Jump to content

Choose locationChoose Location
  • Sign in or Enroll
    • Open I want to choose my medical group or hospital
    • Clear my location
Change Location
Sutter Health
  • Video Visits
  • Find Doctors
  • Find Locations
  • Treatments & Services
  • Locations
  • Sign in or Enroll
    • Video Visits
    • Find Doctors
    • Find Locations
    • Treatments & Services
    • COVID-19 Resources
    • Pay a Bill
    • Symptom Checker
    • Get Care Today
    • Health & Wellness
    • Classes & Events
    • Research & Clinical Trials
    • For Patients
    • About Sutter Health
    • Giving
    • Volunteering
    • Careers
    • News
    • For Medical Professionals
    • Other Business Services
Close Search
  • Home
  • Patient Stories
  • New Mother Thanks Her “Guardian Angels”
Content

PATIENT STORIES New Mother Thanks Her “Guardian Angels”

Mills-Peninsula Medical Center

For obstetrical nurses Diane Leeder and Christa Profaca, it was just another day shift at the Mills-Peninsula Family Birth Center. For Kari Loeser, a healthcare compliance attorney at Genentech in South San Francisco, it was the day she labored to give birth to her first child.

Loeser was starting to think that she might not be able to deliver without surgery when the nurses joined Mills-Peninsula OB-Gyn doctor Rebecca Dupont, M.D., in her room.

“Diane said 'We need to get some sun in here' and opened the curtains,” Loeser recalls. “Then they put me through almost yoga-like poses. Their years of experience showed as they helped me focus, and Sydney, my daughter, was born.”

Profaca, a labor and delivery nurse for almost a decade, said the credit really belongs to Loeser. “Basically, when women trust us, they’re willing to do what they need to do,” she says. “They are the ones who inspire me.”

Loeser, in turn, gives credit to Leeder, Profaca and Dr. Dupont for their “support, encouragement and dedication.” She was able to express her appreciation for them through the Guardian Angel recognition program – a way to honor a nurse, lab technician, volunteer, physician or other caregiver with a gift that is reinvested in the care they provide.

“It seems like a great program,” Loeser says. “You recognize outstanding service, and you also make a charitable gift supporting the hospital.”

Recent patients are invited to honor their caregivers. Their “Guardian Angel” receives a card with a message from the patient, as well as a custom-crafted lapel pin.

“I love being able to be a part of something that’s a milestone in anyone’s life,” Leeder says, who has been a labor and delivery nurse for more than 20 years. “Birthing is a spiritual journey.”

Profaca says she’s moved by the fact that women remember to acknowledge their caregiver at such a busy time in their lives. “We do our work because we love it, but it feels good to be honored.”

Give to Mills-Peninsula Hospital Foundation

Related Stories

A NICU Survivor’s Homecoming

Aspiring neonatal nurse revisits care team that saved her.

See all Donor Stories

Disclaimer

Each individual’s treatment and/or results may vary based upon circumstances and the healthcare provider’s medical judgment. Testimonials or statements made by any person(s) within this site are not intended to guarantee outcomes or substitute for medical advice.

The Sutter Health Network of Care
Expertise to fit your needs
Primary Care

Check-ups, screenings and sick visits for adults and children.

Specialty Care

Expertise and advanced technologies in all areas of medicine.

Emergency Care

For serious accidents, injuries and conditions that require immediate medical care.

Urgent Care

After-hours, weekend and holiday services.

Walk-In Care

Convenient walk-in care clinics for your non-urgent health needs.

About Sutter

  • About Our Network
  • Annual Report
  • Awards
  • Community Benefit
  • Contact Us
  • News
  • Giving
  • Find Care

  • Birth Centers
  • Care Centers
  • Emergency Rooms
  • Hospitals
  • Imaging
  • Labs
  • Surgery Centers
  • Urgent Care
  • Walk-In Care
  • View All >
  • Featured Services

  • Behavioral Health
  • Cancer Services
  • Family Medicine
  • Home Health and Hospice
  • Orthopedics
  • Pediatrics
  • Pregnancy
  • Primary Care
  • Women's Health
  • View All >
  • Patient Resources

  • Accepted Health Plans
  • Classes and Events
  • Estimate Costs
  • Health and Wellness
  • Medical Records
  • Medicare Advantage
  • My Health Online
  • Pay a Bill
  • Symptom Checker
  • Our Team

  • For Employees
  • Physician Careers
  • Recruiting Events
  • Residencies and Fellowships
  • Sutter Careers
  • Vendors
  • Volunteers
    • ADA Accessibility
    • Contact
    • Privacy
    • Do Not Sell My Personal Information

    • LinkedIn Opens new window
    • YouTube Opens new window
    • Facebook Opens new window
    • Twitter Opens new window
    • Glassdoor Opens new window
    • Instagram Opens new window

    Copyright © 2022 Sutter Health. All rights reserved. Sutter Health is a registered trademark of Sutter Health ®, Reg. U.S. Patent & Trademark office.

    Cookie Policy

    We use cookies to give you the best possible user experience. By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. Privacy Policy Cookie Preferences

    Privacy Policy Cookie Preferences