Daisy Award

Thank a Nurse. Share Your Story.

The DAISY (Diseases Attacking the Immune SYstem) Award is an international recognition program that honors and celebrates the skillful, compassionate care nurses provide every day. The DAISY Foundation was established by the family of J. Patrick Barnes after he died from complications of the auto-immune disease ITP in 1999. During his hospitalization, they deeply appreciated the care and compassion shown to Patrick and his entire family. When he died, they felt compelled to say “thank you” to nurses in a very public way. To learn more, visit DAISYFoundation.org.

Please say thank you by sharing your story of how a nurse made a difference you will never forget!

Past Daisy Award Winners

Bea Nagel (2021) – Lifetime Achievement Award

She embodies what it means to be a nurse.

“Bea shows compassion towards her follow co-workers. She always makes sure if we are fed, need help, and are over all doing well. Bea is one of the most deserving individuals for the Lifetime Daisy Award as she embodies what it is to be a nurse as well as serving others through the healing ministry of Jesus Christ.”

Elinor “Ellie” Pettee (2021) – Lifetime Achievement Award

She is passionate about psychiatric nursing.

“I met Ellie as a new nurse manager. Initially, I felt a little intimidated as a new nurse leader to be working with a nurse with so much skill, experience and knowledge. But what I learned about Ellie is that she is an encourager, she is passionate about psychiatric nursing, and she is a great support for nursing students and new nurses. I am encouraged by her career and her desire to continue to share her wisdom and knowledge with those around her. Whether it is taking on a nursing student, teaching a patient to manage his/her anxiety, or teaching the treatment team about a patient’s medical condition, Ellie has always been a nurse educator and preceptor at heart.”

Mallory Cook (2021)

She has so much empathy and is gifted in making people feel understood.

“Mal consistently reached out to help me when I was struggling at one of the most difficult times of my life. Mal made me feel that I had worth and had something to offer in this life. She helped me though this time and feel more accepting of my mental health issues through all our conversations. Mal was very uplifting and told me she knew how much time and effort I was putting into treatment. Today, I am doing better than I have in the last 20 years. Mal is one of the most positive, caring, and compassionate people I have ever met. She has so much empathy and is gifted in making people feel understood as well as being quick to pick up on what an individual need. Mal shares an unbelievable amount of love with every patient she meets.”

Briana Cannon (2020)

She has always been there to listen and talk to.

“Bri has always been super sweet to me. She has always been there to listen and talk to. She makes staying at Pine Rest a little better. If I could, I would give her this award myself. She deserves it more than anyone. I was here around a year ago this same time and somehow, she remembered me. Please give her this award. She works long hours and I have never seen her frown. She truly is amazing. I strive to be like her someday. Thank you for giving me a chance to recognize Bri, she needs it. I don’t think she is told how amazing she is nearly enough. Bri has changed my time here. All of the nurses go above and beyond, but Bri always tops the cake.”

Desiree Thomas

She is the embodiment of empathy, kindness, and competence.

“Have you ever met a person who brought light to your path when all you saw was darkness? Have you ever been brought peace by someone who is basically a stranger? Have you ever experienced or been served by someone who viewed their job not as a career but as a vocation?  I have at the Aspen Unit, thanks to my nurse, Desiree. Her passion for dealing with mental illness was beautiful to see and a gift in my life. She was very instrumental in my healing and I will forever be grateful for her helping me during the hardest time of my life.”

“Desiree is a very caring and loving nurse. Always asked if she could help in any way. She also cared about my emotional and physical needs- very caring and loving.”

“Desiree epitomizes what a good nurse should be. She is the embodiment of empathy, kindness, and competence. I had an issue early in my stay in which I became extremely agitated and angry. I took my negativity out on her. I was unkind, but rather than holding a grudge or treating me coldly, she gave me nothing but kindness. The day after my outburst I did offer an apology, which Desiree immediately accepted, saying: “we all have bad days.” We ended up talking for a while; she offered support and comfort when I needed it most.”

“Desiree is a lovely person and totally deserves to be acknowledged for that! She made my stay bearable by offering me exactly what I needed- empathy and kindness, while never talking down to me or making me feel less than a valued human being.”