Her six-year-old patient calls Mercy Hospital Ambulatory Surgery Unit Nurse Marty Wofford, RN, “the best doctor ever!”

Although he may have confused Marty’s title, he knows her to be the most compassionate and caring person he has ever met. His parents agreed and knew Marty was worthy of the DAISY Award.

The family first met Marty when the patient was four years old. They came to Mercy in 2010 to have his tonsils removed and Marty was his nurse. They talked about Marty for months after his surgery because she helped ease his fears. Two years later, when he returned to Mercy for surgery to remove a lymph node in his neck, he asked: “Is Marty going to be there?”

Unfortunately, Marty was not yet on duty when he went to surgery. She was, however, there to comfort him and his parents afterwards. It was then when she earned her new “doctor title” after gently removing the child’s IV.

The boy and his family were home for about a week when he started showing signs of an infection from his surgery. He was admitted to Mercy Children’s Hospital and surgery followed a few days later. Once again he requested Marty, but it was her day off. Of course that didn’t mean Marty couldn’t visit him the next day – and she did! Bringing him candy and her warm, loving smile, she said “I hear you were looking for me!”

“I was touched by how much she cared about our son. Marty is clearly a genuine, caring person who is meant to be in the profession she chose. I truly believe our son will remember her forever.”