Collingswood School Nurse Credited With Saving Child's Life

COLLINGSWOOD, NJ — The school nurse at Zane North Elementary School who has been praised by a Collingswood woman for saving her son's life says she was in the right place at the right time.

Patricia Butler is being credited for recognizing the symptoms that led Nicole DeFeo Campbell to learn that her son has Child Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, a disease in which the body makes too few of a certain type of white blood cell.

Butler urged the family to take their kindergartener to the hospital immediately after he was sent to her office by his teacher. The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) diagnosed the boy, who was discolored, showed bruises and complained of aches, the deadly disease.

"I had a gut feeling something was wrong," Butler said. "I've only seen that color one other time in 25 years of nursing."

Butler said she didn't tell the boy's mother what she thought was wrong because she didn't want to worry her. She did urge her to take her son Nathan to the hospital immediately.

"I believe they save his life 100 percent," DeFeo Campbell said.

She said when she brought her son to the hospital, his hemogloben level was 3.9. The normal level is 15. He has had to undergo chemotherapy, but six months later, 6-year-old Nate Campbell is doing better and entering his final round of treatment. He's in remission, and the recovery rate from the disease is 96 percent.

Butler described DeFeo Campbell as "an optimistic, positive and strong woman."

DeFeo Campbell described how brave her son is.

"He's like a warrior, like a Superman," she said. "He doesn't whine, he doesn't cry and I know he feels sick. He's just amazing to me."

DeFeo Campbell submitted Butler as an entrant in Pfizer's "America's Greatest School Nurse" contest. The winner is determined through a mix of online voting and the decision of the judges.

Voting is currently open in the contest, and residents can vote once a day every day through April 16. The winner will be announced on May 5.

"The only thing that outshines all her talents is her passion," Collingswood Superintendent of Schools Scott Oswald said. "She is very passionate about the children. All the nurses in our district are passionate about the children."

Butler said she and her entire team, which consists of 5 full-time workers and 1 part-timer, treat the children who come into their office as if they are their own.

"That's the nursing mission," Butler said. "We take care of people."

The attached image of Patricia Butler was provided by the Collingswood School District.

The three attached images of Nate Campbell were provided by his mother, Nicole DeFeo Campbell