VALDOSTA – Miracle Whitaker, Registered Nurse on 5 West at South Georgia Medical Center, received The DAISY Award For Extraordinary Nurses for December. The award is part of the international DAISY Foundation, a program developed to recognize the super-human efforts nurses perform every day. Whitaker has been a nurse at SGMC for over 7 years. 

Whitaker was nominated by Melissa Prescott, the wife of the late Wilson Prescott. Whitaker began caring for Wilson, who was battling cancer, nearly two years ago. According to Melissa, during the time the family was at SGMC, Miracle would always go above and beyond for her sick husband. Melissa said, “We were so scared, but somehow Miracle managed to make the big ‘C’ word less scary.”  

She said her husband made it well known that Miracle was his favorite nurse. “Even when we were eventually transferred to Emory, Wilson would still tell his nurses that Miracle was the best.”

Clearly making an impact on their entire family, nearly two years later, Melissa and Wilson’s son, Mitchell, asked Miracle to walk in his dad’s place during the Senior Night presentation of football players at Clinch County High School. “I will never be able to thank her enough for what she means to our family,” said Melissa.

SGMC continues to ask patients and fellow employees to honor nurses they feel go above and beyond in their actions and care. Nominations are reviewed by a committee based on criteria that include compassion, teamwork, leadership, attitude, and skills and knowledge. 

DAISY awards are presented monthly in front of the nurse’s colleagues, physicians, patients, and visitors.  Each honoree receives a certificate commending her or him for being an “Extraordinary Nurse” and a beautiful sculpture called A Healer’s Touch, hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Africa. Recipients also receive a bouquet of daisies donated by local flower shops. 

To nominate a nurse for the DAISY award, visit www.sgmc.org/DAISYAward.

PHOTO: Melissa Prescott presents Miracle Whitaker with the December DAISY Award for extraordinary nurses at South Georgia Medical Center.