Proud to Be From Pittsburgh

Proud to be from Pittsburgh: Woman called more than social worker

Lori McKown, who works at Allegheny Health Network's Jefferson Hospital, has the job title of "social worker," but in reality, she's doing much more.

Clint Taylor is a pancreatic cancer patient being treated at Jefferson Hospital. He met McKown during his treatments. And thanks to her hard work, he got to take the trip of a lifetime.

"As I've met him, I learned that he had a 9-year-old little boy, and I knew his diagnosis is life-limiting, so I wanted to give him and his son and wife a memory," said McKown.

McKown spent hours putting in an application for Taylor to get the trip of his dreams: going to Lambeau Field to see the Green Bay Packers in person. Taylor grew up in Green Bay, but had never been to a game.

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"To have those pictures, to have those videos, so when that time comes and Clinton is no longer with us, his family has that to hold on to," said McKown.

McKown's caring nature goes beyond granting patients' wishes. She also makes sure that they are able to cope with their diagnoses.

"I'm pancreatic stage four, so I'm terminal. But I'll tell you what, she helps. Because she'll see when I'm low and brings me up so that I keep that fight going," said Taylor.

"Lori embodies what we stand for here at the cancer institute: getting the patients and the family members, making their experiences as best as possible as they're going through the journey here," said Vince Bryner, the clinical manager at Jefferson Hospital's cancer institute.

Filing paperwork and forms for her patients to get these wishes granted takes extra time and energy, but McKown said she doesn't see it as work.

"It is, but it isn't. I just, I love helping people. So it's something I'd love to be able to do for every single patient I come across," said McKown.

In the case of Clint Taylor, he not only got to go to a game at Lambeau Field but when the Veteran's Association heard about his story through McKown, they worked with the Steelers to furnish his entire house with new furniture from Bob's Discount Furniture.