Plattsburgh, NY – For many expecting parents, the days leading up to an anatomy scan are filled with excitement – picking out names, imagining tiny fingers and picturing a future that suddenly feels close enough to touch. But for Marissa Burnell, that hopeful moment shattered in an instant.

What she expected to be a joyful milestone became the start of the most heartbreaking experience of her life. She learned that her baby girl had a genetic condition not compatible with life, a reality that left Burnell and her husband stunned, grieving and searching for something steady to hold onto.

That steady presence came in the form of Cindy Tate‑Gutierrez, RN.

Caring for her Patient’s Heart

When Burnell was admitted to Labor and Delivery at University of Vermont Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital, she was scared, heartbroken and overwhelmed. Tate‑Gutierrez introduced herself on that first day – not just as a nurse, but as someone who would walk beside their entire family through a moment no one ever imagines facing.

The next morning, Burnell was relieved to see a familiar face. Tate‑Gutierrez had become her primary nurse. From the start, it was clear Tate‑Gutierrez understood that caring for Burnell meant caring for her heart as much as her body.

“She met with me and my husband 1‑on‑1 and provided us with so much reassurance, comfort and confidence,” Burnell says.

She remembers how Tate-Gutierrez noticed the small details that matter – massaging Burnell’s legs and feet, sharing stories and listening with warmth and without hurry.

“She Was My Voice When I Lost Mine.”

As the delivery progressed, Burnell says she reached a moment when fear swallowed her words. She couldn’t speak up for herself or steady her thoughts.

Tate‑Gutierrez didn’t hesitate.

“During an incredibly difficult moment in my delivery where doubt and worry overcame me, she was my voice,” Burnell says. “She advocated for me, for us, for our daughter. Cindy was my anchor – someone I knew I could trust. She was the light for our entire family during a very dark and painful time.”

For a nurse, those moments can be emotionally heavy. But Tate‑Gutierrez never pulled away.

Moments Preserved Forever

After their daughter was born, Burnell was drained – emotionally, physically and spiritually. She wasn’t thinking about photos or memories. She was just trying to breathe through the moment.

Tate‑Gutierrez thought of it for her.

“She grabbed my cell phone and captured some of the most precious moments my husband and I will forever be able to cherish,” Burnell writes.

Those photographs became gifts the family will always be able to hold on to, even though they’ll never be able to hold their daughter.

A Nurse Who Embodies Compassion

Even as she managed one of the most heartbreaking experiences of her career, Tate‑Gutierrez put Burnell’s needs above her own.

“Her support, compassion and empathy never wavered,” Burnell says. “All of our needs were put before her own, showing the true selflessness she has to offer.”

“When I think of a DAISY, I think of Cindy.”

Honoring an Extraordinary Nurse

For the profound difference she made during one of the darkest moments a family can face, Cindy Tate‑Gutierrez, RN, was honored with the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses. She received the award during a surprise ceremony surrounded by her colleagues in Labor and Delivery. During the award presentation, she received a certificate commending her as an extraordinary nurse. Tate-Gutierrez, like all honorees, also received a DAISY Award pin.

Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital launched the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses in 2018 to recognize and reward licensed nurses for making a meaningful difference in the lives of their patients. Nomination forms and boxes are located at each of the hospital’s main entrances and online at UVMHealth.org. Nurses may be nominated by patients, families and colleagues.  A committee reviews nominations and awards a deserving nurse each quarter.

The award is part of the DAISY Foundation’s mission to recognize the extraordinary, compassionate nursing care they provide patients and families every day. The DAISY Foundation is a national not-for-profit organization, established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, by members of his family. Patrick died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), a little known but not uncommon auto-immune disease (DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System). The care Patrick and his family received from nurses while he was ill inspired this unique means of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient families. More information is available at DAISYfoundation.org.

University of Vermont Health – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital
75 Beekman Street
Plattsburgh, NY 12901

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About Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital

University of Vermont Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital is a 300-bed level III trauma center trusted by 87,000 people across New York’s North Country. Our staff are committed to delivering care with skill, compassion and respect — supporting patients, families and the communities we call home. As part of a rural academic health system, Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital combines high-quality, community-based care with medical innovation and research to bring advanced treatment as close to home as possible. Together, we’re addressing health care’s toughest challenges while working alongside partners and neighbors to improve access, affordability and outcomes for our region.

About University of Vermont Health Network

University of Vermont Health Network is a rural academic health system with more than 100 years of service to small towns and cities across Vermont and northern New York. We are deeply committed to reimagining rural health in ways that will benefit our communities for generations to come and keep exceptional care close to home. Our system includes an academic medical center, two community hospitals, three critical access hospitals, a children’s hospital, a cancer center, a multispecialty medical group, 154 outpatient sites and care beyond the hospital through home health, hospice care, four skilled nursing facilities and other support services. Our care is informed by an essential partnership with University of Vermont’s The Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine and College of Nursing and Health Sciences. Together, as a health system serving a rural area, we are tackling health care’s biggest challenges — supporting the communities we serve and investing in our employees by addressing housing affordability, quality childcare and professional development needs. To learn more, visit us at www.uvmhealth.org.