Teresa Heidbreder of Middletown was recognized this week as the first DAISY Award recipient in Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital history. The award is part of the national DAISY Foundation's program to recognize the super-human efforts nurses perform every day.

At a presentation on April 16, Heidbreder was recognized in front of her colleagues. She received a certificate commending her for being an "Extraordinary Nurse." The certificate reads: "In deep appreciation of all you do, who you are, and the incredibly meaningful difference you make in the lives of so many people." She was also given a beautiful and meaningful sculpture called “A Healer’s Touch”, hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Africa.

Heidbreder is a registered nurse on the Acute Care Unit. She has been with ALMH for over 25 years and was nominated by one of her patients. The nomination stated, “Teresa inspires me with hope. She always has a word of compassion and embraces her job with much skill and devotion to her patients.”

The not-for-profit DAISY Foundation is based in Glen Ellen, CA, and was established by family members in memory of J. Patrick Barnes. Patrick died at the age of 33 in late 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 patient families.

Any nurse at ALMH can be nominated for the award. Nomination forms are available throughout ALMH and on ALMH.org. Twice annually, a nurse will be selected by ALMH’s Nursing Shared Governance Council to receive The DAISY Award. Other individuals nominated by patients included: Ashley Buss, Eric Dunn, Heather Callahan, Lisa Molt, Roger McCoy, and Tim Sedlacek.

ALMH Director of Nursing Jeanne Dennis said, “We are proud to be among the hospitals participating in the DAISY Award program. It’s important that our nurses know their work is highly valued, and The DAISY Foundation provides a way for us to do that. Teresa is an asset to ALMH and we are thrilled with this opportunity to recognize her extraordinary work.”