A VNACJ specialized care nurse helped JoAnne and her husband, Jack, keep hope alive as he battled an aggressive form of cancer. And she helped them to have the anniversary celebration they had planned for so long.

"My husband Jack and I were excited, because in February 2006 we were going to Hawaii to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary and renew our vows in a ceremony on the beach. We were looking forward to the next phase of our lives together.

Jack has always led a very healthy and active life. He owns an office products business and I'm a nurse. In January, when Jack had a sore throat, he decided to go to the doctor. He didn't want anything to interfere with his plans to go scuba diving in Hawaii. But that trip was not to be.

The doctor took one look and diagnosed cancer. An ear, nose and throat specialist confirmed the diagnosis: cancer of the tonsil that had spread to the tongue and the palate-a very aggressive form of the disease. Because the treatment would include radical head and neck surgery, we were told that Jack might not be able to speak or swallow again. We cancelled our trip. Very fortunately, Jack was admitted to a clinical trial at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and had experimental surgery using a DaVinci robot. The robot's tiny hands meant that Jack could avoid a tracheotomy tube and that his speech would be preserved.

There were three separate surgeries. The first was to install a feeding tube, which would need expert care and constant attention. It was only then that I, the executive director of a home care agency in another part of the state, realized that Jack would be a home care patient.

I requested VNACJ, and Juli Abate, a specialized care nurse, came into our lives. Juli was like a breath of fresh air. She provided wound care, taught us how to handle the feeding tube and had very practical suggestions for managing Jack's extensive care needs. Juli was the first person who gave us a sense of hope. She understood that cancer happens to the whole family. She was the only one who allowed me to express my fears. Being a nurse does not prepare you to take care of your husband when he's facing a potentially fatal illness. But Juli gave us confidence.

She talked to us about living with cancer and surviving it. She provided expert wound care and much, much more. Through radical surgery, and months of radiation, chemotherapy and rehab, she was our nurse, our counselor and even our drill sergeant. She was and is a true professional.

When Jack was discharged from care in June 2006, we rescheduled our wedding trip to Hawaii. We renewed our vows in February, exactly one year after we originally planned. And Jack went scuba diving."