Nominate Exceptional Care

Celebrate Care with DAISY & Sunflower

At St. Mary’s Health System, we believe in recognizing the extraordinary dedication of our healthcare professionals who make a difference in the lives of our patients and their families every day. The DAISY and Sunflower Awards are our way of expressing gratitude and celebrating the exceptional care provided by our nurses and staff members.

The DAISY Award

In January 2000, the DAISY Foundation was established by the Barnes family in loving memory of J. Patrick Barnes, who tragically passed away at the age of 33 due to complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP). The acronym DAISY represents Diseases Attacking the Immune System. During Patrick’s illness, his family was deeply moved by the expertise, compassion, and dedication demonstrated by his nurses. In 2001, as a heartfelt gesture of gratitude to nurses nationwide, the Barnes family introduced The DAISY Award For Extraordinary Nurses, recognizing them as the often unrecognized heroes in our society. They firmly believed that nurses deserved profound respect and acknowledgement for their extensive education, training, intellectual capabilities, and the remarkable level of care they provide with compassion.

Any licensed, registered nurse, nursing faculty or nursing student is eligible to be nominated for a DAISY Award.  

Please say thank you by sharing your story of how a nurse made a difference you will never forget!  

The Sunflower Award

In 1888, the Sisters of Charity of Saint-Hyacinthe established a healing ministry to meet the needs of this community. In the spirit of the Sisters and their foundress, St. Marguerite d’Youville, St. Mary’s Health System continues its unwavering commitment to provide holistic care, offered with respect and compassion, for all. 

The Sunflower Award was established by St. Mary’s to honor staff members who provide remarkable care, outstanding teamwork, and go above and beyond to support patient, family and/or visitor needs. 

Common Questions

Any licensed, registered nurse, nursing faculty or nursing student is eligible to be nominated for a DAISY Award.  

Yes!

The DAISY Team Award recognizes that while an idea to achieve better patient and family outcomes may start with one individual, it often takes an entire team to implement successfully. The DAISY Team Award is designed to honor collaboration by two or more people, led by a nurse, who identify and meet patient and/or patient family needs by going above and beyond the traditional role of Nursing. 

Every nomination is meaningful recognition of the nurse who receives it from a grateful patient, family member, or co-worker. Receiving a copy of their nomination, nurses understand the impact they have had on the person who wrote the nomination and the difference they have made. They also receive a special DAISY Nominee pin and a note from their leadership. 

Any St. Mary’s staff member who provides remarkable care, outstanding teamwork, and goes above and beyond to support patient, family and/or visitor needs!

The nominations are blinded and sent to an internal committee at St Mary’s. The committee reads and scores the nominations using criteria that focus on compassion and fit the St. Mary’s mission and values. Honorees are selected throughout the year to provide continuous celebration of extraordinary nurses and staff.  

(207) 777-8100