Gwen McManaman, RN, C-EFM

A month before giving birth to my son at 33 weeks, I was admitted to Labor and Delivery due to unexplained bleeding and a lot of uncertainty about what was happening. Nurse Gwen was my nurse that day, and I remember her comforting me and saying she would make sure to see my son born, but that he needed to wait another three weeks. Fast forward to my 37- week induction, and I was fortunate enough to have Gwen as my nurse again. My labor was extremely difficult and full of complications, and there were moments when I truly felt like giving up. Gwen never let me. She kept motivating me, reassuring me that I could do it, and advocating for me when I was in too much pain to speak up for myself. She was more than just my nurse that day. She was motherly, compassionate, and made everything personal. She told me she was determined to meet my son, and even though he was born just 10 minutes after her shift ended, she came back an hour later to check on us both. She gave my boyfriend and me hugs and even walked the entire unit to find food that I could eat. I had a very traumatic labor and hemorrhaged with Chorioamnionitis. There’s a lot I don’t remember from that day, but the things I do remember all involve Gwen and the kindness, care, and comfort she gave me. When my son grows up and asks about the day he was born, Gwen will always be a part of that story. She went above and beyond in every possible way. I truly believe she deserves this award.