MARYVILLE, IL. — Gabby Wood, a registered nurse at Anderson Hospital’s Pavilion for Women obstetrics unit, was honored Jan. 23, 2026, with The DAISY Award® for Extraordinary Nurses. The award, presented by the DAISY Foundation, recognizes nurses for their exceptional care and dedication.
Wood received the award following a nomination from a patient who described her as calm, reassuring and attentive during two separate pregnancy-related hospital visits. The patient recounted that at 23 weeks of pregnancy, Wood helped manage a frightening situation involving contractions with a composed demeanor. Months later, during a scheduled induction at 39 weeks, the patient said Wood provided continuous support, comfort and advocacy throughout labor and delivery.
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“I’ll never forget how loved and cared for I felt,” the patient wrote in the nomination. “She was meant for the role she is in and you can tell she loves what she does and loves her patients too.”
The DAISY Foundation, based in Glen Ellen, California, was established by family members in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, who died in 1999 from complications of an autoimmune disease. The foundation aims to recognize nurses for the profound difference they make in patients’ lives.
Bonnie Barnes, co-founder of The DAISY Foundation, said, “When Patrick was critically ill, our family experienced first-hand the remarkable skill and care nurses provide patients every day and night. Yet these unsung heroes are seldom recognized for the super-human work they do. The kind of work the nurses at Anderson Hospital are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of The DAISY Award.”
