I nominate Registered Nurse Erin McClaughry for The DAISY Award. On June 24, 2013, my mother was diagnosed with Stage 4 Colon Cancer. On June 28th, my mother underwent grueling surgery to remove three large tumors and portions of her small intestine, gallbladder and a part of her liver. She was admitted to the Critical Care Unit, and she and my family were so very blessed to be under Erins care. I say we ALL were under her care, because the sudden nature of mom's diagnosis caught dad and me off guard, and being the furthest thing from medical experts yet inquisitive Type A personalities, we needed every complex term and procedure explained. Erin was so very patient and gracious with us, and the care she showed my mom was nothing short of extraordinary. She treated mom as if she were her own mother and went far above and beyond her normal duties on several occasions.

The first was one day after my mom's first surgery. Her surgeon felt a double check of her colon re-section needed to be conducted via a barium enema. Although Erin was not required to accompany my mom through the procedure, she did anyway, just to make sure mom was comfortable and calm during a procedure that had the potential to yield negative news. Due to the results of this procedure, mom needed additional surgery that extended her stay in the CCU. Even though this extension was seen as negative by many, Erin made the most of the small positives, which is really where her compassion shined through, especially on day 6 of our stay.

On day 6 of mom's CCU stay, Erin went way above and beyond by coordinating a visit for mom from our family dog, a yellow lab/golden retriever mix named Chance. Chance, like many family pets, is more than just a pet, he is a family member and brings each of us so much joy during every moment of life. Erin, noticing mom was a little down due to her lack of mobility and after seeing photos of Chance on my cell phone, suggested a little fresh air and a visit were in order. While my dad went home to pick up Chance, I observed Erin make every wire, tube, machine and IV caddy mobile. She also gingerly and carefully moved mom from her bed, with all those tubes and wires attached (can you tell this amazed me??) to a mobile recliner, all so mom could enjoy a few minutes outside with Chance. All compassion and caring aside, I cannot imagine the liability Erin gladly took on, all so mom could experience some healing fresh air and canine companionship. Mom and Dad still talk about this act of kindness!

Winchester Medical Center is so lucky to have Erin on their staff. As soon as I heard about mom's diagnosis, I wanted to immediately whisk her to MD Anderson in Houston where I thought she would receive the best care. Having been born and raised in Winchester, it was hard for me to fathom such a small town having resources, technology, and skilled personnel to give mom her best shot at survival. Oh was I ever wrong! The CCU and floor nurses were all exemplary with Erin leading the pack. Erin is by far the epitome of what a patient and family member would expect in her profession. Her actions, demeanor, and level of professionalism reflect great credit not only upon herself, but also on the medical staff and reputation of Winchester Medical Center.