• Health & Wellness

    In the Loop: Many Caring Hands Make Compassionate Work

CaringHands805

This story appeared November 10, 2015 In the Loop.

The patient was scheduled for surgery at Mayo Clinic's Rochester campus the next day. Her nurse, noticing the woman seemed "very anxious" about her procedure, contacted Mayo's Volunteer Services department and suggested a hand massage might help calm her nerves. "The woman indicated she was at a tipping point after dealing with cancer since 1984 in many parts of her body," volunteer Jeri Zimmerman says. "She mentioned she believed God doesn't give you more than you can handle, but she felt she was there."

Before beginning the hand massage, Zimmerman asked if the woman had a prayer shawl. She didn't, so Zimmerman offered to bring her one at the end of her shift. "She then lay back, closed her eyes, and relaxed while I completed the massage," Zimmerman says. Read the rest of the story.