Daishany “Dai” Rakestraw, a registered nurse who provides care on St. Mary’s Hospital’s 5 th Floor Medical/Surgical unit, has received St. Mary’s DAISY Award for Nursing Excellence. She was nominated by a patient and his wife for the exceptional care she provided.

“I was in the hospital for 14 days,” the patient wrote in Dai’s nomination. “Several nurses were great, but Dai was beyond the others. She was compassionate. She listens to you and didn’t complain. She checked into any questions we had. Whatever I needed, she provided. I can’t describe all that I
feel for her wonderful care.

“I have a hard time putting on paper how I feel in my heart about this young
lady,” the patient concluded. ”I hope this will be enough.”

“Our DAISY Award committee was deeply touched by how much Dai’s care meant to this patient and his family,” said Ann Gomes, director of Orthopedics and chair of St. Mary’s DAISY Committee. “It meant so much that they took the time and effort to write a nomination for her, even though they struggled with putting their feelings into words. Dai demonstrated tremendous compassion and reverence for him and his whole family during his extended stay. His words were enough. She certainly deserves this honor.”

A resident of Athens, Rakestraw is a new nurse who joined St. Mary’s in May 2024.