Two nursing students at Beaufort County Community College were celebrated during the nurse pinning ceremony in May with an award from the DAISY Foundation. Liliana Pacheco and Emanuel Romero Ruiz received the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Students for their delivery of clinical care in an outstanding and compassionate way to patients and their families during their time as nursing students.

The DAISY Foundation was established in 1999 by members of the family of Patrick Barnes. The 33-year-old died of complications of an auto-immune disease. Like many families that experience loss, the Barnes family wanted to honor Patrick’s life. They decided the DAISY (Diseases Attacking the Immune System) Foundation would honor the extraordinary care, compassion and kindness Patrick received from his nurses. The family created the DAISY Award to honor nurses and a separate award for nursing students who make extraordinary differences in patients and families experiences in healthcare.