mark kenyon, RN, BSN

My mom was diagnosed with cancer in March and has since been hospitalized at Banner Boswell four times. Her recent admission took place at the end of June for her second surgery and lasted 15 days. Mark was present many days throughout my mom's stay and although the entire nursing staff was wonderful, Mark showed exceptional care toward my mother and the entire family. Mark demonstrated a keen awareness of my mom's condition while on the oncology unit, noticing she was unable to tolerate the liquid diet prescribed due to several cancer-related factors. Mark advocated for her to receive supplemental intravenous nutrition (TPN) when doctors did not think of it and worked tirelessly to get her on this immediately, even on a day when she was not his patient. This attitude of going above and beyond to provide exceptional care stood out to my whole family. The patient is everyone's primary concern, but having a family member experiencing cancer is a painful emotional rollercoaster. It was comforting to witness Mark's compassion toward my mom, treating her as a human being over a patient. In addition, Mark took the time to acknowledge me, my dad and brother, during our long visits. On more than one occasion, he asked if I was okay when I stepped out of my mom's room, undoubtedly appearing exhausted and emotional. Mark is unquestionably a DAISY Nurse for his skill and ability to communicate compassion in a way that is very meaningful during this difficult journey for patient and family.