Last year was a challenging one for Katie Douglass. In April, Katie, who has worked at Parkview Wabash Hospital for six years, and served as the Emergency Room manager for nearly two, learned that her son, Will, had brain cancer. Their road to a diagnosis began in the very ER where Katie works.
She was back with the three-year-old In November, when he contracted a concerning virus. “He had been sick, but we were managing it,” she said through tears. “But he took a turn for the worse. So, we brought him into the Wabash ER and learned that he had RSV.” Will was admitted for oxygen support and transferred to the PICU at Parkview Regional Medical Center (PRMC) later that night.
A well-timed surprise
“The staff in the PICU was wonderful,” Katie recalled. “It's definitely a very different experience going from a smaller community hospital to a bigger hospital like that.”
On Will’s third day in the PICU, Katie got a text from one of her co-workers. “The Parkview Police captain at Wabash, Everett ‘EJ’ Carroll, sent me a text to ask if we were still there, and tell me he had someone coming by to drop off something for Will.”
Captain Carroll manages the team of police officers who serve in the ERs at both Parkivew Wabash and Parkview Huntington Hospital. Katie had interacted with him during leadership meetings and regarding various security aspects pertaining to her role. In an act of generosity, Captain Carroll had coordinated with an officer at PRMC to deliver a stuffed dinosaur and a toy police car.
“I didn’t know the officer who came to Will’s room,” Katie said. “And I just thought it was the neatest thing that EJ went to that trouble for my son. The officer didn’t just drop the gift and leave. He stayed and talked to Will, engaged with him and played with him. He took the time to really make it a special moment for him. He went so far above and beyond.”
The officer, Tyler Storm, and mastermind Captain Carroll had impeccable timing. “Will is at that age where any time he sees a fire truck, police car or ambulance, he’s fascinated. He was also at the point where he was getting restless. The first few days were rough. He just really wasn’t feeling well and was struggling with the treatment. There were so many people coming in to take care of him. Lots of tears. Not to mention, it was tough trying to keep a then-3-year-old, who’s usually very active, entertained. So, to have Officer Storm come in, it really lifted his spirits and changed the whole course of the day for us. There were lots of smiles!”
Katie sent EJ the picture of Will’s big grin and thanked him for his incredible kindness. “The gesture just brought Will so much comfort. It meant the world to us.”
Reflecting on family
After nearly a week of treatment, Will was released on Thanksgiving Day. Five months later, the now-4-year-old still sleeps with the dinosaur. He’s fully recovered from his bout with RSV and currently in remission from his cancer diagnosis. “He's doing really well,” Katie said. “There's no evidence of disease right now, but he has a rare type of brain cancer that has a high recurrence rate, so he has to be monitored for the next 10 years.”
Talk of Will’s diagnosis triggers more gratitude from Katie. “It’s just another example – and, again, it makes me emotional – but how much of a family Parkview is. The amount of people who have prayed for us, sent gifts for him, donated gas cards and PTO to me and my family throughout this journey is incredible.
“As a staff member at Parkview Wabash, I had always believed in the power of our values. But when it was my own family member in need, I truly felt those values come to life in ways I could never have imagined. My journey as both a caregiver and a family member at Parkview not only reaffirmed my belief in the work we do but also deepened my sense of gratitude for the family we are. I couldn’t have gotten through this last year without the love and support shown to me by the people I work with at Wabash. I’m thankful for them every single day. Having those people check on me so that I could be my best self to care for my son was incredible. It made me proud to work for a company where we take care of each other as much as we take care of our patients.”
And Katie can’t reflect on those difficult days without coming back to Captain Carroll. “EJ was one of the people sending his thoughts and prayers and touching base with us. He brought both of my kids a stuffed teddy bear when he went to The Masters Tournament. He’s just always been such a thoughtful person. For him to coordinate that surprise for Will just proved what I already knew. It was wonderful.”
