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Drawing from a deep well of motherly instinct, Lashee Jones made a life-changing decision in 2022. 

She gave up her job as a building attendant cleaning pediatric inpatient rooms to become a patient care technician, someone specially trained to perform direct patient care and assist nurses with bathing, feeding and treating young cancer patients.

Embracing her motherly instincts

¡°Even when I was in housekeeping, I wanted to help the children because I am a mom myself,¡± Jones says. ¡°My mom intuition kicked in. I wanted to make sure they were happy.¡± 

As a building attendant, that meant maintaining a meticulously clean physical environment for recovery and providing special touches like arranging each child¡¯s pillows and teddy bears just as they like them. 

Becoming a patient care technician strengthened that instinct, she says.

¡°You just can't come in and speak to the parents. You have to communicate with the children so they know they can trust you,¡± Jones explains. She recalls two separate patients ¨C a young boy and a young girl ¨C who warmed up to her positive daily interactions. ¡°They got used to my face and gave me their arm or finger for vital signs testing. You always have a smile on your face.¡± 

Leading with heart

Jones¡¯ caring nature earned her a Heart of MD Anderson employee award in 2024, a recognition of her deep commitment to MD Anderson¡¯s mission and core values. Katelyn De Leon, a clinical nurse on the Pediatric inpatient unit, says no one has a way with young patients and their families like Jones does. Jones attributes her nurturing skills to her own mother, who also was a patient care technician, and to raising two nephews and four children of her own.

¡°I let my heart lead the way,¡± she says. ¡°I take care of every patient like they are my family.¡±

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