Press release

Mammoth Hospital nurses were honored recently with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses. The award is part of the DAISY Foundation’s program to recognize the amazing efforts nurses perform every day at a luncheon held recently at Mammoth Hospital.

Kim Calvin

Out of 13 nurses nominated in various specialties throughout Mammoth Hospital, the overall winner was Kim Calvin, Pediatric Care Coordinator in the Pediatric Clinic. Kim started her career at Mammoth Hospital 18 years ago and has been a nurse for 28 years.

DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System. The not-for-profit DAISY Foundation was established by family members in memory of J. Patrick Barnes. Patrick died at the age of 33 in 1999 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little known but not uncommon auto-immune disease. The care Patrick and his family received from nurses while he was ill inspired this unique means of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and their families.

Mammoth resident, Lara DeSimone nominated Kim for going out of her way to make sure her daughter always received the care she needed for her significant health issues.

“Kim has gone out of her way to provide emotional support and relieve stress,” says Lara. “She listens and is always able to reassure and offer hugs. Without Kim, I know that we wouldn’t have made it down to get my daughter the necessary care she needed, and still needs. She is caring, loving, kind, and understanding. Kim cries with us when we are successful and makes sure that no child is left behind when it comes to the help any child needs. Thank you Kim – we all owe you so very much!”

Kim says she has always enjoyed taking care of people, even if it was just putting a Band-Aid on a friend growing up. “I was surprised and honored to even be nominated,” says Kim. “I love doing my job and to have a patient go out of their way to thank and nominate me is icing on the cake. I am very proud to be a DAISY nurse!”

At a presentation given in front of the nurse’s colleagues, physicians, patients, and visitors, Kim was awarded a certificate commending her for being an extraordinary nurse, as well as a sculpture called A Healer’s Touch, hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Africa.