Our family would like to nominate Kate for the DAISY Award because her compassion, confidence, and extraordinary presence transformed one of the most difficult moments of our lives into one filled with clarity, connection, and irreplaceable memories.

We first met Kate during a lactation appointment, and from the moment she entered the room, her calm confidence and deep knowledge immediately put us at ease. She made it clear that her priority was supporting us in feeding our baby in whatever way worked best for our family—something that instantly lifted a tremendous amount of pressure. But what Kate offered us went far beyond lactation support.

Just before that appointment, we had learned we might need a C-section. We were scared, overwhelmed, and struggling to process the possibility that our daughter’s birth might look very different from what we had imagined. Kate didn’t rush us or treat our fear as a side note. Instead, she took the time to truly sit with us in that moment. She patiently helped us understand what to expect and walked us through the small but deeply meaningful details of the operating room—things no one else had explained. She shared that I would be allowed to go to the warmer, encouraged us to advocate for more skin-to-skin time, and explained the flow of the OR, the roles of the team members, and the moments that can easily be lost in the chaos. Her clarity and steadiness left us feeling more prepared for whatever might come.

When the day arrived, and we did end up needing the C-section, everything happened quickly. The operating room was loud, bright, and overwhelming. In the rush of it all, no one told me I could go to the warmer—but because of Kate, I knew to ask. And because I asked, I was able to be there as our baby girl took her very first breaths. I was able to speak to her with the voice she had known in the womb. I was able to hold her on my chest as she received her first shots. Those moments are now some of the most precious memories of my life.

Kate’s guidance didn’t just prepare us medically—it prepared us emotionally. She gave us the knowledge and confidence to advocate for ourselves at a time when it would have been easy to feel powerless. She made something terrifying feel navigable and gave us the gift of being fully present for our daughter’s earliest moments, a gift we will carry with us forever.

Our family will never forget Kate’s compassion, her steadiness, and the way she cared for us not just as patients, but as brand-new parents facing the unknown. We are deeply grateful for her and believe she truly embodies everything the DAISY Award is meant to honor.