Healing Beyond Medicine: Fort Wayne Nurses Earn Global Honor for Local Compassion

When exemplary care meets heartfelt appreciation, extraordinary things happen. This spring, seven Parkview Health nurses across northeast Indiana were honored with the prestigious DAISY Award, an international recognition reserved for nurses who go beyond clinical excellence to deliver compassion that transforms lives. The DAISY Foundation was created by the family of Patrick Barnes, who died at age 33 from complications of an autoimmune disease. During his hospitalization, Pat and his family were moved by the compassion of the nurses who cared for him. The DAISY (Diseases Attacking the Immune System) Award was established to say thank you, and over time, has grown into a global movement. Today, over 2.5 million nominations have been submitted worldwide, recognizing more than 220,000 nurses in over 6,500 healthcare facilities across 41 countries.

 

From April 1 to June 30, 2025, Parkview awarded seven local nurses the DAISY Award for their extraordinary impact on patients and families. This quarter’s recipients include Wes Arter (Emergency Room, Parkview Huntington Hospital), Kandy Gay (Emergency Room, Parkview Whitley Hospital), Kaci Kuhn (Progressive Critical Care, Parkview Hospital Randallia), Lyndsia Kunkler (Surgical Services, Parkview Regional Medical Center), Emily McIlwain (Medical/Surgical, Parkview Kosciusko Hospital), Jennifer Moore (Medical/Surgical, Parkview Regional Medical Center), and Alicia Rickenberg (Intensive Care Unit, Parkview Bryan Hospital).

 

Each nomination is patient-initiated and is reviewed by a committee of peers. Though not all submission narratives are made public, two award recipients shared their reactions to the recognition. “Initially, all I could do was cry,” said Kandy Gay, an emergency room nurse at Parkview Whitley Hospital. “The beautiful note the family wrote and the picture their daughter drew for me is something I will cherish in my heart forever.” Gay’s nomination came from a young patient’s family who wanted to express their gratitude for her care during what was likely a frightening experience in the ER.

 

ICU nurse Alicia Rickenberg also reflected on the emotional power of her recognition. “Having a patient remember me and be appreciative of the care I provided meant a lot to me and gave me a renewed sense of gratitude for my choice of career,” she said. Rickenberg, who works at Parkview Bryan Hospital, noted that the simple act of being remembered by a patient is one of the greatest validations a nurse can receive.

 

While stories behind the other awards remain private, the scope of units represented (emergency departments, critical care, surgery, medical-surgical, and intensive care) underscores the wide range of care environments where Parkview nurses are making a difference. These recognitions come not from top-down assessments, but from those most deeply affected by their work: the patients themselves.

Parkview’s Chief Nursing Executive, Juli Johnson, emphasized the heart behind the honors. “Our nurses work one-on-one with our patients every day, and the compassion, caring and understanding they demonstrate are the cornerstones of great care,” she said. “The relationships and rapport they build with their patients, whether for a few hours or many days, can last a lifetime.”

 

Since Parkview began participating in the DAISY program in 2021, 94 of its nurses have received this award. The impact of that number is both quantitative and deeply personal, reflecting a workplace culture where empathy is celebrated as highly as clinical skill. At a time when healthcare systems face increasing challenges and burnout among providers is a growing concern, these recognitions serve as vital morale boosters and public reminders of the soul at the center of caregiving.

 

For Fort Wayne and its surrounding communities, these DAISY recipients offer a timely reminder that healthcare heroes often operate in quiet, unsung ways. Their work may not make headlines daily, but their compassion leaves lifelong marks on those they serve. By spotlighting their stories, we not only honor their dedication, but we reaffirm the community values of kindness, empathy, and human connection in care.

 

Let this moment of celebration inspire continued gratitude for those on the frontlines of healing, and a renewed commitment to uplifting the stories of nurses who bring both skill and heart to the patients they serve every day.