08/18/2026
"Dr. Jarod you wear this one."
In the midst of caring for patients, I often let slip the significance of little moments like this.
When a child you're caring for feels comfortable walking up and putting a sticker in your hand, it tells you they feel comfortable in the setting you've created. (And it goes without saying, but you absolutely wear the sticker!!)
Hearing the children laugh and play with each other at their visits lets me know they feel like they can be themselves. It lets me know they feel safe, they feel cared for. It's everything.
Being a healthcare provider means that you have to build trust with everyone that steps foot through your doors to give them the best care possible — ESPECIALLY kids.
What an honor it is to get emotional thinking about a sticker. 🙏🏼🫡