Our family was devastated when our mother was diagnosed with cancer just a few weeks ago at the age of 62. Tragically, the disease had already progressed quickly, and we were told we only had a short amount of time left with her. She was admitted to hospice care soon after, and although this was the most heartbreaking and difficult time in our lives, we were incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by exceptional nurses.

Among the wonderful caregivers, one nurse in particular—Katie—stood out in ways we will never forget.

Our mom was overjoyed to be expecting her second grandchild, but we knew she wouldn’t be here to meet her. Katie recognized how important this was to our family and coordinated a Doppler ultrasound so she could hear the sound of the baby’s heartbeat at our mother’s bedside. It was an incredibly moving moment—one that gave our mom so much peace and brought our entire family a sense of connection and comfort during a time of grief.

In addition, our brother is planning to get married next fall. Wanting our mom to witness such a meaningful milestone, Katie worked closely with us—alongside another amazing nurse, S—to help us plan a hospital wedding in less than 18 hours. Because of Katie's incredible support, our mom was able to watch our brother and his fiancée say “I do” and, by a miracle, stand up to dance with our brother for their entire mother-son dance. It was a breathtaking and emotional day that we will cherish for the rest of our lives.

Katie went above and beyond in every way—providing not only excellent care for our mom, but also making sure our family had beautiful, meaningful memories to hold onto. Her compassion, thoughtfulness, and tireless effort made the impossible possible. In the darkest moment of our lives, she brought light.

We are so deeply grateful to Katie. Her kindness and selflessness touched our family in ways words can never fully express. She is the very definition of what a DAISY Nurse should be.