KDAT Honors More Eastern Iowa ‘Healthcare Heroes’ — Week of 6/1

We said "thank you" to five more amazing healthcare workers in Eastern Iowa this week!

Each weekday at 12:20 p.m. we honor a local healthcare worker with our 'Healthcare Hero of the Day' award, brought to you by Billion Honda of Iowa City. We also like to compile each week's winner into an article, just in case you missed one! Here are this week's heroes:

• 6/1
  • Krystle DeShaw, Director of Nursing at the Good Neighbor Home in Manchester
  • Nominated anonymously
  • "Krystle always comes to work with a smile on her face, no matter what the circumstances are. She’s also always looking out for her employees and wants to do anything she can to make their day better. On top of being the DON, she’s the best mother to two young girls. Krystle is very deserving of this as she’s always going the extra mile, not only for her family, but also for her work family. You can always count on Krystle to have a positive attitude and a smile that will lighten the mood. She is the type of person who would give the shirt off her back to someone in need! I can’t think of anyone more deserving of this than Krystle. Thank you for all you’ve done and continue to do, Krystle! It doesn’t go unnoticed."
• 6/2
  • Mindi Jackson, BSN/RN at Regional Medical Center in Manchester.
  • Nominated by Missy McIntyre
  • "Mindy is not just a nurse. She is a wife, a mother of four boys, and a student, taking online classes to become an NP. And, if that isn't enough to keep her busy, she started the Delaware County Pay it Forward COVID-19 Facebook page. She began to see the needs emerge in the community through her work as a nurse at Regional Medical Center, so she started this page to round up volunteers and resources to aid in her vision to help others by “filling in the gaps,” which has become a reality and is thriving with multiple programs for our community. I couldn't be more proud of her! Keep doing what you do!"

• 6/3
  • Lindsay Fjelstul, care manager/director of nursing at Pinicon Place in Anamosa
  • Nominated anonymously
  • "Lindsay has been a nurse for over 17 years. She works really hard every single day to provide the best care possible for her residents/patients. She loves her job and if you were to ask anyone that knows Lindsay, they would agree that she is deserving of this award."
• 6/4
  • Debbie Brashear-Troester, RN at Meadowview Assisted Living
  • Nominated by Kimberly Draker
  • "Debbie is a passionate person. She is passionate about her work and the residents that she cares for. She understands the proper care for dementia patients and how to make them feel comfortable during this pandemic, as many of them are unable to see family and close friends. She goes the extra mile when a family member asks for her assistance to look over their loved one, and reports back immediately on how their loved one is doing. She understands all of this because she has a mother that has this same disease that she takes care of when she is not working."

• 6/5
  • Cassie Dirks
  • Nominated by Connie Dietiker
  • "Cassie is my health care hero, my daughter, the mother of my grandsons, and the best nurse I know. She started her career holding some of the tiniest lives in her hands at Unity Point’s NICU. Today, she is busy keeping kiddos safe as she works as a care coordinator at Hiawatha Pediatrics Office. She works hard every day keeping not only her patients safe, but her family safe. Cassie was my hero when my mom (her grandma) died last August. She is our family’s healthcare hero. Thank you, Cassie, for all that you do, and stay safe."

Nominate a deserving healthcare worker in your life HERE!