February 2026
Cindy
McGrath
,
RN
FBC
Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital
Royal Oak
,
MI
United States
Cindy's willingness to give her time, empathy, and care made a lasting impact on this patient's life.
On Wednesday, October 22, 2025, the Family Birth Center received a heartfelt call from a patient who had delivered in September. The call was answered by one of the lead charge nurses in FBC, Cindy McGrath. The patient shared that she never received footprint cards after her baby was born. Cindy took the call and patiently listened as the patient opened up about a previous loss a couple years ago, during which she also hadn't received footprints as she hadn't wanted them at the time. This made the absence of footprints from her recent delivery especially painful because she had wished she had asked for them.

The patient explained that her baby had gone to the observation nursery shortly after birth, and the footprint cards were simply missed. She asked if we could send her some, but as she spoke, she became emotional, crying as she described her attempts to make footprints at home. Each time she tried, the ink smudged, and she felt defeated.

Cindy, moved by the patient's story, offered to go to the patient's home on her day off. She brought footprint cards and ink and gently helped the patient create beautiful prints of her baby's feet. The patient and her husband were overwhelmed with gratitude and joy. Cindy's kindness turned a moment of sadness into one of healing and connection. This act of compassion went far beyond the call of duty. Cindy's willingness to give her time, empathy, and care made a lasting impact on this patient's life. It was a beautiful example of the spirit of nursing and the heart of the DAISY Award.