I nominate Kimberly Burleson for The DAISY Award for repeatedly demonstrating outstanding service and compassionate care to our patients and families. I must admit that I have been remiss for not nominating Kimberly sooner as she has practiced so many acts of kindness since she started her career as a nurse in the Pediatric Oncology Clinic.

Kimberly was hired as a new graduate in our department, and she has grown into a wonderfully skilled and compassionate nurse who loves what she does and loves serving as a preceptor for our student nurses. She is also a favorite nurse among many of our patients and their families. Kimberly has a natural gift for connecting with kids, regardless of their age, and parents love her because they sense that she truly cares about their children. One very unique way Kimberly connects with our patients is through her love of the USC Gamecocks. Kimberly is an avid fan of football, baseball and basketball (men's and women's) and rarely misses a home game. Many of our patients share her love for Gamecock sports and Kimberly has gone out of her way several times to help make connections between the teams and the patients.

We had one patient who had a passion for basketball and played on her middle school team when she felt well enough. As it became evident that this young girl was not going to win her battle with cancer, Kimberly sought out the help of the Lady Gamecocks. Kimberly worked with the team's coordinator for some of the players to meet our patient. Before we knew it, she was invited to the locker room, then a game, then practice.

Whenever she was admitted to the hospital, team members and even Coach Dawn Staley would visit her and bring her food and gifts. They even made a few visits to her home and finally, attended and spoke at her funeral. Her grandmother often said it was the happiest time of her life when she was spending time with the team.

Kimberly has continued to work with the Lady Gamecocks to make more connections with patients. They have adopted a number of our families for Thanksgiving and Christmas and visit the kids often. Kimberly has also reached out to the football and baseball teams to help make special memories for these special kids. I was recently at a fundraiser for Children's Hospital and USC Athletic Director Ray Tanner spoke highly of Kimberly and her willingness to be the "go-between" for the player and our patients.

I simply wanted to share how special Kimberly is and how she is deserving the honor of the DAISY Award. She has volunteered many off and weekend hours to help make connections for these children and teens. I have only listed a few examples here. The cancer journey is a difficult and often terrifying experience for our patients and families. Kimberly has helped create many happy moments and special memories for them to cherish, and she has helped strengthen the connection between Children's Hospital and the USC sports community.

I am so blessed to have her on our team!