Dana Arthur, a longtime nurse and familiar face at Liberty-Dayton Regional Medical Center, was named the hospital’s 2026 recipient of the prestigious DAISY Award during a ceremony held Wednesday, May 6.
Arthur, an RN, BSN, has dedicated 39 years to the hospital and was recognized for her compassion, leadership and commitment to patients and the Liberty County community.
Established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, who died in 1999 from complications of the autoimmune disease ITP, the DAISY Award program recognizes nurses for the clinical skill, compassionate care and meaningful difference they make in the lives of patients and their families every day.
In the recommendation letter nominating Arthur for the award, a former patient described her as someone who exemplifies compassionate care and servant leadership.
“It is my honor to nominate Dana for the DAISY Award in recognition of her extraordinary dedication to nursing and her unwavering commitment to our hospital and community,” the letter stated. “For more than 30 years, Dana has worked tirelessly as both a representative of our facility and a trusted partner within the community, consistently exemplifying what it means to provide safe, high quality, and compassionate care.”
The letter highlighted Arthur’s leadership with the hospital’s Patient and Family Engagement Committee, her involvement in community events and her habit of personally checking on discharged patients after they returned home.
“What truly sets Dana apart is her personal commitment to those in her care,” the letter stated. “She routinely reaches out to discharged patients to check on their well-being, offering reassurance and support during vulnerable times.”
Following the awards presentation, Arthur said she was completely surprised to receive the honor.
“I’m very passionate. And I cry and I get very emotional because I love this place,” she said. “I know everybody almost that walks in this hospital as a patient, and I love that. I want to make their experience good. I want to know the quality of care. I want them to come back and send their family members, and that would be a chain reaction.”
Arthur also reflected on previously balancing two full-time jobs during part of her career, serving both at the hospital and as the school nurse for Hardin ISD. She credited her faith for helping her through those demanding years.
“He kept me through it,” Arthur said. “He’s always been there for me and my family. And I feel like He has His hand on our hospital and our area.”
A resident of Hardin and the wife of Liberty County Pct. 2 Commissioner Greg Arthur, Arthur said she has always loved caring for others, whether at the hospital or working with children at school.
She also carries a special reminder of her family’s nursing legacy – a locket once worn by her grandmother, Lucy Bonnes, who worked for many years as a nurse in San Antonio.
Arthur praised the hospital staff during the ceremony and spoke about the changes she has witnessed over the years.
“I’m out in the community a whole lot and hear many compliments, how much they say that hospital has changed so much, the nurses are great, the doctors are great,” Arthur said. “You all have made such a difference.”
During the ceremony, LDRMC CEO Rhonda Campbell addressed the younger nurses who were nominated for the award this year, encouraging them to continue carrying forward the hospital’s mission and legacy.
“Y’all have to be here to carry on our legacy when we’re gone. Well, they’re going to take care of us,” Campbell said jokingly to Arthur. “You’ve got to move forward with the legacy and the vision of what we’ve tried to develop over all the years.”
Campbell acknowledged the emotional toll nursing can take, particularly for those working in emergency care.
“Each one of us has worked in the ER, so we know how difficult it is to take care of those type of trauma patients and end-of-life patients,” she said. “We’re going to fall down in the corner and we’re going to cry, but that makes you human and it’s okay. But just know, even though you may not hear it from us every day, we see you and we recognize you.”
Other nurses nominated for this year’s DAISY Award included Brooke Morgan, RN; Carlee White, LVN; Carley Rives, RN; Melissa Perkins, RN; Patricia Edgell, RN; Anna Saylor, RN; Megan Copeland, LVN; Sandy Smith, RN; and Kim Bell, RN.