The nation celebrates National Nurses Week May 6 -12 and National Hospital Week May 8-14. This year, Mother’s Day falls within both weeks – a fitting coincidence for a wonderful group of caring and compassionate people.

Mother’s Day may not have a direct relationship to healthcare, but they remain linked in my mind. I guess it’s because mothers have the same nurturing, compassionate qualities as the nurses and other employees I encounter in healthcare. There are 145,000 individuals working in New Jersey’s hospitals, and another 100,000 working in nursing homes. They are among the most committed and caring people I’ve met. For them, healthcare isn’t just a job or a profession. It’s an avocation – something they love to do.

On good days, being a mom is like that. (Of course, there are bad days too.) So this Mother’s Day, share the love with the caring professionals who take care of our health. And above all, reach out to your mom and thank her for her love and support. If you can, give her a break and take her out to brunch, lunch or dinner. And of course, any mom appreciates a small token of appreciation. (A word of caution from this particular mom to her husband: Small appliances don’t count.)