PETALS Recognition Program

PETALS are: Professional Extraordinaires That Always Lend Support

Every DAISY has petals extending from its core that make it a perfect flower. At Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, our PETALS are Nursing’s colleagues in departments such as Environmental Services, Case Management, Rehabilitation,  Food and Nutrition, and Transport, as well as unit coordinators, behavioral health techs, nurse assistants, physicians and other employees throughout the health system. Please help the Department of Nursing recognize these individuals for the outstanding and compassionate care they deliver every day.

click here to nominate a petal

portrait of awarded leader.

PETALS Honoree: Maggie Fader, MD

February 2024

While there are many doctors who practice excellent medicine, Dr. Fader always goes above and beyond. In addition to her day-to-day responsibilities of simply being a doctor, Dr. Fader is very active in the local community to help bring awareness to pediatric cancer. Community support is crucial for our patient population as it helps to provide resources for children and their families who have had to deal with the unthinkable. Countless patients have benefited from these resources, and it would not have been possible without her efforts. For example, after noticing an ongoing toy shortage in the infusion unit and 6-Tower, she took it upon herself to start a toy drive at her children's school. Hundreds of toys were delivered to her house, and she meticulously organized and personally delivered them to make sure all children had toys for Christmas! To top off her community engagement, she also serves in many executive positions for non-profit organizations. She is on the board of directors for the Children's Bereavement Center and serves as a medical advisor for the Make-A-Wish foundation. In terms of the care she provides, it is always personalized. I don't know how it's possible to remember all that she does for each patient. From lengthy chemotherapy protocols to the patient's (and even parent’s) favorite hobbies/food/colors/toys and even their birthday! She always makes every patient feel heard, empowered, and special. Even for the patients given a terminal diagnosis, she does her best to ensure their time left on this earth is lived to the fullest, always considering their quality of life when choosing a treatment plan. A recent patient passed away, and she made sure to be at the funeral services 3 hours away. Dr. Fader also has a close rapport with her colleagues, always treating us with respect and providing us with the same level of care she does for her patients. She is always available, day or night, and does her best to respond to us as soon as possible. She brings bagels for the staff on weekends before rounds and contributes coffee to the unit supply to make sure all nurses are happy and well fed! She epitomizes the very essence of what this award stands for, and we cannot think of anyone more deserving of recognition for her profound contributions and the lives she impacts every day!
portrait of awarded leader.

PETALS Honoree: Dr. Kristen Stabingas

January 2024

"From the start Dr. Stabingas exceeded every expectation of what I thought a surgeon would be like. My daughter was dealing with enlarged brain cavity and was in need a shunt. Of course, I was nervous when I first got to Nicklaus Children's. After meeting her, my worry was gone. God placed her in our lives to do my daughter’s surgery for a reason. Every single procedure, test, or ultrasound, Dr. Stabingas called us personally and shared results. Her compassion just made me feel so safe and I knew she cared. But what really got me was when Sage was having eye issues and needed the shunt immediately after Christmas and Dr. Stabingas was on holiday. The plan was for another surgeon to do the surgery on a Friday. However, Dr. Stabingas came back early from holiday, moved her schedule around to do the surgery herself on Thursday. I was so touched. Kristen is a remarkable surgeon who has the biggest heart. Thank you so much for being in my daughter’s life!"
portrait of awarded leader.

PETALS Honoree: Sasha Carrion, Unit Coordinator of 3S

December 2023

​This week, I had a particularly hectic shift. I was taking care of a fairly complex patient, who took most of my time, and a baby with around-the-clock feedings and had no guardian at bedside. Sasha made sure to help me with the feedings, rock him in the chair, soothe him whenever he cried, and carry him around as if he was her own child. I didn’t ask Sasha to do this for me; it came from the kindness of her heart. I want to let her know that her work is appreciated, especially when she goes the extra mile to help out the nurses in our unit. I want to recognize her with a Petals nomination to thank Sasha for all she does to help out!
portrait of awarded leader.

PETALS Honoree: David Magrisso, EMT

November 2023

David arrived in the office to start his shift and at the same time the code pager went off, for an incoming code orange via air. He immediately jumped into action, dropped his lunch bag, grabbed a cart and ran down to the ED to provide assistance as needed. His dedication to the patients & love for his job is very apparent. David is always where we need him to be. He is definitely an asset to the IV team and the hospital. Thank you, David, for all that you do! It is appreciated! 
portrait of awarded leader.

PETALS Honoree: Dr. Sophia Hassor​

October 2023

Dr. Hassor truly goes above and beyond for her patients. She utilizes all resources possible to ensure that her patients are always fully taken care of. Her empathy, dedication, and compassion for the care of her patients is exemplary. She always goes out of her way to ensure that are taken care of medically, socially and emotionally.
portrait of awarded leader.

PETALS Honoree: Clara Gallardo, GI Tech/CA2

September 2023

Clara was an angel with my son. Since the very beginning she was funny, silly, sincere, and compassionate. She made him laugh, joking from the other side of the curtain. She always spoke to him at his level, asked what he needed and provided several options. It really made a difference how she treated him. Clara really made a huge impact on us - transforming a scary medical procedure for my child into a challenging adventure! We loved her and wish all the nurses were that friendly and loving.
portrait of awarded leader.

PETALS Honoree: Karla Filosa, M.A., Ed. CCLSIII

August 2023

We have a patient/family in PICU who is known us for a very long time. Karla went above and beyond and did a Movie Night for the patient and family. She brought in a live cinema and box with movie night candy and refreshments. Many patients and families unfortunately stay in the hospital for a very long time and Karla went above and beyond to bring the outside to the patient's room. This is just one small example of the work Karla does for every patient and family she encounters. Her wealth of knowledge is remarkable. Her advocacy and compassion for the patients and families is seen in her everyday work. In addition, she decorates the unit through every season for patients and families but also for the staff. We are so grateful to have Karla as part of the team and family at Nicklaus Children's Hospital. I have pictures of what she did for this family. It’s beyond amazing.
portrait of awarded leader.

PETALS Honoree: Roger Garcia, Physical Therapist

July 2023

My daughter underwent fusion spinal surgery. As it is expected she was refusing to walk the next day. Roger was so sweet, so patient with her. After 5 minutes he was able to change her mind. I don’t know how she agreed to ambulate with him, they even got out the room and my daughter came back knowing everything she was allowed and not allowed to do for the next 4 weeks. My daughter was not receiving PT treatment at the time of her discharge, but he passed by just to check on her and remind her all the activities she was allowed to do during her recovery process. Roger is a perfect example that treatment timelines in physical therapies depend not only on the patient's specific condition but also on their level of motivation, physical capacity and resilient PTs who understand that treatment in physical therapy is not a straight line; that patients will likely experience ups and downs but no matter how challenging a case can be a great PT will always be able to adapt and even respond positively to change and adversity.
portrait of awarded leader.

PETALS Honoree: Sally Billardon, Nuclear Medicine Technician

June 2023

From the moment Sally came into the room she was kind and professional. She explained everything to me and more importantly my daughter, which put her at ease. She made sure she was comfortable throughout the entire process. Sally showed exemplary care and we are thankful for her considera​​tion in treating my daughter.
portrait of awarded leader.

PETALS Honoree: Jamie Reyes, RT

May 2023

Jamie, where to start – he is the best! He treats your child like his own. He takes the time to educate you on medications and therapy practices. He follows up on how your child is doing since the last CPT session and coordinates with other staff to get things done. He finds supplies for upcoming extubation (even when he will not be on shift for it). He follows through, takes pride in doing good work, and it shows! During one of my harder weeks at the ICU, I actually cried when I heard he would be off for 4 to 5 days. He has such a comforting, knowledgeable vibe, that we knew we would miss while he was off – it was priceless to us. He goes the extra mile to make sure things are done right.

portrait of awarded leader.

PETALS Honoree: Lourdes Gonzalez, Lactation Specialist (NICU)

April 2023

Ms. Gonzalez helped me in the lactation process in order for me to be able to store milk for my baby. She was very professional and explained everything in detail and with passion. I’m very thankful for all her help and guidance.
portrait of awarded leader.

PETALS Honoree: Dr. Alfredo Machado

March 2023

He was attentive and dedicated time to my little of girl’s concerns. It was so refreshing to be treated with professional compassion. He made sure to run the necessary tests and cover all medical areas. This gentleman is the epitome of what a True Doctor should be. We were blessed to have been graced with his presence and attention.

portrait of awarded leader.

PETALS Honoree: Dr. Deepa Ravi

February 2023

She was great at slowly getting my daughter used to being at the doctors and needing an exam. She applied very toddler friendly techniques and was very patient. This was a great experience for all of us to treat my daughter injury. Thank you!

portrait of awarded leader.

PETALS Honoree: Blanca Gonzalez

January 2023

Blanca's friendly voice is always the best to hear when you call pharmacy. She always goes out of her way to get you the answers you may need in order to provide excellent patient care. Blanca embodies the NCHS value of collaboration, working closely with both nurses and physicians. With her years of experience, the nurses feel comfortable with her as the pharmacist because she consistently provides a thorough check on medication orders. She is efficient and you know that she will do her best to get you your medication in a timely manner, no matter how busy the day. She is also always uniting the pharmacy team with her sense of spirit.

Thank you, Blanca, for all your years of service to this organization and always making it a fun place to work!

portrait of awarded leader.

PETALS Honoree: Jose Rapien

November 2022

Jose has been instrumental in the development of the family experience volunteer program in the Emergency Department. His collaboration has helped to establish this new program and provide a welcoming and engaging experience to the volunteers. As a member of the volunteer resource team, I could not have asked for a better team to implement this program with, and it's success is showing. Jose's ability to make the volunteers feel welcomed, and part of the Emergency Department team has made all the difference in recruiting other members. Jose has helped us to identify the areas where the service scores could be moved to create a more positive family experience. Thank you, Jose. 
portrait of awarded leader.

PETALS Honoree: Reyna Amador, CA (3 North)

October 2022

"I want to recognize Reyna for her work because she treated me and my family the BEST way you could possible treat a patient and their family. I will be eternally grateful to her" - Antonia Cortes
portrait of awarded leader.

PETALS Honoree: Janet Denis

September 2022

There is a reason we call Janet the Chick-Fil-A of secretaries! She always has a smile on her face and welcomes each and every patient with a warm regard. We have one patient who says “I hate mondays” but then as soon as he sees Janet his demeanor changes. He runs into her arms. She makes Mondays better for everyone. She is constantly doing all she can for the Infusion team and no matter what day we are presented with, she keeps the energy light to get us through the day. The weeks she isn’t there, it is definitely noticed.

This unit is what it is because of her and we could not do this job without her. I am grateful for everything she does day in and day out. Nicklaus Children’s Hospital is blessed to have her as part of their family. She is the definition of all the things we stand for as a hospital. You are out of this world!!!!!!!

portrait of awarded leader.

PETALS Honoree: Maria Lezcano, RRT

August 2022

"Maria is a natural teacher, and I’m sure she doesn’t realize how much I have learned from her. She is second only to my preceptor in helping me learn how to be a NICU nurse, and I don’t only mean vent settings and how to suction a patient. Her attention to detail and holistic approach combine to elevate her above one job title of respiratory therapy, she is a nurse and respiratory therapist combined (sometimes I think she could be a physician). She helps us trouble shoot why a patient is bradying, desatting, often when the root cause is not even directly related to her responsibilities. Listening to her reasoning to figuring out why a patient is decompensating has taught me so much, and her solutions to problems never cease to amaze me. She is always in a good mood, ready and willing to help make sure the night goes smoothly. I always feel safe when Mariais around, whether it be for re-taping an ET tube or doing trach ties, I am 100% confident that it will be done right and in the safest way possible. And, in doing so, she always helps to make sure the patient’s skin is in good condition, going the extra mile to make sure we don’t have any breakdown. She is always ready to assist with suctioning, making sure the timing is right for labs. She gets to know each patient so well that she can tell you the when, where, how, and if you should be doing certain interventions to help with patient care.

Maria’s good reputation means that everyone goes to her for help, even when it is not her patient. Maria never says “that’s not my patient”, she always goes and helps because she wants what is best for everyone. I can think of hundreds of examples, but just last week I had a patient with a parent who was very concerned about her baby, Maria helped to translate for me and put the mother at ease. Another night she heard my baby crying when I was on break. She helped to comfort him and he was sleeping again by the time I got back. To be honest there are no words to describe how wonderful she is, but I hope this nomination portrays how much we love her.

Maria is an amazing team player, and I can’t imagine this unit without her.

Thank you so much for everything Maria!"