Foundation was established in 2000 by members of the family of Patrick Barnes. At the age of 33 Patrick died of complications of ITP, an auto-immune disease. Like many families we see every day that go through this kind of horrific loss, the Barnes family wanted to find a way to turn their grief into something positive and do something that would honor the very special man Patrick was. So, after thoughtful conversation they came up with DAISY – an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.
As the family brainstormed what The DAISY Foundation would actually do, they kept coming back to the one positive thing they held on to during Pat’s 8 week illness: the amazing care he – and all the family – received from Pat’s nurses. The family was so impressed by the clinical care Pat’s nurses provided, as well as overwhelmed by the level of compassion and kindness that his nurses brought to Pat’s bedside day in and day out. The family came to understand that the communication and attention being paid to Pat was a very important part of the clinical care nurses provide.
As a result of their experience, The Barnes Family believes that nurses are unsung heroes of our society who deserve far more recognition and honor than they receive. They decided to find a way to go around the country and say thank you to nurses. So Pat’s wife, Tena, and family Bonnie and Mark and other members created The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses. There are now hundreds of hospitals all over the U.S. and several in Canada committed to honoring their nurses with The DAISY Award.

We are proud to be a part of this special program so we can honor our extraordinary nurses. This award program fits perfectly with our patient-centered care Journey philosophy, as well as our four core values of Justice, Dignity, Excellence, and Service.





What a perfect day today, on Nurse’s Day, to begin a program to recognize the extraordinary nurses here at Redwood.
Our first honoree has been a nurse at Redwood for many years delivering compassionate nursing care. This person’s co-workers describe her as one that:
• Walks the Journey every day with a positive attitude that she keeps all day long
• Cares about making patients happy and feeling safe
• Does her best for all patients in all situations
• Treats all patients with kindness and sweetness, including staff
• Has empathy for patients and their families
• Respectful and considerate to others
• Brings the most to the job every day
• Has an excellent work ethic, helps coworkers whenever needed, and is a team player
Now, it is my pleasure on behalf of The DAISY Foundation to proclaim Cheryl Johnson our first DAISY Award Extraordinary Nurse.

Knowing how much tradition nurses have in service pins, The DAISY Foundation has created a pin for you to wear on your ID badge.

The Foundation also wants you to have this sculpture as a symbol of your recognition today. It is called A Healer’s Touch. Each piece is hand-carved for the Foundation by artists of the Shona Tribe in Zimbabwe. The Foundation chose this beautiful design because it so sensitively depicts the unique relationship you have with your patients.

This banner will be placed in your department in your honor.

Thank you again to all of you for choosing nursing as a career and for the skill, care and compassion I know you give to your patients every day. This recognition will be presented twice yearly with opportunities for nominations from staff, physicians, volunteers, and community members. So look for more information as this program unfolds. And to Cheryl, congratulations for being the first Daisy Award Winner!