Nurse Stories
Every May, Nurses Week gives us a moment to recognize the incredible compassion, skill and heart nurses bring to their work. But what if we celebrated them more meaningfully—and more often?
For Bonnie and Mark Barnes, founders of the DAISY Foundation, honoring nurses is more than a weeklong campaign. It’s a mission rooted in personal experience and powered by stories of care that stay with people for years.
In our conversation, they shared how the DAISY Foundation came to life, what nurse recognition truly means and why every nurse deserves to be seen for the difference they make every day.
The Story Behind the DAISY Foundation’s Mission
In 1999, Mark’s son (Bonnie’s stepson) Patrick passed away at age 33 from complications of an autoimmune disease called ITP. He and his wife Tena had just given them their first grandchild six weeks before he became ill and was admitted to the hospital. During his final eight weeks, Bonnie and Mark were by his side—and they witnessed firsthand what makes nursing extraordinary.
“We had expected that they would be excellent from a clinical perspective—and they were—but we did not expect that they would deliver their care with so much compassion and sensitivity and kindness,” Bonnie recalled.
“Not only to Patrick, who was on a ventilator most of the time, but to all of us in his family. Our hearts were filled with gratitude.”
They created the DAISY Foundation—short for Diseases Attacking the Immune System—to give others a way to express that same gratitude.
“We created the DAISY Award to give patients, families and coworkers a way to share their stories of the difference nurses made in their healthcare experience,” Bonnie said.
“We honestly thought we’d say thank you to nurses in five or ten hospitals. But now there are over 7,200 healthcare facilities in the U.S. and 42 other countries that have joined this mission.”
The Lasting Impact of Meaningful Recognition
“We’ve heard many times that receiving a DAISY Award is like the Academy Award of nursing.”
Recognition isn’t just a feel-good moment. It changes how nurses feel about their work, how patients process their care experience and how healthcare organizations show what they value.
“There’s a wide body of evidence on the impact of DAISY recognition,” Bonnie explained. “Nominees—not just honorees—report lower levels of burnout and secondary traumatic stress, and higher levels of what’s called compassion satisfaction—a sense of meaning, pride and purpose in their work.”
“We’ve had CNOs tell us that DAISY Awards have become a teaching moment for everyone in the room,” Mark added. “It reminds the entire team that how care is delivered is just as important as what is delivered. That’s what makes a DAISY nurse.”
Patients and families feel the impact too. Bonnie shared that writing a DAISY nomination can be a healing act:
“It helps connect them to the organization, gives them an outlet for their gratitude and allows them to give something back to the nurses who cared for them during their most vulnerable moments.”
Why Nurses Week Should Be Every Week
The DAISY Foundation embraces Nurses Week—but their message is that real recognition should extend far beyond one calendar week.
That mindset is what makes the DAISY Award so powerful. Nurses often hold onto their nomination letters for years—some keep them in their lockers, some frame them at home.
“It reconnects them with why they became nurses,” Mark said. “And when they hear the stories read during a ceremony, it reminds everyone else in the room what nursing is really about.”
“Nurses Week is one week of the year, but nurses do incredible work every day of the year. So for us, Nurses Week is every week.”
How DAISY Uplifts Nurses Beyond the Award
DAISY’s impact doesn’t stop at the moment of recognition. The foundation offers resources and opportunities to support nurses throughout their careers:
- An archive of over 150,000 DAISY Honoree stories—with many more unregistered
- Conference grants that allow nurses to grow their skills, networks and confidence
- A wide range of international and educational initiatives, including new grants supporting nurses advancing their education through technology
“Attending a DAISY celebration is uplifting for everyone—not just the recipient,” Bonnie said.
“There’s a spirit that happens in DAISY organizations. It’s a cultural statement of appreciation that shines the light on all the right.”
The DAISY Foundation is also working to raise public awareness about the role nurses play and the value of expressing gratitude—not just within healthcare, but in the broader community.
“We’re focusing now on the public—ensuring they know the impact they have on nurses, and how important their gratitude is in sustaining this incredibly valuable profession,” Bonnie said.
During a recent hospital visit, a nurse handed Bonnie and Mark a note that said it all:
“We are deeply grateful for the DAISY Foundation and the positive impact your work has made on the nursing community. Thank you for spreading love and light about nursing.”
Stories Nurses and Families Never Forget
Mark shared a story that encapsulates what makes DAISY different—and unforgettable:
“A gentleman passed away in a hospital about ten years ago. That hospital didn’t have DAISY at the time. Ten years later, his wife was back at that same hospital visiting her mother. She saw the DAISY Award materials, learned what it was and immediately nominated two nurses who had cared for her husband.”
“She hadn’t forgotten what they meant to her and her husband. One of the things they did was smuggle in his dog so he could say goodbye. It wasn’t routine care—it was the small things that mattered. And she remembered it all those years later.”
“We always say: We never forget you,” Bonnie added. “And the stories we hear show just how true that is.”
A Partnership Rooted in Shared Respect for Nurses
For more than 15 years, Healing Hands has partnered with the DAISY Foundation to help bring meaningful recognition to nurses everywhere. What began as a shared belief in gratitude and respect for the nursing profession has become a long-standing relationship grounded in purpose.
“Even ten years into building DAISY, we were still figuring it out,” Bonnie said.
“And the fact that Healing Hands came to us and said, ‘We want to help’—was just shocking. You’re not a sponsor—you’re truly a partner.”
Through this partnership, Healing Hands has helped:
- Launch the Healing Hands Conference Grant, which gives DAISY Honorees the chance to attend nursing conferences and grow their knowledge, confidence and community
- Support DAISY recognition in under-resourced organizations, including the Indian Health Service
This collaboration reflects a shared commitment to celebrating nurses—not just through words, but through meaningful action.
Celebrating Nurses Who Make a Difference Every Day
This Nurses Week—and every week—we're proud to stand with the DAISY Foundation in honoring the nurses who care with skill, heart and humanity. That’s why we’re offering a small token of appreciation this week—to recognize the people who give so much to others. Nurses Week deals are coming soon—stay tuned for special offers made to celebrate you.
Want to recognize an extraordinary nurse?
Visit DAISYfoundation.org to nominate a nurse or read inspiring stories from nurses around the world.