March 2026
Patient Care Technician honored for handmaking shawls for patients
Anthony Lemieux, a Patient Care Technician at the infusion center at University of Michigan Health-Sparrow Herbert-Herman Cancer Center, has been named the March Team Member Spotlight recipient for going above and beyond to comfort patients.
Lemieux, who has been a PCT for two years, handmakes crocheted shawls for patients undergoing cancer treatment. What began as a hobby in his youth has become a meaningful extension of his care for patients facing long hours in infusion chairs.
“Way back when I was younger, I actually was making shawls for cancer patients,” Lemieux said. “Now that I’m in this area, I thought, oh my gosh, why am I not doing this right now? So, I do it on the side.”
Lemieux said he started making the shawls again after recognizing the anxiety many patients experience when they arrive for treatment.
“I started doing it just out of the pure fact that patients come in back here, they’re nervous, they’re unsure,” he said. “So, I made the shawls just because it gave patients a sense of comfort and (they) provide warmth. When they’re getting treatment, they’re usually cold. It gives them a sense of security.”
Patients receiving infusion therapy often sit in chairs for eight to 10 hours at a time. Lemieux said the reaction from patients when he presents them with a handmade blanket is what drives him.
“I just enjoy the smile,” he said. “Every time I present them with the shawl, they’re just shocked. I just knew that you needed some kind of comfort, especially when they’re in the chair for eight to 10 hours a day, sometimes 12.”
Lemieux has created dozens of shawls for patients to keep. His approach to patient care reflects a personal philosophy that he said aligns with UM Health-Sparrow’s core values of caring, integrity and putting patients first.
“What you put out in the universe, you’ll get back,” Lemieux said. “You never know what somebody is going through, giving out positivity, warmth, love and just showing people that you care for them not only as a patient but as a human being as well.”
The Team Member Spotlight program recognizes UM Health employees across the region who demonstrate exceptional dedication to patient care and the organization’s mission.