Healing comes full circle at Loma Linda University Children’s Health
Loma Linda University Children’s Health
Loma Linda, Calif.,
For Heather Kono, a pediatric oncology nurse at Loma Linda University Children’s Health in California, her journey with the hospital began long before she put on scrubs. As a child, Kono spent time in the pediatric oncology unit, fighting acute lymphoblastic leukemia. As an adult, she offers her young patients the same comfort and care she herself once received.
Kono’s memories from that time in her life are scattered — popsicles, a favorite VHS tape, a Christmas visit from Santa — but one moment stands out: a nurse quietly comforting her during a lonely night, a kindness that shaped her understanding of compassionate care.
“That small gesture stayed with me for 33 years,” Kono said. “Now, as a nurse myself, I know how much those little moments matter. Getting a cup of ice water, answering a call light, things that seem so small to us can make a huge impact.”
Kono's path to nursing started off in the housekeeping department of Loma Linda, where she would sneak glimpses of the pediatric oncology unit. She eventually enrolled in the Loma Linda University School of Nursing and joined the team that treated her decades ago.
Families of Kono’s patients are often moved when they learn that she survived the same diagnosis their children now face, and while the work can be emotionally heavy, seeing former patients thrive reminds Kono why she returned to Loma Linda.