On top of all of Mary De La Garza’s duties as a charge nurse, she always remembers to ask veteran patients one question: “Can I thank you for your service?”
The longtime Fort Worth resident has always had a passion for caring for others. Garza was a teacher in Crowley for two decades before she pursued her teenage aspirations of becoming a nurse. She remembers falling in love with serving veterans while doing clinicals at the Dallas Veteran Affairs Medical Center before joining Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth’s residency program in 2009.
On July 4, 2014, Garza began the Veterans Recognition Program at Texas Health Fort Worth as a way to honor patients who served in the military and pay respects to their families. The idea blossomed earlier that year when she and another nurse learned one of their patients was a veteran and took the opportunity to thank them.
“It just seemed like the right thing to do,” Garza said.
Today, Garza — along with any other available staff — goes into the rooms of patients willing to be recognized to bestow them with handmade gifts: a framed certificate and a bow made of straw tied around an American flag.
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She takes note of any service history the veteran would like to share and turns it into a story. Volunteers create red, white and blue blankets to give to them. She also sends Veterans Day cards to patients from the past year.
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“It might be the first time a veteran’s been thanked. It might be the last time they’ll be thanked. Might be the only time they’ll be thanked, but what a wonderful opportunity to thank them,” Garza said.
The program has recognized about 1,500 veterans over its 11 years, she said. Garza’s work in spearheading a program to honor veterans at the hospital earned her recognition in 52 Faces of Community, Fort Worth Report’s weekly series highlighting unsung heroes.
Many of Garza’s patients are in the hospital for palliative care, a specialized form of care that provides symptom relief and comfort to patients living with serious or chronic illnesses. When people go to the hospital, especially in these critical times, patients don’t typically fear death, Garza said.
Instead, she found out they are searching for answers to questions like “Does my life have meaning?” and “Did I make a difference?”
The Veterans Recognition Program is a way to answer those questions, Garza said.
Mary De La Garza spearheads the Veterans Recognition Program at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth. (Marissa Greene | Fort Worth Report)
Garza is “a wealth of love and information about the veteran patients,” said Carol Hannibal, who nominated Garza for the 52 Faces of Community and is a fellow nurse who volunteers as one of the crochet artists.
Hannibal nominated Garza because some people may not know about all the work she puts into honoring her veteran patients.
“That’s just who Mary is. She would never tell you anything about anything, unless you notice her good works,” Hannibal said.
“She is a wealth of love and information about the veteran patients in our hospitals.”
Carol Hannibal, a nurse who nominated Mary De La Garza
Volunteers help crochet blankets for the Veterans Recognition Program at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth. (Marissa Greene | Fort Worth Report)
Over the years Garza has seen the program touch patients. She’s seen how the recognition helps them open up and share stories of their service with their family. If a patient dies, the families have a memento such as the blanket or certificate to remember their loved one by.
Looking ahead, Garza wants to find a way to expand the program and recognize other patients, such as first responders.
“We have a spiritual need to know that we’ve made a difference,” Garza said. “Everybody does have a story, whether they’ve been in the military or not, and this program is just one way to honor that.”
Marissa Greene is a Report for America corps member, covering faith for the Fort Worth Report. You can contact her at marissa.greene@fortworthreport.org.
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