A Lifetime of Compassionate Care
For anyone who knows my mother, Terri Clark, it’s no surprise that she always puts others before herself. Throughout my life, she has been a constant source of light and love—softening every hard moment with her warmth. So, when I learned she had been nominated for, and received, the DAISY Award, I wasn’t surprised—just incredibly proud.
The DAISY Award recognizes outstanding nurses based on nominations from patients, families, and colleagues. After a long and challenging workday, Vickie Kelly, my mom’s colleague at Dr. Wiley’s office in downtown Wheeling, nominated her for the award, noting, “Working with Terri makes me want to be a better person.”
On Friday, May 9, my mother was presented with the award by Stephanie Wiley, Office Coordinator, who shared, “Terri was thrown into our office without her consent, but she has been the biggest team player. We could not be happier to have her.”
My mom has dedicated over 48 years to nursing, with more than 30 of those years spent serving at Wheeling Hospital. Before joining Dr. Wiley’s team, she worked alongside Dr. Mueller and Dr. Trouten, beginning in 1997. From 2003 to 2012, she served patients in Dr. Trouten’s exam rooms at the St. Clairsville Clinic, and from 2012 until her most recent transition in 2020, she worked with Dr. Mueller at Wheeling Clinic. Throughout her career, she has also cared for patients at various facilities across the Ohio Valley. If you’ve visited a doctor in the Wheeling area over the past four decades, there’s a good chance you’ve crossed paths with her.
Stories from the Front Lines
I had the honor of speaking with Donna Cook, one of my mom’s former nursing colleagues. Donna dedicated 55 years to nursing in the Ohio Valley before retiring a few years ago. When I asked her about my mom, she shared:
“I first met your mom 30 years ago. We always worked well together. We had a lot of the same values. We both did our work together, helping each other. We both liked our patients and listened to their problems. It didn’t take long for Terri and me to become good friends and share our lives with each other. Your mom is a special person.”
There is no doubt that my mom is a special person. One of the most powerful examples of her compassion and innate ability to care for others is how she cared for her own mother during the final years of her life.
At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, my grandmother was placed in Good Shepherd Nursing Home, where, due to strict safety protocols, she was not allowed any visitors. The isolation took a heavy toll on her health, both physically and emotionally. Watching her mother decline from a distance was heartbreaking for mine, so she made the selfless decision to bring her home and care for her personally, with support from Amedisys Hospice.
She transformed her living room into a dedicated care space, creating a warm and comforting environment. Through her unwavering dedication and tender care, my grandmother’s condition improved so significantly that she was eventually discharged from hospice—an incredible testament to my mother’s devotion and the healing power of compassionate care.
A Legacy That Lives On
My mom’s story is one of quiet heroism, enduring compassion, and a lifetime of service that has touched countless lives. From the exam rooms of Wheeling Clinic to the heart of her own home, she has embodied what it truly means to be a nurse—not just in skill, but in spirit.
The DAISY Award is a fitting recognition of the profound impact she’s had on her patients, colleagues, and family across the Ohio Valley community. But to those who know her best, no award could fully capture the depth of her kindness, strength, and grace.
Congratulations, Mom—you have always been our DAISY.
