JOPLIN, Mo. – Representing a first for Freeman Health System, a mother and daughter duo were recognized as nominees for the prestigious 2024 Daisy Award, which honors nurses and their remarkable achievements.

April Willis, a 25-year veteran of Freeman’s Birthing Center, was acknowledged first during the health system’s annual Daisy ceremony this week. Rather than heading back to her seat, a visibly emotional Willis turned to address the audience. There, she motioned for Freeman Registered Nurse Taylor Paszek to come forward.

“I am so honored to give the Daisy nominee to my own daughter,” Willis said, blinking back tears. “It is a really cool thing to be able to call her my co-worker, my daughter, and my best friend.”

Moments later, mother and daughter embraced.

While Willis has spent her entire Freeman career inside the Birthing Center, her daughter began her nursing journey at Freeman’s Intensive Care Unit. When Paszek felt unfulfilled by the work, she seized an opportunity to move to the Birthing Center.

“I love it. It’s been so much fun,” Paszek said. “Right now, mom and I work opposite shifts – she works days and I work nights. Hopefully one day we’ll get to work on the same shift. Still, we’re able to pass patients off to each other and I get to tell patients, ‘Well, you’re in the best hands – because this is my mom!’”

Paszek knew working with little ones was her true calling when she spent the day job shadowing her mother when she was still a teen in high school. She called it the best day of her entire high school career.

“I just thought it was the coolest thing!” Paszek said. “When I went into nursing school, the birthing center was actually my favorite clinical, so I guess the writing was on the wall.”

During the 2002 Super Bowl, a Freeman advertisement airing during the local broadcast featured Willis demonstrating her nursing skills by caring for a young pregnant couple at Freeman. Early in the commercial, the camera captures Willis holding and playing with 3-year-old Paszek.

“That was 23 years ago today,” Willis said with a chuckle. “How awesome that now that baby and I work together in the same unit that I made that commercial for? It’s just an absolute full circle.”