May 2026 Honoree
Cassidy Schuster-Franzoni, RN
I am writing to nominate an extraordinary nurse who cared for me during the most painful and vulnerable time of my life—the loss of my baby in June 2025. What I experienced was not just medical care; it was compassion, humanity, and love in its purest form.
I was admitted as a high-risk patient, overwhelmed with fear, grief, and uncertainty. In that darkness, she became my light. From the moment she entered my room, she didn’t just treat me as a patient—she saw me as a person who was hurting deeply. She stayed by my side, not only doing her job with excellence, but going far beyond anything I could have ever expected.
What makes her truly extraordinary is what she did outside of her assigned duties. On her days off—when she had every reason to rest or focus on her own life—she chose to come back to the hospital just to sit with me so I wouldn’t be alone. She would bring her laptop and quietly do her own work, simply to keep me company. Sometimes we talked, sometimes we didn’t. But her presence alone brought me a sense of peace I cannot fully put into words.
She showed me kindness in ways I will never forget. She went out of her way to buy me a blanket from Target—a blanket I still have to this day. I sleep with it every night. It has become my source of comfort, keeping me grounded and safe when the grief feels overwhelming. That one simple act turned into something deeply meaningful that I will carry with me forever.
She also brought me small treats and candy, filling my room with little reminders that I was cared for, thought of, and not alone. When I felt like my world was falling apart, she created moments of warmth and normalcy that helped me keep going.
Her words of encouragement, her quiet presence, and her willingness to go above and beyond—without ever being asked—are the very definition of what the DAISY Award represents. She didn’t just care for my physical health; she cared for my heart, my spirit, and my healing.
It has taken me time to write this because the grief has been a long and difficult journey. But even now, I cannot think back on that time without remembering how much she carried me through it. She made an unbearable situation feel a little less lonely, a little more human, and a little more survivable.
She deserves recognition not just as a great nurse, but as an extraordinary human being. The impact she had on my life is lasting, profound, and impossible to measure.
I will forever be grateful for her.
I was admitted as a high-risk patient, overwhelmed with fear, grief, and uncertainty. In that darkness, she became my light. From the moment she entered my room, she didn’t just treat me as a patient—she saw me as a person who was hurting deeply. She stayed by my side, not only doing her job with excellence, but going far beyond anything I could have ever expected.
What makes her truly extraordinary is what she did outside of her assigned duties. On her days off—when she had every reason to rest or focus on her own life—she chose to come back to the hospital just to sit with me so I wouldn’t be alone. She would bring her laptop and quietly do her own work, simply to keep me company. Sometimes we talked, sometimes we didn’t. But her presence alone brought me a sense of peace I cannot fully put into words.
She showed me kindness in ways I will never forget. She went out of her way to buy me a blanket from Target—a blanket I still have to this day. I sleep with it every night. It has become my source of comfort, keeping me grounded and safe when the grief feels overwhelming. That one simple act turned into something deeply meaningful that I will carry with me forever.
She also brought me small treats and candy, filling my room with little reminders that I was cared for, thought of, and not alone. When I felt like my world was falling apart, she created moments of warmth and normalcy that helped me keep going.
Her words of encouragement, her quiet presence, and her willingness to go above and beyond—without ever being asked—are the very definition of what the DAISY Award represents. She didn’t just care for my physical health; she cared for my heart, my spirit, and my healing.
It has taken me time to write this because the grief has been a long and difficult journey. But even now, I cannot think back on that time without remembering how much she carried me through it. She made an unbearable situation feel a little less lonely, a little more human, and a little more survivable.
She deserves recognition not just as a great nurse, but as an extraordinary human being. The impact she had on my life is lasting, profound, and impossible to measure.
I will forever be grateful for her.
Thank you, Cassidy, for your exceptional compassion, advocacy, and dedication to your patients. You truly make a difference.
View More Honorees