Nicole Cadle
June 2026
Nicole
Cadle
,
BSN, RN, C-EFM
Northwestern Medicine Catherine Gratz Griffin Lake Forest Hospital
Lake Forest
,
IL
United States
Nicole remained calm, focused, and determined to save her during what felt like complete chaos.
It has taken me several months to find the words to write this nomination, and I apologize for the delay. Since welcoming our daughter, we have been busy raising two children under two - but there was never a question in my mind that Nicole deserves to be recognized for the extraordinary care, courage, and compassion she showed our family. Nicole is truly our angel on earth.
On the day our daughter was born, what began as my water breaking and labor quickly turned into a terrifying emergency. While I was in the bathroom in our labor room, her umbilical cord prolapsed and both her leg and arm came out. In an instant, Nicole sprang into action without hesitation. She immediately pushed my baby girl back inside me to protect her and raced with me to the operating room, literally surfing the hospital bed with her hand inside me the entire way to keep pressure off the cord and save my daughter's life.
Nicole remained calm, focused, and determined to save her during what felt like complete chaos. She kept her hand inside me throughout the emergency C-section - performed without anesthesia because there was no time to wait for the anesthesiologist. From the moment I called for help in the bathroom to when my daughter was born it was total of 9 minutes.
With an APGAR score of 3, my daughter was born without a heartbeat and needed to be resuscitated. We later learned from a few other doctors that her outcome is not always possible in situations this severe and urgent. But because of Nicole's quick thinking, expertise and overall composure, our daughter is alive and healthy today.
There are no words that could ever fully express the gratitude we feel for Nicole. She not only saved my daughter's life, but likely mine as well. In the scariest moment of our lives, she was our steady hand, our protector, and our hope. Every single day that we get to hold our daughter, watch her grow, and see her smile is because Nicole refused to give up on us.
We are forever indebted to her for giving us the greatest gift imaginable - our beautiful baby girl. Nicole embodies everything the DAISY Award stands for. Her clinical skill is extraordinary, but what makes her truly unforgettable is the humanity, courage, and love she brought into that room.
She will forever hold a place in our hearts, and our family will never forget what she did for us on December 18, 2025. I'd love to thank her in person and look forward to visiting her soon!
On the day our daughter was born, what began as my water breaking and labor quickly turned into a terrifying emergency. While I was in the bathroom in our labor room, her umbilical cord prolapsed and both her leg and arm came out. In an instant, Nicole sprang into action without hesitation. She immediately pushed my baby girl back inside me to protect her and raced with me to the operating room, literally surfing the hospital bed with her hand inside me the entire way to keep pressure off the cord and save my daughter's life.
Nicole remained calm, focused, and determined to save her during what felt like complete chaos. She kept her hand inside me throughout the emergency C-section - performed without anesthesia because there was no time to wait for the anesthesiologist. From the moment I called for help in the bathroom to when my daughter was born it was total of 9 minutes.
With an APGAR score of 3, my daughter was born without a heartbeat and needed to be resuscitated. We later learned from a few other doctors that her outcome is not always possible in situations this severe and urgent. But because of Nicole's quick thinking, expertise and overall composure, our daughter is alive and healthy today.
There are no words that could ever fully express the gratitude we feel for Nicole. She not only saved my daughter's life, but likely mine as well. In the scariest moment of our lives, she was our steady hand, our protector, and our hope. Every single day that we get to hold our daughter, watch her grow, and see her smile is because Nicole refused to give up on us.
We are forever indebted to her for giving us the greatest gift imaginable - our beautiful baby girl. Nicole embodies everything the DAISY Award stands for. Her clinical skill is extraordinary, but what makes her truly unforgettable is the humanity, courage, and love she brought into that room.
She will forever hold a place in our hearts, and our family will never forget what she did for us on December 18, 2025. I'd love to thank her in person and look forward to visiting her soon!