Kimberly Johnson-Bradford Awarded St. Mary's DAISY Award

Athens, Ga. – Kimberly Johnson-Bradford, a registered nurse and case manager for St. Mary's Hospice Services, has received St. Mary’s system-wide DAISY Award for nursing excellence.

"Kimberly goes about her work as a home hospice case manager with quiet confidence, a calming presence, and great compassion," said Petti-Jeanne Sheldon, Manager, St. Mary's Hospice and Palliative Care Services. "When she is not caring for her hospice patients and families, she can be found lending a listening ear or helping her colleagues master a task."

In presenting the award, DAISY Award Committee Chair and Director of Orthopedics Ann Gomes noted the committee was especially moved by the compassionate care they saw reflected in Kimberly's nomination, which was submitted by a patient's daughter.

"As things began getting closer to the end of life, Kimberly not only cared for mom but counseled and encouraged me as the caregiver," the nomination says. "It was like she was part of our family!"

“The care Kimberly gave to this patient and their family was what anyone would want as the end of life nears,” Ann said. “She has a heart of gold that is ideally suited for the special kind of care required in hospice nursing.”

Kimberly came to St. Mary's two years ago through a unique journey, Petti-Jeanne says. She grew up in Atlanta where she was the first African-American player on the first female soccer team in the Atlanta public school system. She attended the University of Georgia and then served as an Athens-Clarke County police officer for 12 years before exchanging a badge for a stethoscope and becoming a registered nurse.

"She was working at a local hospital as a medical/surgical RN when she was challenged at church to seek her 'God-given talent'," Petti-Jeanne says. "Thankfully for us, Kimberly once again listened to her heart and found caring for end-of-life patients and their families is where she belongs."

Kimberly lives in Athens. She is married and a proud mother of two girls and has a 5-year-old granddaughter.

The DAISY Award is an international recognition program that celebrates the skillful, compassionate care nurses provide day-in and day-out. It is inspired by the nurses who provided care to Patrick Barnes, a 33-year-old husband and father who lost his fight against cancer in 1999. His family created the DAISY Foundation, which now partners with some 4,600 hospitals and schools in all 50 states and 26 nations to honor and inspire extraordinary nurses.

At St. Mary's, each DAISY Award recipient is recognized at a COVID-safe public ceremony with their colleagues. They receive a certificate, a DAISY Award pin, and a hand-carved sculpture entitled "A Healer's Touch." In addition, they and their colleagues are invited to celebrate the occasion with cinnamon rolls, one of Patrick's favorite treats.

Anyone can nominate a St. Mary's nurse for the DAISY Award, including patients, patients' family members, providers, or colleagues. Any nurse in the St. Mary's system is eligible, including those at all three hospitals as well as home health care/hospice and medical group offices. The nomination simply asks you to share your story of why a nurse is special to you. St. Mary's honors eight nurses each year. Nomination forms can be obtained by calling Melissa McDaniel at (706) 389-3890, ext. 3.

Chief Nursing Officer & VP Titus Gambrell, left, and Kimberly Johnson-Bradford listen as DAISY Committee Chair Ann Gomes, Director of Orthopedics, reads Kimberly's nomination

Chief Nursing Officer and VP Titus Gambrell presents Kimberly with the hand-carved statuette, "A Healer's Touch," that celebrates receiving the DAISY Award

Celebrating with Kimberly (center) are, from left to right, Patient Care Coordinator Lori McLean, VP Strategy and Ambulatory Services Brittainy Horne, Kimberly, Home Health Care/Hospice Services Director Sandra Stephenson, Hospice and Palliative Care Services Manager Petti-Jeanne Sheldon, and Hospice and Palliative Care Medical Director Jaideep Patel, MD