Kate Grabiec, a registered nurse at Greenwich Hospital, has received the hospital”™s Daisy Award. The Daisy Award for Extraordinary Nurses was originated by The Daisy Foundation in Glen Ellen, California, which itself was established by the family of Patrick Barnes who died of an auto-immune disease. His family was moved by the nursing care he received and wanted to honor outstanding nurses. More than 2,700 health care facilities in the U.S. and 16 other countries participate in the Daisy Award program.
An oncology nurse for 17 years, Grabiec was nominated for the award by John Bartels, a Greenwich resident who says her efforts during his prostate cancer treatment added years to his life.
When Bartels lost his health insurance, Grabiec convinced the pharmaceutical company, Johnson & Johnson, to subsidize the cost of his chemotherapy through its patient assistance program. Nurses don”™t typically get involved in health insurance matters, but she was moved by Bartels”™ plight.
Bartels said, “I would not now have chemo without her. Kate has kept my spirit up by her enthusiasm and medical excellence. Every month, she cares for me and many other patients under worse circumstances with unfailing caring, advice, treatment and support.”
Grabiec said, “As long as I can remember, I wanted to be an oncology nurse. It”™s difficult to express, but I love the interaction and long relationships we establish with our patients and their families.”
