LEE'S SUMMIT, Mo. — Murad Hasam was a patient at Saint Luke’s East Hospital over the summer. Six months later, he said he's paying forward the kindness he was shown by the nursing staff.
First, Hasam convinced the mayor of Lee's Summit to declare Dec. 24, 2023, Nurses Appreciation Day.
“This is for all the nurses around the metropolitan area. We oftentimes don't pay attention to the people around us who do wonderful things for us," Hasam said. "Nurses are here 24/7. They take care of me, my family members, your family members, your loved ones, all of us."
Hasam and his family brought in treats to the nurses who would be working the holiday. But he didn't stop there.
He went the extra mile to add to the view from his hospital bed. Hasam's family decorated the courtyard with Christmas lights.
“So I kept saying when they come in, 'Look, what do you see out there?' And the nurses will say, 'Well...'" Hasam said. "[And I would say,] 'Don’t you see the Christmas trees?' And a couple of them will go, 'Yeah, I can kind of see that.'"
Nathan Jones is a nursing supervisor at the hospital. He said in his over 30 years in healthcare, such moments are rare.
“It’s rewarding. It makes you feel as if you're appreciated by the patients as well," Jones said. "We get appreciation on the regular from administration, but it's great to feel that from a patient or a family member — it's the best thing."
While Hasam said he wasn't feeling well on Sunday, he was determined to not let his chronic condition of sarcoidosis stop him from playing Santa on Christmas Eve.
“I go home or I go to the ER, but I'm gonna be okay because this got done," Hasam said.
—
