Bassett RN Cadence Johnson Honored with Pearl F. Day Award
COOPERSTOWN—On December 4, the Bassett Medical Center Board of Trustees presented Cadence Johnson, RN, with the prestigious 2025 Pearl F. Day Award for excellence in nursing practice. Cadence works in Bassett Medical Center’s Inpatient Surgery Department.
“I am incredibly honored to receive this award,” said Johnson. “To me it means that I am successfully advocating for patients and ensuring that they get the care they need and deserve—and that’s why I became a nurse. It also means that my colleagues see me as a person to go to whenever they have a question or need assistance. And it means that they see the effort I put into bettering myself as a person and as a nurse to provide the best care possible for our patients.”
Though Bassett Medical Center’s Board of Trustees presented the award, winners are chosen by their peers. RNs and LPNs at Bassett Medical Center nominate candidates and later vote for the winner. While considering many qualities that make a nurse exemplary, the nomination criteria highlight the importance of forming a warm, personal connection with patients and families.
“Cadence’s kindness and dedication are evident in every interaction, as she greets each patient with a warm smile and a listening ear,” explains her nomination. “Her unwavering commitment not only improves the lives of her patients but also inspires those around her to strive for excellence. In every sense, she is a beacon of compassion and professionalism.”
“It warms my heart to read what my colleagues had to say in my nomination,” Johnson reflected. “Thank you to everyone who makes this award possible and a huge thank you to my incredible colleagues. I love working with you every day.”
Pearl F. Day, the award’s namesake, was a nurse at the United States Naval Hospital in Brooklyn who cared for Henry Allen Moe from 1919 to 1920 following severe injuries sustained in a naval accident. Day’s remarkable care made such an impression on Moe that he established this award in her honor over five decades later by a bequest in 1975. In his lifetime, Moe served as the chair of Bassett’s Board of Trustees and a trustee of the Clark Foundation, among many other charitable positions.
“The story of this award alone shows the power of nursing,” said Angela Belmont, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, chief nurse executive of Bassett Healthcare Network. “Cadence is worthy of that legacy. We are fortunate to have her as a caregiver and colleague.”
