July 2026 Honoree
Kassie Brierley, BSN, RN
Kassie has served as a primary nurse on our son's care team since his admission to Seattle Children’s Hospital. T, a micro-preemie who was born at 23.4 weeks gestational age, was transferred to Children’s at just 3 weeks old due to a life-threatening condition. Upon arrival, he underwent several surgeries, and his outlook was grim.
We were fortunate to have Kassie assigned as his nurse on the second day in the unit. During rounds, it was clear she had reviewed every detail of his complex chart and advocated fiercely on his behalf. And despite how sick he was, she spoke to him in a cheerful baby's voice. We were so impressed that by the end of Kassie’s second shift, we asked if she would be his primary nurse. We knew that this was a big ask given his prognosis, but she said she would be honored.
Kassie went above and beyond to make a difficult holiday season more bearable. On Christmas, she decorated our son's room with a ceramic tree, stockings, and a giant red bow on his incubator. She even gifted him a teddy bear wearing earmuffs to match the ones he wore for his jet ventilator. On New Year's, she brought us sparkling cider. And on Valentine's Day, she hand-crafted a "Teddy bear" ear hat.
Over the next several months, Kassie became our constant. She translated complex medical jargon into terms we could grasp, ensuring we felt like partners in our son's care. She celebrated his "firsts" with us, including bath time with bubbles, a "big boy" crib, and a "looperoonie" around the unit. Most notably, Kassie coined the phrase "It’s a Teddy day" to celebrate his milestones—a term now used by the entire medical team to start rounds.
Our son has been in the NICU for over 100 days and has made incredible progress. We are getting ready to transfer back to his birth hospital, which is bittersweet knowing we have to say goodbye to Kassie.
We cannot thank her enough for her unwavering compassion, clinical excellence, and dedication that turned a painful experience into one defined by hope and exceptional care. We will be forever grateful for everything she has done for our son and our family.
We were fortunate to have Kassie assigned as his nurse on the second day in the unit. During rounds, it was clear she had reviewed every detail of his complex chart and advocated fiercely on his behalf. And despite how sick he was, she spoke to him in a cheerful baby's voice. We were so impressed that by the end of Kassie’s second shift, we asked if she would be his primary nurse. We knew that this was a big ask given his prognosis, but she said she would be honored.
Kassie went above and beyond to make a difficult holiday season more bearable. On Christmas, she decorated our son's room with a ceramic tree, stockings, and a giant red bow on his incubator. She even gifted him a teddy bear wearing earmuffs to match the ones he wore for his jet ventilator. On New Year's, she brought us sparkling cider. And on Valentine's Day, she hand-crafted a "Teddy bear" ear hat.
Over the next several months, Kassie became our constant. She translated complex medical jargon into terms we could grasp, ensuring we felt like partners in our son's care. She celebrated his "firsts" with us, including bath time with bubbles, a "big boy" crib, and a "looperoonie" around the unit. Most notably, Kassie coined the phrase "It’s a Teddy day" to celebrate his milestones—a term now used by the entire medical team to start rounds.
Our son has been in the NICU for over 100 days and has made incredible progress. We are getting ready to transfer back to his birth hospital, which is bittersweet knowing we have to say goodbye to Kassie.
We cannot thank her enough for her unwavering compassion, clinical excellence, and dedication that turned a painful experience into one defined by hope and exceptional care. We will be forever grateful for everything she has done for our son and our family.
Thank you, Kassie, for your exceptional compassion, advocacy, and dedication to your patients. You truly make a difference.
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