Barb Burmeister
Registered nurse, Froedtert Hospital
Barb Burmeister has been a cancer inpatient nurse for 35 years. She has worked at Froedtert Hospital for 24 years in the inpatient bone marrow transplant unit, and before that she worked for Milwaukee County Hospital (John L. Doyne Hospital) until it was acquired by Froedtert.
“Barb has always been an excellent nurse of incredible technical skills, compassion for patients and families and dedicated to working as a team with all professionals to best serve patients,” said Cathy Buck, president of Froedtert Hospital. “While Barb is soft spoken, her leadership in nursing and on the bone marrow transplant unit cannot be overstated.”
Burmeister is also a major supporter of Kathy’s House, a nonprofit guest house for patients and caregivers who travel to receive care at Milwaukee area hospitals. Kathy’s House is named after Kathy Vogel Kuettner, a patient of Burmeister who died in 2000 after a yearlong battle with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
Kathy’s House opened in 2001 and Burmeister was a supporter from the beginning, making her first donation that year. She also organized the first dinner for Kathy’s House guests provided by the nurses on the bone marrow transplant unit. It has continued twice a year ever since.
A huge Brewers fan, Burmeister has raised more than $11,000 since 2015 selling memorabilia on eBay and sending the profits to Kathy’s House. She also raises money for the Lutheran Home.
“Barb has touched a lot of lives over her career,” said Patty Metropulos, president and chief executive officer of Kathy’s House. “She is an amazing woman and nurse.”
