In this keynote, Leslie Ridall, MD, Medical Director of Patient and Family Experience at Children's Hospital Colorado, reflects on her journey through healthcare as a physician, patient, and parent. Diagnosed with MS at the start of COVID while caring for a critically ill infant and later experiencing ICU care herself, Leslie offers a powerful look at the gap between how care is designed and how it is lived. Through personal storytelling and practical insight, she challenges assumptions around access, communication, and dignity, and shares lessons that can help healthcare leaders create more compassionate, trauma-aware experiences for patients and families.