Rehabilitation Center’s ‘tree of life’ a loving tribute

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Cecelia Paradowski (center) with Dr. John Jahan (left) and her daughter, Gina (right), at Sharp Rehab's Leaf Your Legacy tree sculpture, made possible by the Foundations of Sharp HealthCare.

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Cecelia Paradowski pays tribute to Dr. John Jahan in honor of her late husband, Dave.

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Cecelia Paradowski's husband, Dave, was treated by dedicated caregivers at the Sharp Allison deRose Rehabilitation Center at Sharp Memorial Hospital.

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Cecelia Paradowski's husband, Dave, was commemorated on Sharp Rehab's Leaf Your Legacy tree sculpture.

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Cecelia Paradowski (left) honors her husband, Dave, with her daughter, Gina (right).

A 7-foot-by-5-foot wall sculpture of a tree lives in the garden of the Sharp Allison deRose Rehabilitation Center at Sharp Memorial Hospital. There are 200 gold, silver and bronze leaves — each one a message of hope, love and remembrance.

"For me, it's a ‘tree of life,’" says Dr. John Jahan, a doctor affiliated with Sharp Memorial Hospital and Sharp Grossmont Hospital who has practiced medicine since 1996. "It's representative of the excellent care we provide for our patients.”

A gold leaf that reads, “Dave Paradowski, Beloved” shines brightly. It’s a special tribute by his widow, Cecelia, to honor not only Dr. Jahan and the therapists at the rehab center who cared for Dave, but to memorialize the man who brought so much joy and warmth to her life. "He gave me hope and strength," Cecelia says.

A ‘magical’ marriage

Dave and Cecelia were teachers in the Grossmont Union High School District when they married in 1999. They honeymooned in Cancun, where they saw the ancient Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza.

Cecelia remembers them being part of a group of eight tourists climbing down a winding pathway to reach a bright turquoise cenote, a natural deep-water well. As they swam, they looked up to see the sun sparkling over them and glistening vines hanging down. "It was just magical," Cecelia says.

More than their traveling, they bonded over his sense of humor and his love for Cecelia's cooking. Dave played racquetball into his 70s, which inspired Cecelia to be more active when it came to yoga, dancing and walking.

"The biggest thing I'm grateful for is that he was able to make my mom happy," says Gina Catania, Cecelia's daughter from her first marriage.

Their love for each other remained strong in 2018, when Dave was diagnosed with a serious form of leukemia. Through constant hospital visits and long stays at Sharp Rehab, she was by his side supporting him.

“It was outstanding that I could stay overnight with him,” Cecelia says. "I shared his spirit of, 'We'll do everything we can to conquer this.’”

Dave’s determination

As athletic as Dave had been, leukemia took most of his strength. The chemotherapy treatments affected his body, and he went from being able to walk short distances to needing a walker. Eventually, he needed to use a wheelchair.

“I saw him deteriorating physically, but mentally, he stayed very strong,” Dr. Jahan says. “That was very impressive to me.”

Dr. Jahan aims to build a rapport with each of his patients, no matter their age and no matter what condition he sees them in. His connection with Dave was stronger.

“I felt something more than just a patient-doctor relationship,” Dr. Jahan says. “We developed more of a friendship.”

He learned about Dave’s life experiences, working as a school coach and how much he cared about his family. “He was at peace with himself and satisfied with his life,” Dr. Jahan says. “He wasn’t afraid of what was happening to him.”

Dave’s condition worsened in early 2020, and his oncologist told him his treatment options were thinning. That March, he passed away at the age of 78.

“I learned a lot from him,” Dr. Jahan says.

A memorable tribute

After Dave’s passing, Cecelia knew she wanted to recognize Dr. Jahan and all the other specialists at Sharp Rehab who treated her husband. She admired how the therapists were able to bring Dave to the garden, a peaceful area designed for patients to find tranquility and accessible outdoor exercise.

Cecelia remembers how she and Dave would talk and watch birds fly into the nearby fountain. Then she thought of the sculpture of the tree, a commemorative naming opportunity offered through the Foundations of Sharp HealthCare’s Leaf Your Legacy Program.

“I wanted to get the best leaf I could with his name on it,” Cecelia says. “This is a space that is extremely supportive of a variety of treatments. They were excellent help, competent and caring.”

Cecelia finalized the leaf and held a Guardian Angel ceremony for Dr. Jahan at the unveiling. Nearly two dozen employees were on hand, and Gina brought a framed portrait of Dave so he could “see” his leaf.

“The rehab staff and I put a piece of ourselves into patient care every day,” Dr. Jahan says. “That translates into the growth of our tree of life.”

For more information regarding the Leaf Your Legacy Program, please contact Elise Meisenhelder, development officer of the Foundations of Sharp HealthCare, at elise.meisenhelder@sharp.com; learn more about the Sharp Allison DeRose Rehabilitation Center at Sharp Memorial Hospital; get the latest health and wellness news, trends and patient stories from Sharp Health News; and subscribe to our weekly newsletter by clicking the "Sign up" link below.