CLEVELAND — The hand dealt to Molly Eskamani's mother, Donna, was a difficult one. She was diagnosed with leukemia in 2012 while Molly was still in nursing school.
"Anyone who knows her just knew she was a light. She was just a wonderful, amazing person," says Eskamani of Donna. "She got dealt this hand that was awful."
And Eskamani moved on to work with cancer patients, like her mother.
"I knew I wanted to be a nurse, but I never thought I wanted to work with cancer patients," said Eskamini. "When I saw the way the nurses, the physicians, everybody, the way that they cared for her and just the experience that she had at Seidman, I was like, I want to be that for somebody."
Although Eskamini's mom passed away three years after her diagnosis, she was able to see her daughter become that same help for others -- exactly where she received the help herself.
"I got my job at Seidman like a month before she passed, so she got to see me achieve my dream," said Eskamani. "She was so excited."
And it's there at UH Seidman Cancer Center that Eskamani is recognized by her colleagues as an exceptional nurse.
"It means a lot to me, you know? I love my patients and I love my coworkers," she said. "It's a huge honor."
WKYC had a little surprise for Eskamani. The station is proud to support University Hospitals' Bite Back Against Cancer, a program that not only helps support Seidman Cancer Center, but also restaurants in the Cleveland area. Contributors can choose an amount -- $500, $250 or $100 -- and half of that amount will go directly to UH Seidman. The other half gets put on a gift card, which can be used at participating five star restaurants, including Blue Point Grille, Delmonico's Steakhouse, Summer House and many more. For full details on the program and the restaurants included, click HERE.
WKYC honored Eskamani with a $500 donation -- $250 to her place of employment, UH Seidman, and a $250 gift card to a restaurant of Eskamani's choice, to thank her for her hard work and dedication.
"It's gonna be hard to say without choking up because it's so true, but the patients here at Seidman are the most incredible people," Eskaaini said. "I hope that this can further honor their stories and how amazing they are."
And today, years after being dealt that awful hand, a new card has emerged in Eskamani's life -- the card of love. Love for her job, and love for her mother that continues to live on.
"I mean, she's with me every day that I'm here," said Eskamani. "You know, when I take care of patients, you know, it's not my mom, but that's somebody's mom, it's somebody's sister, it's somebody's dad, it's somebody's family member. Like, that person is loved so much, just how I love my mom."
EDITOR'S NOTE: The video in the player below is from a previous story.