On this International Nurses Day, a remarkable nurse-led team serving aboard the Global Mercy™ hospital ship in Sierra Leone, West Africa, has been recognized for their extraordinary compassion and dedication to providing dignified care and support to terminally ill patients.
In a groundbreaking partnership, Mercy Ships (www.MercyShips.org) and the DAISY Foundation™ have presented the inaugural Mercy Ships DAISY Team Award to this exceptional group.
The prestigious award celebrates the collaborative efforts of a nurse-led team of two or more individuals who go above and beyond the traditional nursing role to identify and meet the unique needs of patients and their families. This marks the first time this esteemed recognition has been bestowed upon a nurse-led team operating on a hospital ship in Africa. Moving forward, the Mercy Ships DAISY Team Award will be presented annually on International Nurses Day, honoring the invaluable contributions of the charity’s volunteer nurse-led teams.
The honored Palliative Care team is composed of nurses from the United States and the Netherlands, alongside two dedicated crew members from Sierra Leone. Their vital work focuses on providing comfort and comprehensive support to patients whose conditions are beyond the scope of surgical intervention, demonstrating profound empathy for individuals facing incurable illnesses.
Tami Honnen, Director of Nursing for Mercy Ships, lauded the team’s exceptional qualities in announcing the award. “This team is an astounding joy to know as they go well beyond traditional palliative care efforts,” she stated. “Peers that nominated them indicate they share faith in a tangible, loving way despite the most heartbreaking situations. Their efforts extend beyond medical and emotional support by helping families recover from the economic impact of illness.”
For the past three decades, Mercy Ships, an international faith-based organization, has been dedicated to partnering with nations in Africa, providing essential surgeries and strengthening local healthcare systems. The inclusion of Sierra Leonean crew members, Samuel Tamba Essah and Gloria Cobba, in this nurse-led team highlights the organization’s commitment to holistic care and cultural sensitivity.
“The nurse-led team recognized with this award includes two crew members, Samuel Tamba Essah and Gloria Cobba from Sierra Leone, who also play a vital role in the palliative care team in helping patients and families navigate some of life’s most difficult moments with dignity and compassion,” emphasized Honnen. “With backgrounds in humanitarian work, advocacy, and counselling, they each bring deep cultural awareness and local insight to the palliative care team’s holistic approach.”
Bonnie Barnes, co-founder of the DAISY Foundation, expressed her profound gratitude, saying, “Being able to honor and celebrate an extraordinary international team like Maria, Renae, Willianne, Samuel, and Gloria is a dream come true for us at DAISY. What they and so many others serving on Mercy Ships provide is the essence of compassionate nursing care that we created The DAISY Award to recognize. We are deeply proud that Mercy Ships has chosen The DAISY Award to express gratitude to their extraordinary teams who care for such vulnerable patients and families.”
ion and compassionate spirit of this nurse-led team, setting a high standard for dignified end-of-life care on the Global Mercy™ and beyond. Their work embodies the true essence of nursing and brings hope and comfort to those facing their most challenging moments.
ABJ/APA