DAISY Award Winner Recognized at Holzer Health System
Cassy Lee, LPN, Holzer Health System Obstetric/Gynecology Services, was recently honored with The DAISY Award®. The award is part of the DAISY Foundation's programs to recognize the above and beyond efforts nurses perform every day.
The nomination submitted by a recent Holzer patient read, “At 20 weeks, my baby received a diagnosis that would forever change my life. From the first appointment to the last time I was able to hold my child, this nurse was there every step of the way. Providing comfort and being a light during such a dark time in someone’s life is something that is unforgettable. She comforted me while hearing this life-changing diagnosis. When I filed for FMLA, she made sure that the process was seamless. Because of this, I was able to grieve properly. Losing a child is difficult and luckily for me I had the most supportive healthcare team which included the doctor and this nurse.”
DAISY stands for Diseases Attacking the Immune SYstem. The not-for-profit DAISY Foundation is based in Glen Ellen, CA, and was established by family members in memory of J. Patrick Barnes. Patrick died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little known but not uncommon auto-immune disease. The care Patrick and his family received from nurses while he was ill inspired this unique means of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient families.
Said Bonnie Barnes, FAAN, CEO and Co-Founder of The DAISY Foundation, "When Patrick was critically ill, our family experienced first-hand the remarkable skill and care nurses provide patients every day and night. Yet these unsung heroes are seldom recognized for the super-human work they do. The kind of work the nurses at Holzer are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of The DAISY Award.”
Nominations for the DAISY award can be submitted by patients, patients’ family members, peers, and providers. The award honors LPNs and RNs across every division of care in the Holzer system, including: acute/hospital, post-acute/long-term care, and ambulatory/outpatient. Nomination forms can be found throughout all Holzer facilities and online at www.holzer.org/DAISY-award. The nominations are verified before being shared with the Holzer DAISY committee to evaluate and score the applicants each month. In nominating an individual, a specific example or scenario of the nurse going above and beyond for a patient is required on the nomination form.
“The DAISY Award program shines a light on all the right,” shared Susan Rowe, RN, MSN, CENP, C-EFM, CLS, Vice President, Nursing Services, Holzer Health System. “Through this program, we are able to meaningfully recognize the extraordinary contributions of nurses, and their efforts to create and sustain healthy work environments. We are honored to formally recognize Cassy as a recipient of the DAISY award.”
Cassy has been an LPN since graduating from Buckeye Hills Career Center in 1999. She began her Holzer career in March of 2019 on the Inpatient Unit 4 East, where she worked medical surgery and telemetry. This unit was designated the COVID unit during the pandemic. She transferred to Obstetrics/Gynecology in November 2022.
When asked about working at Holzer, she shared, “Working for Holzer has blessed my life in so many ways. I’ve been honored to work with some of the best nurses and providers. I’ve built friendships that I know will last a lifetime. I’ve had the opportunity to care for the people of this community through some of the best and worst times. And one thing I’ve learned is that we really are all in this together. We count on each other. We lean on each other. We lift each other up. And we make each other’s lives better.
Cassy lives in Point Pleasant where she enjoys spending time with her mom and daughters, and especially enjoys her time with grandsons La’Mir and Echo.
When asked about receiving the award, Lee responded, “I don’t have words. The fact that someone would think of me during such a difficult time is incredibly touching and means the world to me. If only we could all do that for one another and look past our own struggles and realize that we can ease each other’s burdens or even brighten each other’s day. If I can be there for my patients, to share their joy or ease their suffering; connect with my patients so that they know they’re not alone, I will have done something good.”
To learn more about this program how The DAISY Award recognizes extraordinary nurses, please visit DAISYFoundation.org. To nominate an extraordinary Holzer nurse, visit www.holzer.org/DAISY-award or fill out a paper form at one of our locations.
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