Tanya Seaman, left, with her sister Peggy Wonder
After a five-year journey with breast cancer, patient Tanya Seaman passed away on March 17. Her sister, Peggy Wonder, shared a letter of appreciation for the care teams in Hematology-Oncology, Infusion Services, Interventional Radiology, and Hospice Services, who supported Seaman throughout her treatment at Pennsylvania Hospital.
In case she and I did not express it before, I send you a heart full of gratitude and love for all that you did for my little sister. Your work may largely consist of small tasks, but the fact that you carry them out, and the way you carry them out, make a world of difference. Every act, every smile, every sensitive comment, question, or touch matters. I know it wasn’t all smooth-going for you or for her, but she felt truly cared for and for this she – and I – are immensely grateful.
We consider illness a bad thing, and death as a loss or even a failure, right? But with Tanya, I got to experience something remarkable: deep healing. Perhaps you already know what I got to learn – sometimes people heal their cancer and sometimes people are healed by going through cancer. Tanya’s cancer facilitated and set the stage for deep healing.
As a child, Tanya felt uncared for. In our family, we did not get the comforting and warm chicken-soup treatment most kids receive when they get sick. And Tanya felt this cold-hearted neglect deeply.
You gave her a new experience. From the beginning of her treatment for breast cancer, Tanya remarked that she had the unusual experience of liking to go to radiation and infusion treatments. People treated her warmly; you were kind to her. Your attentiveness made her feel cared for and taken care of. And so I believe much of the pain of her childhood was healed. You made this miracle possible.
In October, Pennsylvania Hospital celebrates Penn Medicine Experience Week, recognizing the exceptional efforts of our staff and departments on the patient experience. Do you know a colleague or department that goes the extra mile to support patients and their families? Share your stories with Julie.wood@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.
