I am honored to nominate Nurse Clara from the ICU in 7 South for the DAISY Award. My mother has been in Room X for the past two weeks after suffering a subarachnoid hemorrhage, and during this incredibly difficult time, Clara has been a true light in our darkest moments. From the beginning, Clara stood out, not just for her clinical knowledge but for her deep compassion and humanity. She took the time to give me a booklet to help me understand my mom’s condition. But more than that, she sat down with me, drew diagrams, and explained in detail what was happening to my mother’s brain. Her words were gentle, her explanations clear, and her empathy so real. She turned fear into understanding.

What moved me most was that Clara didn’t stop at treating my mother. She cared for our whole family. She gently encouraged me to consider getting checked myself, knowing the condition could be hereditary. That simple gesture, her thinking of me in the middle of all this, meant the world. In the two weeks we’ve been here, Clara is the only nurse who has consistently gone above and beyond. Her presence brings comfort. Her care brings hope. And her heart brings healing. Clara embodies everything the DAISY Award represents. She is more than a nurse; she is an angel in scrubs. I will never forget the kindness she showed us.