Amanda Masek, NICU Clinical Nurse
Northwestern Medicine Prentice Women’s Hospital
Nominated by Marni Parsons

"I am honored to nominate Amanda for the Jackson Chance Owl Award because she is so much more than a nurse to our family. She became a source of comfort, strength, and love during one of the most vulnerable and uncertain times of our lives.

Our twin boys spent 10 weeks in the NICU, and Amanda was there from the moment they were delivered. As our primary nurse, she cared for them day after day, but she also cared for us. For those 10 weeks, she saw us through the highs, the lows, the setbacks, and the milestones. Whenever she could, Amanda made a point of being there for our family, even when she wasn't assigned to our boys. Seeing her each day brought a sense of comfort and familiarity during a time when so much of our lives felt uncertain. She understood that having babies in the NICU meant that our entire family was going through something together. She welcomed our family and friends, got to know the people who mattered most to us, and somehow made the NICU feel a little less frightening and a little more like home.

Amanda is kind, warm, intelligent, selfless, compassionate, realistic, and deeply empathetic. She always seemed to know exactly what we needed. Sometimes we needed reassurance, sometimes we needed honesty, and sometimes we simply needed someone to listen. She was always there. Her knowledge gave us confidence, while her warmth gave us peace.

What makes Amanda truly extraordinary is that she never made us feel like we were simply another family passing through the NICU. Over those 10 weeks, she became part of our family. She formed a genuine bond with our boys and with all of us. She got to know our family and friends, celebrated the good moments with us, and supported us through the difficult ones. Amanda did us the incredible favor of caring for our twin boys, but what she gave us went far beyond their medical care. She became part of our family’s story—a story that we will tell our boys for the rest of their lives. When they grow up and we tell them about the people who helped them get their start, Amanda will always be one of the people we talk about.

Our time in the NICU could have been defined entirely by fear, uncertainty, and worry. Instead, people like Amanda gave us moments of comfort, laughter, hope, and love. She helped make an incredibly difficult chapter more bearable simply by being there. We will always be grateful that Amanda was there from the very beginning. We were incredibly lucky to have her caring for our boys, but even luckier to have met someone who became so meaningful to our family.

Amanda deserves the Jackson Chance Owl Award not only for the exceptional nurse she is, but for the extraordinary person she is. She didn't just take care of our babies. She took care of our family. And for that, she will forever be a part of our family’s story.”