“Not all angels have wings … some have scrubs.” —Unknown. This quote is the embodiment of CHOP’s Registered Nurse, Briget Clawson. Although all our daughter’s Registered Nurses that have been taking care of her have been fantastic, Bridget was a true superstar in our eyes.

On the very first shift where Bridget was our daughter's nurse, we knew we were in good hands. Every time that she was assigned as her main nurse, or even simply the fact of knowing she was on the unit would give us a sense of peace and security. Clearly, Bridget is a professional, experienced, and knowledgeable Registered Nurse, but the way she interacted with our daughter and us was refreshing and set her apart even more.

From a medical standpoint, she provided excellent care, closely monitored her vitals, and observed how our daughter was physically, mentally, and emotionally. From a personal aspect, she always made us feel like a priority. There were countless “simple” occasions where we felt Bridget would go above and beyond, she took the time to get to know us on a personal level. For example: through conversation, she found out that our daughter liked Harry Potter a lot and they would have conversations surrounding the books and films. She would use this detail as a distraction technique if our daughter was in pain or upset and would use Harry Potter as a way of encouragement. For example, she would say today we are going to have a good day and after physical therapy, we will watch Harry Potter. In one instance she went above and beyond by setting her up with HBO max so she could watch the Harry Potter reunion special which just came out. To see the smile on our daughter's face and give her something to look forward to makes a world of difference.

There were multiple occasions that even though she was not assigned to our daughter she would come to check on her, do her hair and just give her a little extra TLC. All of these items mentioned are why we strongly feel that Bridget Clawson is a DAISY Nurse.  As parents, it is difficult to watch your child suffer, feel defeated, and navigate the unknowns, but to have someone like Bridget “in your corner” was something we will always appreciate. She would always take the time to explain medical items to us, see what we needed and be an added layer of support. Due to her presence, we were able to be in the moment with our daughter, explain things to her, and continue to be right by her side.

Unfortunately, due to increasing complications our daughter lost her battle and passed away. Bridget was her nurse in the days leading up to her passing and was her nurse when she passed. From the moment Bridget had her as a patient to the day she passed, there was a bond they shared. Our daughter always felt more comfortable when Bridget was her nurse. Although we are thankful for the care and attention she provided to her, we know that this is Bridget’s nature in general to be compassionate and genuine with a heart of gold. CHOP is lucky to have her on her staff and any patient that has her as their caregiver should consider themselves fortunate.

We would like to thank everyone who tended to the needs of our daughter. Every encounter was pleasant, and Bridget always added that extra bit of sunshine and we will always consider her a shining star.