The DAISY Award was created in 1999 by the family of a patient who dealt with a chronic and debilitating disease. The family was so profoundly moved by the extraordinary compassion and clinical care provided by the nurses that they established the DAISY Foundation after the patient’s death to recognize nurses who go above and beyond in delivering not just excellent care—but heartfelt, compassionate care that leaves a lasting impact on patients and their families.

Cobb & Douglas Public Health (CDPH) was the first public health department in the State of Georgia to implement the DAISY Award Program. As part of the program, nomination boxes for the DAISY Award were placed at each CDPH location, in areas in which nurses see patients. Those nominations, from patients, families, and even fellow staff, were collected, anonymized, assigned a number, and then shared with the DAISY Committee for a blind grade and final vote to select a single winner. The dedicated committee members include: Ebony Larry, Kandia Randolph, Raechel McClellan, Mary Kunga, Madison Neirling, Michelle DiSalle, Sherri Gary, and Latisha Hammond.

The criteria for grading is deeply rooted in both clinical excellence and compassionate connection.
Nominees are evaluated based on:

1. Modeling empathy and a caring attitude,
   2. Demonstrating extraordinary clinical skills and compassionate patient care,
   3. Showing a consistently positive attitude and professionalism,
   4. Exemplifying the mission, vision, and values of our organization, and/or
   5. Establishing a special connection with the patient or their family

Each nominee receives a certificate and a DAISY pin. Congratulations to the following nominees: Amy Baker, Leah Beaumont (2 nominations), Madison Nierling, Anna Plotner, Aimie May (3 nominations), Ijeoma Omekara (11 nominations), Christie Kuzma, Tammy Franklin, Kevin Sauler, Marie Dorleus, and Twisha Bhatt.

Of the nominees, CDPH is proud to announce this year’s award winner, with 11 nominations: Ijeoma Omekara.

For more information, visit: daisyfoundation.org.

About Cobb & Douglas Public Health
Cobb & Douglas Public Health, along with the Georgia Department of Public Health, has been committed to the mission of “Healthier Lives. Healthier Community.” since 1920. We are dedicated to improving our residents’ quality of life by tracking and preventing the spread of disease, promoting health and safety, providing exceptional medical services, and ensuring that our community is prepared for public health emergencies. For more information, visit www.cobbanddouglaspublichealth.org.