OSF Saint Francis Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of Illinois are pleased to announce the most recent winner of the DAISY Award, which recognizes outstanding nursing care. Winners are nominated by patients and their families.

The August 2011 DAISY Award was presented to Catherine Lang from Peoria who works in the Neuro ICU. She was nominated by the daughter of a patient.

Her nomination reads: “My dad was in an ATV accident and (in the Neuro ICU) from July 26 until his death on August 3. We had many good nurses during that time but one stands out the most: Cathy. She was so caring to him. She always explained what she was going to do for him (even though he was sedated and then unresponsive). I am a nurse and she always explained to me what was happening and accepted my calls and took time to talk to me. She had true compassion for what we were all doing. But what sticks out in my mind the most is on the day my dad passed away, she chose to be his nurse that day. I had to drive 300 miles to get to OSF that day and when I walked into the room there was true care and concern for all of us as a family in her eyes. As my dad passed away she began to comfort us and had tears in her eyes too. I felt true concern from her as she hugged me and my mom. A lot can be learned from Cathy in how to handle family members who are losing their loved ones. She even allowed my seven year old nephew to see his grandpa one more time.”