Tabitha Spataro was recently recognized at Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA) Tulsa as the winner of this quarter’s DAISY Award. The DAISY Award is an international program that rewards and celebrates the extraordinary, compassionate, and skillful care given by nurses every day. CTCA Tulsa® is proud to be a DAISY Award Partner and have the chance to regularly recognize one of its nurses with this special honor.
Nurses are with us during our most vulnerable and challenging moments. That’s what inspired Tabitha to become a nurse – so she could be in a profession where she could help those in need. “Nursing is more than just a job; it’s a lifestyle. Each patient is a unique individual, and I treat each patient the way I would want to be treated,” said Tabitha. She also has a unique appreciation of each patient’s situation, as she understands what it’s like to be a patient herself due to having an autoimmune disease. “I feel blessed to have been through the health struggles I’ve had because it has given me a way to understand how many patients feel in many circumstances.” said Tabitha.
Prior to CTCA, Tabitha worked in women’s health and then moved into radiation oncology followed by working as a travel nurse. She came to CTCA five years ago and loves caring for her oncology patients and their loved ones.
One of Tabitha’s patients shared their experience and appreciation of Tabitha:
“I was so concerned when I first started my chemotherapy. But after my first treatment, Tabitha made me feel so comfortable and at ease; it’s like she was family, and she explained everything step by step. I just knew if I had her every time, she would take good care of me and everything would be ok. She is so compassionate and caring if you needed help on anything, and she was right there to help in any way she could. All the nurses I had were good, but she just shows you how much she cares and is dedicated to being the best nurse she can be. She is my hero. I thank God for blessing me with her.”
Tabitha is married and has a one-year-old daughter, and she loves spending time with her family. She used to interpret for the deaf and has used that skillset to teach her daughter how to use sign language to communicate.
