Debenham is TidalHealth Peninsula Regional’s May 2025 DAISY Awardee

Sarah Debenham, RN, is TidalHealth Peninsula Regional’s May 2025 DAISY Award recipient.

SALISBURY, Md. – TidalHealth Peninsula Regional is pleased to announce that Sarah Debenham, RN, of the Pediatrics Unit has been selected as its DAISY Award recipient for May 2025.

Debenham was nominated for the compassion and exceptional care she provided on multiple occasions to a pediatric patient who now plans to pursue a similar calling in her life:

“Sarah cared for our daughter, Samantha, during several of her early hospitalizations, and her compassion and exceptional care left a lasting impression that has truly shaped the course of our daughter’s life.

Samantha, affectionately known as ‘Sami,’ was hospitalized multiple times as a young child due to severe respiratory illnesses, including RSV, pneumonia, and status asthmaticus. During these stressful and uncertain times, Sarah was a constant source of comfort and reassurance for both our daughter and our family. I was a newlywed and a nursing student at the time, trying to navigate the complexities of the healthcare system. Sarah’s presence made a difficult experience feel manageable, and her genuine compassion made our daughter feel safe and cared for.

Sami quickly grew to associate her hospital stays with one comforting question: ‘Is Nurse Sarah going to take care of me?’ More often than not, the answer was yes. Sarah’s ability to connect with her young patients and provide not only clinical excellence but also emotional support made her unforgettable to our family.

Now, years later, that early bond continues to resonate. In May 2025, Sami will graduate high school the day before her 18th birthday. She has been accepted to Jacksonville University, where she plans to study nursing with a minor in psychology. Her dream? To become a pediatric nurse — just like Sarah.
 
Beyond academics, Sami has developed a passion for equestrian sports, earning titles such as Youth World Champion and excelling in disciplines including Cross Country, Show Jumping, and Dressage. She has volunteered over 300 hours at a horse camp, mentoring and coaching children. Her aspiration is to someday combine her love of children and horses, perhaps even exploring adaptive sports medicine.

Sami’s strength, determination, and compassion are deeply rooted in the care she received as a child — care that Sarah so selflessly provided. Sarah may not have known it at the time, but her kindness planted a seed that has grown into a calling.

Sarah, I hope you know the profound impact you've had. Because of you, one very special little girl grew up knowing what it means to be seen, heard, and truly cared for — and now she wants to give that same gift to others.

With heartfelt appreciation from one mama to another."

Debenham was honored with the DAISY Award in a ceremony before her colleagues. She received certificates commending her for being an extraordinary nurse, and a sculpture called “A Healer's Touch,” hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Zimbabwe.

The not-for-profit DAISY Foundation is based in Glen Ellen, Calif., and was established by family members in memory of J. Patrick Barnes. Barnes died at age 33 in late 1999 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little-known but not uncommon autoimmune disease.

The care Barnes and his family received from nurses while he was ill inspired this unique means of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient families.

To nominate a TidalHealth nurse or LPN for this award, visit tidalhealth.org/recognition.