Anna Sylla

Registered nurse Anna Sylla, Neuro/Peds/Trauma, is one of the co-directors of Mayo Clinic Health System’s Gift of Life Donation team helping families faced with decisions about organ donation. Her dedication and efforts haven’t gone unnoticed. Anna earned the May 2011 DAISY Award for Exceptional Nurses based on this nomination by neurologist Donn Dexter, M.D., pictured above with Anna:

In Anna’s role, she often goes above and beyond the call of duty to support this lifesaving mission. The

work is challenging and often emotionally draining, but she is fantastic at her job. The most recent example of her extra effort was a wonderful organ donor remembrance ceremony that Anna co-organized. It was a beautiful and moving ceremony that included remembrances by the mother of an organ donor and two people who were tissue and heart recipients. It also involved members of the UW Organ Procurement Organization, including medical director Dr. Tony D’Allesandro.

Dr. D’Allesandro remarked that ours is the only hospital in the UW OPO service area that has taken on a ceremony like this on its own. He was very thankful for and impressed by our team’s commitment. Anna’s efforts clearly capture the DAISY criteria of mobilizing resources to recognize an important issue and using creative and diverse means to provide support and caring for families who have suffered the pain of loss of a loved one who gave the gift of life.

Our hospital has been a recipient of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Medal of Honor for several years in a row, and I know that Anna played a role in the success that allowed this to occur. But this is not about the medals; it is about the lifesaving mission that she so tirelessly promotes and works toward that I nominate her for the DAISY award.