She Rang the Bell Twice - Employee Assistance Program

Shaylene Shomack (August 7, 2014- January 13, 2026)

For ten years, Anna Rodrigues has been part of the St. Peter’s Health family, serving in Environmental Services with a quiet strength and steady dedication. She is the kind of person who makes friends everywhere she goes, from the administration building to patient floors. But in January of this year, Anna faced something no parent or grandparent should ever endure.

Her granddaughter, Shaylene, passed away on January 13, 2026, after a courageous battle with an extraordinarily rare form of bone cancer.

Shaylene was just nine years old when she was diagnosed. The cancer was so rare that there was no known cure. Yet Shaylene fought. And she won. Twice.

“She got to ring the bell, twice,” Anna says with pride.

For two and a half years, Shaylene battled with remarkable courage. From age nine to twelve, she endured treatments most adults could not imagine. Through it all, she remained what her grandmother describes simply as “a fighter.” With bright red hair and blue eyes, Shaylene had a smile that warmed everyone she met. Even in her hardest days, she carried a light.

In her final years, she would often ask her grandmother, “When are you coming down, Grandma?”

Anna, Felicia and Shaylene

When it became clear that Shaylene’s time was short, Anna knew exactly where she needed to be. Her daughter Felicia and Shaylene were in Pennsylvania. Anna needed to go, to help care for her daughter, to hold her granddaughter’s hand, to be present for every remaining moment.

But traveling across the country on short notice brings financial strain. Flights, lodging, meals, lost time from work. In moments of crisis, the burden can feel overwhelming. Anna’s coworkers quickly surrounded her with care. Word spread through the administration building, and colleagues reached out to make sure she was not alone.

It was one of those coworkers who told her about something she had never heard of before: the St. Peter’s Health Foundation Emergency Employee Assistance Fund.

Anna was stunned. A friend to many on the Foundation team, in her 10 years at St. Peter’s Health, she had no idea the fund even existed.

The Emergency Employee Assistance Fund helps employees facing unexpected hardships. Because of generous donors, Anna was able to receive assistance to cover food and lodging expenses while she was in Pennsylvania.

“It eased the burden,” she says. “I did not have to worry about how we would pay for meals or where I would stay. I could focus on my daughter. I could focus on Shaylene.”

In Shaylene’s final days, she told her family that a little boy was watching over her. Anna believes it was an angel. When Shaylene passed, she did so with a smile on her face.

“She fought a good fight,” Anna says softly. Felicia, Shaylene’s mother, adds through tears, “Now she has her wings.”

Today, Anna speaks openly about her gratitude. She is grateful for her SPH family, who made sure she was okay. She is grateful for the Foundation and the donors who give to a fund that many employees may not even know exists.

“It is hard to survive in these times,” Anna shares. “I cannot believe there are people out there who would donate to help my family.”

She also wants her story to serve as encouragement.

It is okay to ask for help.

The Emergency Employee Assistance Fund is there for SPH employees during true emergencies. Anna hopes more employees learn about it before they ever need it. She hopes they know they are not alone.

And she hopes people remember Shaylene.

Beloved by all.

A red haired fighter.

A little girl who rang the bell twice.

Cancer is out there. It touches families in every community. But so does generosity. So does compassion. So does a workplace that becomes family.

Because when love calls you home, you should be able to go.