UP Health System – Portage Honors Hannah Ruohonen, RN, and Kayla Williamson, RN, with the DAISY Award
February 11, 2026
UP Health System – Portage is proud to recognize Hannah Ruohonen, RN, and Kayla Williamson, RN, as this quarter’s recipient of the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses®. The DAISY Award is part of the DAISY Foundation’s mission to honor the exceptional, compassionate care nurses provide to patients and families every day.
As a nurses in the Emergency Department, Hannah and Kayla can experience a wide range of cases with incoming patients. Precision and compassion are critical. Their level-headedness made an impact with an incoming patient, who took to writing about their experience.
Below is an excerpt from the nomination submitted on their behalf:
"I was recently in the ED with my sick newborn son, which resulted in a transfer to the NICU. Although I am a healthcare worker myself, I feel like some of my strength in dealing with the stressors that come along with medical emergencies goes right out the window! Hannah and Kayla really helped to keep me grounded, as they are such skilled nurses, but also very compassionate. They gave me so much reassurance that I was justified in all of my feelings, and really helped me feel more comfortable with everything that was happening. I had a lot of questions too, that Hannah may not have had the answers to immediately, regarding the ambulance transport, and what happens when we arrive at the NICU - and she made sure to find the answers so I could prepare myself. Portage has the best of the best nurses, and Hannah and Kayla really exemplified that during our ED visit! Thank you!"
UP Health System – Portage also extends recognition to all the extraordinary nurses nominated for the DAISY Award this quarter.
- Mary Willmers, RN, ICU
- Samantha Devine, RN, OR
- Gretchen Haapala, RN, OB
- Taylor Olson, RN, OB
- Stacy Johnston, RN, OB
- Sam Haapala, RN, OB
- Paula Lucier, RN, Orthopedic Clinic
- Kristal Tatman, RN, Orthopedic Clinic
- Karla Bastian, RN, ACU
- Emily Heinonen, RN, ACU
- Kendra Stipech, RN, ED
- Lindsay Bukovich, RN, OB
- Elaine Anderson, RN, OB
- Sarah Manninen, RN, OR
- Alicia Dessellier, RN, ACU
- Angel Loukus RN, M/S
- Gavin Simonson, RN, M/S
- Karen Mattson, RN, ACU
- Kirsten Erkkila, RN, OB
The DAISY Foundation was created in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, who died in 1999 from complications of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. The care Barnes and his family received from nurses during his illness inspired the foundation and its global effort to honor and thank nurses for their skill and compassion. (DAISY stands for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.)
Patients, families or colleagues may nominate nurses for the DAISY Award. Nominations are reviewed by a committee at UP Health System – Portage, and honorees are celebrated during a formal presentation attended by peers, leadership and family. Each DAISY Award recipient receives a certificate, a DAISY Award pin and a hand-carved sculpture titled A Healer’s Touch, created by artists of the Shona tribe in Zimbabwe.
To nominate a nurse for the DAISY Award, visit our website. To learn more about the DAISY Foundation, visit daisyfoundation.org.