Helping families cope at a terrible moment in time

Nurse practitioner Deirdre Buckley calls it a "fragile point in time." It is that dark, irreversible moment when a brain aneurysm ruptures, bleeding into a massive hemorrhage, often leading to death within minutes. Of those who survive, damage to brain cells usually causes paralysis or coma. Even if the aneurysm, a bulge in the blood vessel, doesn't burst, the crisis is no less frightening or life-altering.

Buckley, a nurse coordinator at the Massachusetts General Hospital Brain AVM (Arteriovenous Malformations, or defects of the circulatory system) and Aneurysm Center, knows the scenario all too well. On one recent spring morning, she held the hand of a frightened, 34-year-old mother who never thought a seemingly benign complaint of blurry vision could lead to the shocking diagnosis of an aneurysm pressing on her optic nerve. "She was a young mom in the prime of her life," says Buckley, "and she was devastated." The woman underwent surgery to secure the artery, but not without alarming risks and complications, and an uncertain prognosis. "I held her hand, and she cried tears that she was unable to shed in front of her husband or kids," says Buckley. "I was a safe person, so I could be that emotional outlet she needed."

Important advances in neurosurgical and endovascular fields are making treatments for brain aneurysms more promising than ever. And Buckley, who has been working in this realm for decades, has been an integral force in developing programs to help support and educate patients and their families. She is co-founder of the Brain Aneurysm Foundation, launched in 1994, when a patient came to her and said, "I can't find any information on this disease." The charity grew from a few local support groups to chapters around the country, support for research grants, and a comprehensive library of literature, all part of volunteer efforts by Buckley and others.

"Her selfless efforts for brain aneurysm survivors and their caregivers make Dede's dedication so unique," says Tom Quirk, who nominated Buckley for the Salute to Nurses award. It was a warm, sunny day when his wife, Karen Quirk, collapsed while talking to a neighbor on the telephone. Suddenly, the lives of his entire family were permanently altered.

"It always happens at the most inconvenient times, not that there is a convenient time," says Buckley of the condition that affects an estimated 6 million people in the United States, usually from ages 35-60, and is perhaps triggered by smoking or hypertension. Karen Quirk survived, and after intensive physical, occupational, and speech therapy, she still struggles on the road to recovery. "Our priorities are different now, and thanks to Dede's example, we are involved with others who suffer from the disease as well," says Tom Quirk. "She works tirelessly for patients like my wife and is an inspiration to us all."

The team of neurovascular surgeons Buckley works with are only too quick to recognize her contributions. Mass General AVM director Dr. Christopher Ogilvy says Buckley is the embodiment of both compassion and clinical professionalism. "In addition to her work in nursing, Dede provides a huge amount of education about aneurysms and AVMs, which is a great comfort to people," says Ogilvy.

It's all in a day's work for Buckley. "When lives are turned upside down, it's nice to be able to provide information and make people feel more at ease during a devastating time," she says. "Being able to provide compassionate care is part of the unique and important role that we all have as nurses."