When I suddenly had to have an emergency C-Section at 29 weeks to save my baby's life, I knew nothing about what it would be like to have to leave my baby in the NICU's care. From day 1, this nurse did more than just care for my daughter. Through our time in the NICU, my daughter has obviously needed extremely hands-on and delicate care. But so did we as parents. Although asking for permission to hold your child can be a tough adjustment, she has made us feel at home. We get excited when we walk in, rather than feeling filled with anxiety. Every day that she is there, we walk in and see her being hands-on with each baby. She sings fun little songs with their names, she knows every baby's personality, and talks to the other nurses about what each baby is like. When caring for our daughter, she thoroughly explains what she is doing and why it's important. She also encourages us to bond with our baby whenever we can.

Now, sitting in the NICU feels like more than just a hospital and beeping monitors. It feels like our daughter's first home, where we know someone loves her and provides for her when we physically cannot be there. Anytime this nurse answers the phone after our millionth call of the day, she still sounds so positive and energetic. We truly do not know how she does this and maintains the same level of passion for every family. On top of her regular nursing responsibilities, she has taken time at the end of shifts to give me advice on supplying breast milk for my daughter, tips on how to better care for myself while recovering from surgery, and to make my husband feel confident as a dad. In these situations, mom is always the priority. But she still involves him majorly, and he has said multiple times that he feels like a better dad because of her help. The NICU is full of wonderful nurses; I wish I could properly acknowledge each of them. But this specific nurse deserves recognition for being more than just a nurse. She's a supportive friend, a fun and helpful coworker, and a provider for my daughter. We are immensely grateful. Karris is the kind of nurse that DAISY Awards were made for!