Meet Our 2026 Daisy Award Recipients

Nurses have the power to transform life’s most difficult moments through compassion and clinical excellence. The DAISY Award recognizes those who do. At SEARHC, we are proud to participate in this international recognition program, honoring nurses who go above and beyond to make a lasting impact in the lives of patients and families. Established in 1999, the DAISY Award celebrates extraordinary nurses whose skill, kindness and dedication exemplify the very best of the profession.

We’re proud to share that three nurses from our SEARHC family have been honored this year. Get to know them below.

Moots’ win came as a complete surprise. She was sitting in what she thought was a regular staff meeting when her family walked into the room.

“I really didn’t know why they were there,” said Moots.

She credits much of her success to the staff she works with in Klawock.I know that I could not provide the care to our patients that I do without the team we have,” she said.

Moots’ round-trip commute to the medical center in Klawock is a clear sign of her commitment to her patients. She travels to Klawock and stays there for three twelve-hour overnights, Wednesday to Friday, before returning home.

Extreme commute and all, Moots remains devoted to her patients and the community at large.

“One thing that I find special about working in a small community like Klawock is the relationships that we create with our patients,” she said. “These might be our family, friends or those we have grown to know throughout the years and getting to experience the joy and sadness with them.”

Paul Williams is equally devoted to the patients at Mt. Edgecumbe Medical Center in Sitka. His career with SEARHC began in 2007 but not as a nurse. He began working at the hospital as a security officer and, later, as the security supervisor. Williams liked working security but he wanted more.

“It didn’t feel like I got to impact people’s lives directly and I admired the nurses for their compassion and how much they changed people’s lives,” he said.

He experienced that care firsthand when he had his own health event in 2019 and spent a week in the hospital.

“As a patient I was surprised how much of a difference it made when my nurse went the extra mile to make me more comfortable,” said Williams.

Soon after he applied to nursing school, returning to Mt. Edgecumbe in 2022, a nursing degree in hand.

That’s when he found his way to the night shift, a perfect fit.

“Working nights, there are fewer resources and some other challenges that you don’t see during the day,” said Williams. “You get the opportunity to think on your feet a bit more.”

Like Moots, Williams was also tipped off that something was up when his parents showed up unannounced. He knew there was going to be a DAISY Award announcement but thought it was going to one of his colleagues.

Williams added that he’s grateful for the award but, most of all, is “excited to see that the awards are being given out because healthcare is a stressful career. I think it really benefits the morale of the nursing team to be recognized for their hard work.”

Anna is a registered nurse with the Acute Care unit at Wrangell Medical Center. Anna’s nominators shared the following, “While there were several who stood out, Anna Whitcomb was exceptional. … She took the time to learn about us as a family, our traditions and supported us beyond measure. I’d especially like to recognize her for how in tune she was to my husband’s needs. She made time to do a facial massage for him, helping him to relax. She also taught me how to do it so I could help ease his pain and help him relax and offered to come in at any time to help us. She is my true hero, and I’ll never forget the love we felt with her in our corner.”

Her compassion leaves a lasting impact. Congratulations, Anna!

As an Infusion Nurse Manager, Teresa helped establish the Infusion Department in 2019. Here is an excerpt from her nominator, “…Teresa has worked her magic to get my dad’s regular blood transfusions and new medications locally to drastically cut down on the out-of-town travel he would need to do otherwise. …She is in regular contact with my dad’s oncologist, making sure that they receive updated labs and records on a timely basis. While he is in the infusion room, Teresa goes out of her way to make sure that he is comfortable by providing water, snacks, blankets and anything else he requests. Thank you, Teresa, for making my dad’s medical experience as pleasant and convenient as possible.”

Her dedication to patient care is unparalleled. Congratulations, Teresa