At Caris, we know that understanding the Three Most Important Things for each patient is the key to providing a comforting and meaningful end of life experience. Our Lenoir City office recently helped honor a young woman’s love of adventure and passion for animals by providing a safe visit to the local zoo.  

This young woman, Dorothy Blue or “Blue” for short, had not felt sun on her skin for almost a year. Her illness kept her indoors, and instead of having adventures, she watched animals online. During our visits with her, Blue mentioned several times that she had tickets to the zoo and would love to visit. However, maneuvering such a public space with crowds of people presented challenges for someone in such a fragile position. 

Determined to fulfill Blue’s wish, our team worked with the zoo to open early for a private tour and allow her dog, Oliver, and best friend, Jimmy to accompany her. The team navigated bumpy terrain to reach the zoo, but it was all worth it to see the smile on her face when she was greeted by the giraffes. Blue enjoyed one-on-one time with the animals, a great view of each enclosure, and time to ask questions and engage with the zoo staff. 

Experiences like these remind us all of why we chose this work. Getting to know our patients as individuals and learn what brings them joy in this life helps us create more of it. We are honored to play a small role in their story.