Pat Morgan

Pat Morgan: A Caregiver’s Story of Strength and Faith

Pat Morgan’s husband, Ted, learned he had glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, during the COVID-19 pandemic. While the rest of the world shut down, he needed action — fast.

St. Elizabeth Healthcare was there.

Because of a partnership between St. Elizabeth and the Mayo Clinic Care Network, Ted’s care team helped the couple meet with Mayo Clinic experts who specialize in brain cancer surgery. Ted and Pat traveled to Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, where Ted had surgery before returning home to continue treatment, including radiation therapy and chemotherapy, in Edgewood.

“St. Elizabeth was amazing at giving us options,” Pat says. “We were never on our own. They were here for us every step of the way.”

Building Relationships

Back at St. Elizabeth, Ted was one of the first patients to receive care at the Yung Family Cancer Center, which opened in 2020.

“It was very cool to be able to walk into that new facility and be greeted by all of these wonderful people whose sole purpose was helping the cancer journey be less difficult,” Pat says. “It’s a special place.”

The warmth extended to Ted’s doctor’s appointments, even when the news wasn’t the best.

“We always felt cared for and loved and like we were at home,” Pat recalls. “We built relationships here.”

One relationship of paramount importance to Pat and Ted — especially during the cancer journey — was with God.

“God was ever-present for us during Ted’s cancer treatment,” Pat says. “I felt like God just took us in His arms and wrapped us up and carried us through things that would cause outsiders looking in to ask, ‘How are you doing this?’ And I was doing that because I had the strength of Christ within me.”

Pat and Ted also met other families navigating similar journeys at St. Elizabeth — connections Ted’s providers helped make because they understood the importance of shared experience.

Supporting Others as a Cancer Caregiver

Ted lived with glioblastoma for 14 months before he died in 2021.

Since his death, Pat has devoted her time to helping others. She regularly offers caregiver resources and volunteers with caregiver support groups at St. Elizabeth.

“I truly believe that the best thing you can do as you walk through this journey is ask yourself what you can do to help someone else,” she says. “It was just a beautiful thing to witness how strong [Ted] became in the Lord.”

According to Pat, the beauty of St. Elizabeth is that patients and their families can share their spirituality with others.

“When I had to let Ted go, shortly after he passed, our pastor gave a sermon and said, ‘When your faith fails and your loved one dies, there’s hope in the middle,’” Pat says. “I just clung to that because I know that there is hope. We have hope for a cure, and we have hope that we will see our loved ones again.”

She adds, “At St. Elizabeth, you’re not just coming to the doctor or coming to the hospital. You’re coming to a place where healing happens in Jesus’ name.”

Pastoral Care at St. Elizabeth

Health has many facets, and spiritual health plays a major role in overall well-being. At St. Elizabeth, our multidisciplinary care teams work hand in hand with our Pastoral Care professionals to make sure patients and their caregivers feel supported, seen and heard.

Whether you’re looking for spiritual guidance, connection through caregiver support groups or simply need someone to talk to, we’re here for you.

If you’re searching for compassionate Cancer Care near you, we have convenient locations, including Northern Kentucky and the Dearborn Cancer Center.

To learn more about Pastoral Care at St. Elizabeth, or get caregiver resources, call (859) 301-2190.