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By Darrin S. Joy
When City of Hope medical oncology nurse Cindy Stine, R.N., recently noticed her
patient’s heart rate rise, she knew it was no cause for alarm.
“He was text-messaging someone, and he had this big grin,” she said. And for good reason.
 Helped by City of Hope staff, patient Frank Gallardo, right, made his marriage proposal to Lani Basener, left, a memorable one. (Photo by Darrin S. Joy) |
Shortly after patient Frank Gallardo, of Las Vegas, arrived at City of Hope, Stine
noticed his affection toward his long-time girlfriend, Lani Basener, whenever Basener visited. Half-jokingly, Stine suggested Gallardo hang a sign on the building across the street bearing the words, “I love you, Lani.”
Gallardo, who recently turned to City of Hope for a stem cell transplant to treat his leukemia, took her suggestion seriously and asked if it could be done. But he wanted to take it a step further — using the sign to propose marriage.
Stine immediately enlisted help from professional practice leader Cynthia Idell, R.N., M.S.N., A.O.C.N. Idell contacted her clinical director, Jill McCormick, R.N., M.S.N., O.C.N., for direction. McCormick then sent e-mails to Dick Thompson, vice president of facilities management, Shirley Johnson, R.N., M.S., M.B.A., chief nursing and patient services officer, and Alexandra Levine, M.D., chief medical officer. All approved the idea, citing it as a prime — albeit unusual — opportunity
to uphold Levine’s ideal of exceeding service expectations.
Idell then began looking for other ways to make the proposal day special. “I’m from the South, and you never propose without roses,” she wryly joked.
She descended on the hospital gift shop, where she encountered Tami Borneman, R.N., M.S.N., from the Department of Nursing Research and Education, who helped her pick a vase brimming with long-stem red roses.
Gift shop manager Juliette Jacuinde was inspired by the proposal plans and suggested the prenuptial couple should be able to toast the occasion. She dashed to the rear of the shop and returned brandishing two ornate champagne flutes.
But Jacuinde wasn’t finished. “We need a ring!” she said. The group browsed the shop’s array of rings for several minutes before agreeing on one.
Idell, a self-proclaimed “hopeful romantic,” and Borneman purchased the flowers and champagne glasses using their own money. “We didn’t think anything of it,” Idell said. But when Idell moved to pay for the ring, Jacuinde refused payment, electing instead to donate it on behalf of the gift shop.
 A banner proclaims Frank Gallardo’s love — in huge letters. |
Stine, in the meantime, took it upon herself to create the sign that would deliver the proposal. On her own time and without regard to cost, she emblazoned “I LOVE YOU LANI — WILL YOU MARRY ME” on a huge sheet.
The sign was ready on a Friday — July 25 — and Stine and Idell enlisted Jeff Goldsmith, superintendent of facilities, to drape the banner over the side of the Leslie & Susan Gonda (Goldschmied) Diabetes & Genetic Research Center.
The next day, Basener entered City of Hope Helford Clinical Research Hospital as usual, without noticing the enormous sign hanging across the street.
Gallardo waited anxiously in his room, his window blinds strategically shut. As Basener entered, he offhandedly asked her to open the blinds to let some light in.
At first, she failed to notice the sign, but Gallardo pointed again. She paused to read it, and then, turning back to face Gallardo, she found him on one knee, ring in hand.
Moments later, the floor-wide page went out: “She said, ‘Yes.’”
Johnson noted that the circumstances of the plan were unique, but they exemplify what City of Hope staff do every day.
“Our nurses and staff are beyond compare,” she said, “and their outstanding efforts to serve our patients and their loved ones — in this instance and every day — make me extremely proud to be associated with them.”
Gallardo currently is awaiting a transplant. The couple plans to marry as soon as he is well enough.
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