I would like to nominate Meghan Donaghy for the DAISY Award for her incredible impact on our family during a challenging time. After an unexpected emergency home birth at 28 weeks gestation, our son E spent 75 days in the NICU. As first-time parents, this experience was terrifying, but Meghan was more than just an amazing nurse - she became a true friend when we needed one most. Her dedication to our son put us at ease allowing us to always know he was being taken care of. We learned so much during our hospital stay, and while lots of information drops could feel overwhelming, she always had a way of explaining that gave us constant comfort.

Every day, Meghan made the hospital feel like a second home. Her compassion and warmth turned our fears into hope. She took the time to connect with us, always ready to listen and provide reassurance. Even on the hardest days, Meghan’s presence brought us joy. Every day we arrived to see Meghan, she always had a smile on her face and often brought us homemade sourdough bread. It was such a meaningful act that reminded us of the comforts of home, even in the hospital setting with can quickly feel like the opposite.

Meghan consistently went above and beyond, advocating for E and ensuring he received the best possible care. Her heartfelt connection with us and her extraordinary dedication to her patients make Meghan truly deserving of The DAISY Award. We were so blessed to have had Meghan as a nurse and know that anyone else lucky enough to have her will feel the same. Without a doubt we will forever be grateful for her because she not only cared for our son during the hardest time in our lives but through doing so ultimately healed my husband and I as well. Because while we weren’t the ones lying in the hospital bed, our entire world was, and she treated him as if he was her entire world just the same.