent events. She truly listens to her patients and advocates for them when needed. Patients often compliment her on what a fantastic nurse she is.

She cares about her patients as a whole person, treating them with dignity and respect while always providing excellent care. An example of her compassion is the care she provided recently for a married couple who had a difficult time during cancer treatment. Kathy was always willing to stop what she was doing to listen and be a shoulder to cry on. The husband recently passed away, yet Kathy remains a positive light during a dark time for the patient’s wife and family.

Kathy deserves all these praises and more. She is a true pillar of our practice, the community, our patients and all the staff members. We greatly appreciate her expert skill and compassion.