Los Alamos Medical Center’s Kathy Semelsburger, RN, left, is the 2025 Daisy Award Honoree shown here Wednesday morning receiving her award from LAMC’s Director of Surgical Services James Maxey, RN. She is honored, ‘In deep appreciation of all you do, who you are, and the incredibly meaningful difference you make in the lives of so many people.’ Semelsburger is the Charge Nurse in the Ambulatory Treatment Unit (ATU). She has worked in the ATU for 23 years and at LAMC for 24 years. Photo by John McHale/ladailypost.com
Los Alamos Medical Center CEO Tracie Stratton, second from left, together with staff members applauds the announcement of the 2025 Daisy Award Honeree Kathy Semelsburger. RN. Photo by John McHale/ladailypost.com
Los Alamos Medical Center’s 2025 Daisy Award nominees from left, Jake Cassell RN Surgical Services; Maura Enriquez, RN, Surgical Services; Elizabeth Parton, RN, Surgical Services, honoree Kathy Semelsberger, RN, Charge Nurse, Edyta Bartoszek, RN, Med-Surg and Genevieve Fairchild, RN, Quality Department. Not Present, Therese Whitmer, RN, Surgical Services; Maya McMillan, RN, Med-Surg and Joanna Sanchez, RN, Med-Surg. Photo by John McHale/ladailypost.com
About the Daisy Award:
The DAISY Foundation is a nonprofit organization established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes by members of his family. 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. (DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.) 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.
Nurses may be nominated by patients, families and physicians. Awards are presented throughout the year at celebrations attended by the Honoree’s colleagues, patients and visitors. Each Honoree receives a certificate commending her or him as 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.” Honorees also receive a DAISY Award pin and a beautiful and meaningful sculpture called “A Healer’s Touch”, hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Zimbabwe.