DAISY Award recognizes Melissa Hamm’s extraordinary care in the cellular transplant unit

Last week, Christine Williams, chief nursing executive, presented Melissa Hamm, BSN, RN, TCTCN, with a DAISY Award for the extraordinary compassion, clinical expertise, and steady presence she provided to a patient undergoing a stem cell transplant. Melissa guided a patient through one of the most difficult chapters of her life with skill, expertise, honesty, and heartfelt support. 

From Melissa’s nomination:

“In January 2025, after having my routine physical and labs, I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. Fortunately, there were no obvious symptoms, but my very astute primary physician realized my labs weren't where they should be and ordered more tests that confirmed the diagnosis. Treatment started immediately, meeting with my team of doctors and nurse practitioners and getting the unexpected news that after four months of weekly treatments, I would need a stem cell transplant.  Needless to say, it was quite devastating, but knowing that if it was successful, I would get to see my young grandchildren graduate from high school and that helped me establish a new mantra that was ‘got to go through it.’

“After four months of preparing my body for the transplant, I was ready to ‘go through it.’ Showing up that morning in the CTU (cellular transplant unit), I was terrified, nervous, and an emotional mess, tears and all.  As the door opened to the unit, a darling little redheaded nurse met me with arms open wide, draping them around me, saying, ‘We got this, and I'm going to help you get through it.’  And help me through it, she did! Through all the ups and downs of this transplant, Melissa Hamm, RN, was by my side encouraging me, explaining every detail of what was happening and what to expect. On one especially bad day, I spiked a temperature which caused my body to go through ‘rigors’, a word I had never heard in my life, but my body was shaking so badly I thought I was going to shake out of bed. Melissa was right there in her quiet, calming voice saying, 'I got you and you will be fine.’

“Along with being an amazing nurse, she was an amazing human with a great sense of humor, she didn't sugar coat anything that I was going through and was by my side every day. She told me some funny stories to keep my mind on anything but what I was going through. After going through breast cancer in 2002, having bilateral mastectomy, complete hysterectomy and chemotherapy, and then in 2020, having open heart surgery to repair an undiagnosed cardiac defect, I had been exposed to many different nurses, but none compared to the care that Melissa gave me. She is so deserving of the DAISY Award that your hospital awards to the best of the best.  She helped me live to see my grandchildren grow up.”

Congratulations, Melissa, on your DAISY Award!

About DAISY Awards:
The DAISY Award is part of The DAISY Foundation, an international program dedicated to recognizing nursing excellence. Established by the Barnes family in memory of their son, Patrick, the award honors the exceptional, compassionate care Patrick received from nurses during his eight-week hospitalization. To express their gratitude, the family created the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses, celebrating the remarkable and often unsung work nurses perform every day at the bedside.