July 2026 Honoree
Colleen Lortie, RN, BSN, OCN
I am writing to recognize Colleen Lortie for the extraordinary care she provided to my daughter during one of the most frightening and transformative periods of our family's life.
My daughter was 22 years old at the time of diagnosis. A routine chest X-ray revealed a large mediastinal mass, and within nine days she had received a diagnosis of Stage 4A Classic Hodgkin's Lymphoma and begun her first round of chemotherapy. There is no gentle way to enter that world. Everything moves fast, the stakes feel impossible, and the patient—in our case, a young woman who had no reason to expect any of this—has to find a way to be brave before she has had time to process what is happening to her.
Colleen was her nurse for that first chemotherapy session, and from that day forward, she became a steady and trusted presence throughout all six rounds of treatment. She did not simply administer medications and monitor vitals. She saw her fully, as a person, and she responded to what she saw.
Physically, Colleen's care was meticulous and attentive. But what set her apart was her emotional presence. She had a rare ability to read the room. When my daughter needed practical reassurance about what her body was experiencing, Colleen provided it clearly and calmly. When she needed someone to simply sit with the weight of what she was going through, Colleen offered that too. She made my daughter feel safe in an environment that could so easily feel clinical and frightening.
Even on the days Colleen was not assigned to her care, she checked in. That kind of continuity—the sense that someone is keeping you in mind even when it isn't their job to—is not something you can mandate or measure. It is a reflection of who Colleen is as a nurse and as a human being.
Because of nurses like Colleen, my daughter did not just endure chemotherapy. She faced it with courage and trust.
She has two treatments remaining, and she is doing beautifully. When I think about the people who made that possible, Colleen is at the top of the list.
The DAISY Award was created to honor nurses who go beyond the clinical to touch lives in ways that patients and families never forget. Colleen is exactly that nurse.
Our family is deeply grateful, and we are honored to put her name forward.
My daughter was 22 years old at the time of diagnosis. A routine chest X-ray revealed a large mediastinal mass, and within nine days she had received a diagnosis of Stage 4A Classic Hodgkin's Lymphoma and begun her first round of chemotherapy. There is no gentle way to enter that world. Everything moves fast, the stakes feel impossible, and the patient—in our case, a young woman who had no reason to expect any of this—has to find a way to be brave before she has had time to process what is happening to her.
Colleen was her nurse for that first chemotherapy session, and from that day forward, she became a steady and trusted presence throughout all six rounds of treatment. She did not simply administer medications and monitor vitals. She saw her fully, as a person, and she responded to what she saw.
Physically, Colleen's care was meticulous and attentive. But what set her apart was her emotional presence. She had a rare ability to read the room. When my daughter needed practical reassurance about what her body was experiencing, Colleen provided it clearly and calmly. When she needed someone to simply sit with the weight of what she was going through, Colleen offered that too. She made my daughter feel safe in an environment that could so easily feel clinical and frightening.
Even on the days Colleen was not assigned to her care, she checked in. That kind of continuity—the sense that someone is keeping you in mind even when it isn't their job to—is not something you can mandate or measure. It is a reflection of who Colleen is as a nurse and as a human being.
Because of nurses like Colleen, my daughter did not just endure chemotherapy. She faced it with courage and trust.
She has two treatments remaining, and she is doing beautifully. When I think about the people who made that possible, Colleen is at the top of the list.
The DAISY Award was created to honor nurses who go beyond the clinical to touch lives in ways that patients and families never forget. Colleen is exactly that nurse.
Our family is deeply grateful, and we are honored to put her name forward.
Thank you, Colleen, for your exceptional compassion, advocacy, and dedication to your patients. You truly make a difference.
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