Congratulations to BMC postpartum nurse Kate Gamache for receiving a DAISY Award. This award honors extraordinary nurses who go the extra mile to deliver compassionate care to patients and their families.
Ethan Madden nominated Kate for her exceptional care after his wife was diagnosed with a brain tumor just two weeks after giving birth. His nomination note tells the story:
“My wife and I had our beautiful baby girl on January 14, 2025. We were treated so well by all of the staff members in the Labor and Delivery department as well as Postpartum. But the real experience for us started two weeks later when my wife started to experience headaches at home. After a few different trips to the Labor and Delivery triage unit, we still had no answers for her headaches. Finally, she was given MRI and CT scans.
While waiting for these results we were staying in the postpartum unit. We met Nurse Kate Gamache the second night of our stay. She was also with us when we found out that my wife, who was three weeks postpartum, also had a brain tumor. We were scared and overwhelmed with the decision of brain surgery now in front of us. Kate gave us the support that we needed, especially my wife. Her tender care and instinctual abilities to care for others made her the perfect person to help my wife navigate this incredible unique and terrifying experience. Not only did she give the expert medical care to my wife, but she truly became a pillar for us to lean on during this scary time.
My wife was not supposed to be weighing options about a brain surgery. She was not supposed to be scared for her life after finding out she had a tumor. She was supposed to be taking care of her two-week-old daughter and focusing on her own postpartum needs. Kate Gamache recognized this and leaned in fully as a postpartum nurse and a kind human being. Kate continued to check in with me and my wife in numerous ways. She reached out during a seven-hour surgery to make sure I was holding up. She visited my wife during her off-hours in the ICU and surgical step-down unit. She offered kind words and sympathy in ways that we can never repay - and she did this as if it wasn't her job, but her responsibility as a human being. My wife, my daughter, and I are so grateful for her. We are proud to nominate Kate Gamache for the DAISY Award."