Sue Rowe receives St. Mary’s DAISY Award for excellence
March 30, 2025
Athens, Ga. – Sue Rowe, a registered nurse who provides care in the recovery unit of St. Mary’s Outpatient Surgical Center, has received St. Mary’s DAISY Award for Nursing Excellence. She was nominated by the sister of a patient who became worried when the procedure became more complicated than expected.
“My sister got through surgery successfully, [but] it was much longer and more involved than the surgeon anticipated,” the patient’s sister wrote in Rowe’s award nomination. “Not only did she attentively care for my sister through the recovery process, she gingerly helped guide my niece, my mom, and myself in how we could best take care of my sister and what we could expect in the coming days and weeks.
“She was so thorough, attentive, and detailed in her discharge instructions,” the sister concluded. “She took all the worry away!”
“Sue has been a vital part of our team for nearly 17 years,” said Ann Gomes, director of Orthopedics and chair of St. Mary’s DAISY Committee. “Her nursing skills are exceptional, but that’s just the beginning. She is an excellent listener and communicator who takes the time to hear concerns and ease fears with dignity and respect for our patients and their loved ones. She provides care for the body, mind and spirit.”
A resident of Monroe, Rowe joined St. Mary’s in April 2008 as a weekend option nurse, then transferred to her current role in outpatient surgery in 2021.
About the DAISY Award
The DAISY Award is an international recognition program that celebrates the skillful and compassionate care nurses provide day in and day out. It was created in gratitude for the nurses who provided care to Patrick Barnes, a 33-year-old husband and father who lost his fight against a deadly autoimmune disease in 1999. His family created the DAISY Foundation, which now partners with more than 6,500 hospitals and schools in all 50 states and around the world to honor and inspire extraordinary nurses. Learn more about the DAISY Award at their website.
At St. Mary's, each DAISY Award recipient is recognized at a public ceremony with their colleagues. They receive a certificate, a DAISY Award pin, and a stone sculpture entitled "A Healer's Touch" that is hand-carved by sculptors in Zimbabwe. In addition, they and their colleagues are invited to celebrate the occasion with cinnamon rolls, a treat Patrick would request, even though he couldn’t eat them, as a thank-you to the nurses caring for him.
Anyone can nominate a St. Mary's nurse for the DAISY Award, including patients, patients' family members, providers, and colleagues. Any nurse in the St. Mary's system is eligible, including those at all three hospitals as well as home health care/hospice services and medical group offices. The nomination simply asks you to share your story of why a nurse is special to you. St. Mary's honors eight nurses each year.
There are two ways you can nominate a St. Mary's nurse:
- Visit St. Mary's DAISY Award webpage
- Contact Melissa McDaniel, Marketing Administrative Assistant and Volunteer Coordinator, at (706) 389-3892