Dr. Kate Brazzale Treats Vulnerable Patients With Compassion And Understanding Story by Y.A. Teitelbaum • Photos by James Wooster
Dr. Kate Brazzale still makes house calls. However, as director of pediatrics for Trustbridge, a nonprofit hospice organization serving Palm Beach and Broward counties, Brazzale is probably the last physician parents want to see coming to their door — and the compassionate Brazzale understands the dilemma. “I’m not a savior, I’m not an angel,” the English-born Brazzale said. “There are so few resources for terminally ill children outside of the hospital. While hospice and children shouldn’t be in the same sentence, the limited time that a terminally-ill child has left should be spent at home with their family.” Her territory where she makes home visits includes all of Palm Beach County, and she can go from trailers to multimillion-dollar mansions in less than an hour. It’s not the house that matters to Brazzale, it’s the family inside. She holds the child in her arms. She sees them deteriorate. “I’m the last person they want to see,” said Brazzale, who has lived in Wellington for more than 10 years. “I’m a doctor first; my instinct is to improve
upon possibilities. Contrary to what people may think, I’m here to try to carve out some positive time for people and families in dire situations. I don’t want people to be suffering and merely waiting for death — I want them to be living right up until they die.” But it takes a toll on Brazzale. A regular cozy movie night with her husband and two young children at their home surrounded by trees becomes a welcome respite from particularly arduous days. Dr. Faustino Gonzalez, chief medical officer of hospice services at Trustbridge, is extremely proud of Brazzale. He trained her, and she was the first graduate of their fellowship in hospice and palliative medicine program in 2009. “She set the bar,” Gonzalez said. “She is the yardstick that we measure other graduates by. She has a visceral understanding of what it takes to care, the empathy, the ability to put herself in the shoes of the patient and the patient’s family.” Brazzale took a meandering path to becoming a physician. Both her parents are doctors in England, but she opted to try other professions. At first, she wanted to be an architect, attending the prestigious Bartlett School of Architecture in London. That lasted a semester. She opted to switch courses and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree with honors in human sciences at Uni-
versity College London. During that time, Brazzale had multiple temporary jobs at Whittington Hospital, working with oncologists and palliative nurses. Immediately following her undergraduate years, she worked in pharmaceutical sales before deciding to study further, returning to medical school at the very same university at age 24. “Everything seemed to pull me that way,” Brazzale recalled. Currently, Brazzale treats approximately 130 patients in hospice care, all based at home, and sees them in order of need. She also does some work on inpatient hospice facilities, as well as palliative consultations. “Children are always less predictable and need closer supervision,” said Brazzale, who usually spends about an hour visiting with each patient and their family. Her goal is to visit about 25 patients per week when making house calls. However, when doing rounds on various inpatient hospitals and facilities, that number swells greatly. The paperwork involved with each case accounts for almost doubling the work load. “I have some great nurses,” Brazzale said. “Motivated, enthusiastic nurses make a team. We all share our ideas. Hospice is physician-lead, but nurserun. There’s no room for any egos.” Gonzalez marvels at Brazzale’s skills, especially for her calm demeanor and empathy toward patients nearing the end of their lives. wellington the magazine | july 2018
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