[5 min read]
In this article:
- For more than 30 years Miles Schulze was a committed nurse at Providence Swedish, guiding families through some of life's diffcult moments.
- A 'true ICU nurse,' Miles shared the same warmth, care and humor with others during to his own 5-year battle with lymphoma.
- The Schulze family's generous gift to Swedish is ensuring that Miles' legacy of care, comfort and hope continues for years to come.
The questions never stopped. Even as his lymphoma returned in late 2021, Miles Schulze faced his appointments with the same curiosity and medical mindset that embodied his decades as an intensive care unit nurse at Providence Swedish — including peppering his caregivers with thoughtful, probing questions.
“Spoken like a true ICU nurse,” says Miles’ wife, Wanda, sharing a line used by one of Miles’ caregivers.
For more than 30 years at Providence Swedish’s Cherry Hill campus, Miles guided patients and families through their most vulnerable moments. When his own cancer journey began in 2017, he carried the same poise, humor, and curiosity into every appointment. Six months after his lymphoma returned for a second time, Miles passed away at home on May 1, 2022, in the presence of Wanda and their son, Collin. 
He left behind not only memories of compassion and courage, but an enduring impact that continues to inspire today. For Wanda, that impact became something she felt called to carry forward. Even amid loss, she recognized that giving could extend the spirit of care Miles embodied, transforming his legacy into support for future patients and caregivers.
Today, Wanda and Collin (shown in photo above, at right) honor Miles through philanthropy, supporting the Center for Blood Disorders and Cellular Therapy at Providence Swedish Cancer Institute, various supportive care services, and by including Providence Swedish in Wanda’s estate plans.
These gifts help provide patients with vital support during treatment, while also fueling research that improves outcomes for those facing blood cancers.
“This is my way of honoring Miles,” says Wanda, who was married to her husband for 40 years.
Finding his life’s work
The funny thing is that nursing wasn’t part of Miles’ original plan. After earning his degree from Washington State University, he started out as a grain broker, linking farmers with companies in need of grain. It quickly became apparent this wasn’t a good fit.
“Miles was someone I looked up to — calm, competent, with a great sense of humor. He was one of the first people I thought, ‘I want to be like him as a nurse.’ " – Nathan Smith, RN
“Miles had this idealized view of the farming community, but the reality was it was more business than he expected. And he didn’t quite mesh with the cowboy boots crowd in his flannel and Birkenstocks,” says Wanda.
Soon enough, though, Miles found his true calling. In 1986, he was playing pickup basketball with friends when he noticed a flyer for the nursing program at Columbia Basin College in Pasco.
“He came home saying, ‘Hey, I’ve decided I’m going to sign up for nursing school.’ That was a surprise, but he loved science, and he wanted a more science-based career,” Wanda says.
A career of care
After finishing nursing school, the Schulzes moved to Poulsbo. The family later settled on Bainbridge Island in 2002, with Miles’ career as a nurse well underway at Providence Swedish.
It didn’t take a rocket scientist — well, neuroscientist — to see that this was an ideal fit for Miles.
“The more technical and science-driven it was, the more he loved it. He never got bored. Every day was different, fast‑moving,” Wanda says. “And the ICU gave him structure with protocols, but also the adaptability to tailor care to each patient.”
Miles didn’t just thrive in this environment; he excelled, and his dedication and skill quickly became evident to those around him.
“Miles was someone I looked up to — calm, competent, with a great sense of humor. He was one of the first people I thought, ‘I want to be like him as a nurse.’ You could come to him for any question; he had that nuance, that art to nursing. Now that I’m a charge nurse, I try to channel that calmness and leadership, but I was never as calm as he was,” says charge nurse Nathan Smith, RN, who worked with Miles.
Facing cancer with courage
Though his cancer diagnosis ushered in a world of unpredictability, Miles approached every conversation with inquisitiveness and courage, determined to understand and engage rather than retreat. That mindset didn’t just define his care, it inspired everyone around him.
“I think for most cancer patients, every trip into the clinic is just a painful, emotionally draining process,” Collin adds. “But for my dad, being able to see his colleagues brought some levity and humor to it. I’ll always be grateful for the incredible composure and the clinical mindset that my dad brought to his own cancer journey.”
After years caring for others in the Cherry Hill Neurology ICU, Miles found himself back in the very unit he once served — this time as a patient, in a poignant full‑circle moment.
“Even when he became a patient himself, the nurses he had trained came to see him,” Wanda says. “That meant the world to him.”
A lasting gift
Miles’ life was shaped by empathy, a learning spirit, and an unwavering commitment to others. Wanda’s philanthropy ensures those qualities continue to touch lives, not only through memories, but through tangible support for the programs that cared for Miles and so many others.
His colleagues felt that impact deeply. In fact, they came together to dedicate a plaque at Cherry Hill to Miles, which serves as a lasting tribute to the nurse who guided so many through their hardest days. The plaque was Smith’s idea.
“I wanted some way to remember him. Miles made such a huge impact on me, and I wanted his memory to be part of the unit. Even now, situations come up, or old colleagues mention him — those memories live on. It’s almost like having a teacher or mentor, and as my career continues, I realize I’m following in those footsteps, hopefully the best I can,” Smith says.
Through Wanda’s generosity, Miles’ legacy continues to shape care today and for years to come — offering comfort, advocacy, and hope to future patients and the caregivers who walk alongside them.
Learn more and find a physician or advanced practice clinician (APC)
If you or a loved one have questions about cancer diagnosis, treatment or care, the experts at the Providence Swedish Cancer Institute are here for you. We can accommodate both in-person and virtual visits. To talk to someone or make an appointment, call 1-855-XCANCER.
You can also learn more about available clinical trials. Our physician investigators and researchers are involved in hundreds of ongoing trials involving most types of cancer.
Whether you require an in-person visit or want to consult a doctor virtually, you have options. Swedish Virtual Care connects you face-to-face with a nurse practitioner who can review your symptoms, provide instruction and follow up as needed. If you need to find a doctor, you can use our provider directory.
About the Swedish Foundation
Your generous gift helps support a healthy tomorrow for everyone in every community we serve. Learn about more ways to give to the Swedish Foundation or make a direct donation online at swedishfoundation.org. You can also contact the Foundation at 206-368-2738 or email foundation@swedish.org. Thank you for helping us shape the future of health care. We can’t do it without you.
Additional resources
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"That genetic test saved my life."
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Harnessing the power of the body’s own immune system to treat (and defeat) cancer
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