Kelli Ryals and Kayla Hudson, Women and Children unit, became the first sisters to earn DAISY awards at Blessing Hospital. The award recognizes extraordinary nurses who make a difference in the lives of people by the work they do every day.
Kelli and Kayla are the hospital’s 108th and 109th winners and received their awards during a ceremony on May 12, 2025. They were nominated by the father of a two-day-old girl. The nomination read in part:
“My wife and I took our 2-day-old daughter into the ER, where she was treated under the suspicion of meningitis until her cultures came back. When we were admitted, Kelli was our night nurse and Kayla was our day nurse. We spent 48 hours in their care.
Kelli looked after our daughter as if she was her own, as well as spent time with us to help ease our stress. Even when my wife was taken to a different area of the hospital and diagnosed with postpartum preeclampsia, Kayla helped my wife figure out her breast pump and offered words of advice and encouragement to us, and Kelli set up and washed the breast pump parts.
Together both sisters went truly above and beyond to help us in the scariest time of our lives.”
DAISY stands for “Diseases Attacking the Immune System.” The family of a 33-year-old man, who died of an immune system disorder, began the program in 1999 to honor his memory. More than 5,400 healthcare providers and nursing education programs worldwide participate in the DAISY Award program.
DAISY award nomination forms are located on all nursing units throughout Blessing Hospital and on the internet at blessinghealth.org/recognize.