David Lodike

David spent the greater part of five months in the care of St. Luke’s Hospital in Chesterfield, MO after a significant cardiac arrest at home at the end of September 2022. The teams of specialists, doctors, nurses, technicians, therapists and countless others were invested in him from the moment he arrived at their door. David’s initial prognosis was not encouraging, yet these determined heroes saved his life and gave him everything they could to get him back home to his family. They soon came to call him their “miracle” as they genuinely reveled in David’s progress against the odds, his perseverance and his determination.

These caregivers spent many hours not only attending expertly to his medical needs but also would pop in just to check on him, sometimes even on their days off. They stayed late at work to care for him when he needed it. They sought out family members in David’s room, the halls, the cafeteria-just to share an encouraging word or remark about his incredible will. They were willing to go above and beyond just the job of healthcare and instead treated and truly cared for the whole person, including the family as an extension. In the end, they helped give David and his family five additional, precious months together and they shared in the tears when he passed.

The hospital setting is an environment of unpredictability. An ICU for example can be in a state of relative calm in the morning and by the afternoon can experience an influx of critically ill new patients, several existing patients whose status changes and requires immediate attention and disparate groups of family members in need of information-all at the same time. As result, nurses and other caregivers often eat late lunches/dinners or miss them completely. The proceeds from this fund will be used exclusively to sponsor the delivery of periodic meals and other types of treats for the nurses and other caregivers at St. Luke’s Hospital in Chesterfield. It is intended to show gratitude through simple gestures of sustenance and offers an opportunity to care in a small way for those who willingly care for so many others.