Memorial Announces Dani Cooley as February Daisy Winner

Congratulations to Dani Cooley, BSN, RN in the NICU at Lake Charles Memorial Hospital for Women. She was nominated by a coworker for her kindness, compassion and empathy.

From the Nominator:

Dani just recently lost her mother. Most, if not all, of our staff never even knew her mother was sick. She has been very private regarding the matter. But Dani consistently came to work and loved/cared for her patients while dealing with some very difficult circumstances. She could have easily “checked out” while at work for the last few months, but she never did. She continued to be present and make meaningful relationships with her patients and their families. She always assists at night when it comes to making special music videos for the parents, writing special notes to them on the cameras, and taking the opportunity to find a photoshoot. She is one of the most caring individuals and is always kind to everyone she meets. She is empathetic and compassionate.

When she could have understandably had some bad days, she never once did. She remained an exemplary nurse and truly modeled “sacred work.” I feel in my heart she absolutely deserves the award.

About DAISY:

In late 1999, at the age of 33, Patrick Barnes awoke with some blood blisters in his mouth. Having survived Hodgkin's Disease twice, he was admitted to the hospital and diagnosed with the auto-immune disease, ITP (Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura).

Said his father, Mark Barnes, "We are so blessed that we were able to spend the eight weeks of his hospitalization with him and his family. During those weeks, we experienced the best of Nursing. We were there to see the clinical skill that dealt with his very complex medical situation, the fast thinking of nurses who saved his life more than once, and that nursing excellence that took years to hone to the best of the profession. But frankly, as a patient family, we rather expected that Pat would have great clinical care. That was why he was in the hospital. What we did not expect was the way his nurses delivered that care - the kindness and compassion they gave Pat and all of us in his family every day. We were awed by the way the nurses touched him and spoke with him, even when he was on a ventilator and totally sedated. The way they informed and educated us eased our minds. They truly helped us through the darkest hours of our lives, with soft voices of hope and strong loving hugs that to this day, we still feel."

Just days after he died, the family began talking about what they would do to help fill the giant hole in their hearts that Pat’s passing had left. His wife came up with the acronym, DAISY, standing for diseases attacking the immune system. As they discussed what to do in Patrick’s memory, first and foremost, they wanted to say Thank You for the gifts nurses give their patients and families every day. That is when the family created The DAISY Award For Extraordinary Nurses.

For more information regarding Dani's nomination, click here.