Adrienne Holmes, RN, nominated by patient, honored with DAISY Award

Posted on August 27, 2015 by Monica Mewshaw

Pictured in photo above, front: Peggy Holston, Thelma Andres, Sherry Perkins, Adrienne Holmes, Jessalyn Barbour, Lynn Graze. Back: Debbie Whetzel, Cheryl Norton, Catherine Copertino, Madelaine Binner, Tori Bayless.

Congratulations to Adrienne Holmes, RN, AAMC’s most recent DAISY Award recipient. Adrienne was surprised by a crowd of Outpatient Infusion colleagues, family and friends who secretly assembled on the afternoon of August 18 in a daisy-decorated conference room.

Sherry B. Perkins, AAMC’s Chief Operating Officer/Chief Nursing Officer, extended her congratulations and presented Adrienne with a DAISY plaque. She also received a DAISY pin from nurse practitioner colleague, Madelaine Binner, and a DAISY figurine from her nominator and long-time patient, Eduardo Vazquez.

Here is an excerpt from Adrienne’s nomination letter, written by Mr. Vazquez:

I’m a retired detective from the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, DC. I joined the DC Police in 1988 and worked as a police officer in the Fourth District until 1990. Then, I was accepted into the Special Operations Division as a fugitive investigator. I was assigned to that unit from 1990 until 2012; the unit was sponsored by the FBI and US Marshall Service, with an array of members from all the federal agencies in the USA.

I did my duty and served this country as a well as I could until I was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in April of 2012. My doctor said to get my things in order and that I would not make it past November of that year.

I had been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. I started all the treatment necessary and continued to work and conduct my business to the upmost level of professionalism which I was accustomed to. My last resort was to obtain a bone marrow transplant. I had no family member to be a match and the donor bank at the time showed no one with my DNA. I had fought evil and stood for good all my life but the fight had gotten the best of me. I had no hope and my faith had faltered. I was sitting in the room receiving my treatment when Adrienne, who had been taking care of me since I was first diagnosed, noticed that something was wrong with my demeanor. When she asked me, I had to tell her that I was tired of fighting and I was ready to give up.

The angel that rescued me from the bottom pit is RN Adrienne Holmes from the Anne Arundel Medical Center infusion center located in Annapolis, Maryland. She immediately went into action, like I did when I was hunting criminals. Within minutes she had Dr. Graze, my first oncologist, respond to the room and speak with me. He immediately told his staff that he wanted me back in his care and to do anything possible to have me back with his practice. Adrienne also found a doctor at the University of Maryland Baltimore Campus who specializes in Stem Cell Transplant and she made me an appointment for me to be seen by him.

I received my stem cell transplant on May 22, 2013 and right now as I write this letter I’m no longer on any type of medication and cancer free, thanks to my nurse that saved my life.