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D&E in the News

3-25-09 - 2009 Winners of Second Annual Healthcare Heroes Awards

 

Healthcare Awards

Harrisburg, PA (March 25, 2009) - Central Penn Parent magazine and sponsors announced today the winners of the second annual Healthcare Heroes awards program at Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts.

The Healthcare Heroes awards program is an effort to recognize excellence, promote innovation and honor the efforts of individuals and organizations making a significant, positive impact on the quality of health care in Central Pennsylvania. Finalists in eight categories of awards were honored this morning during a special video presentation and the top scoring finalist in each category received an award. The complete list of finalists in their respective categories follows this release.

The 2009 Healthcare Heroes awards program is presented by Madden Physical Therapy, and additional sponsors include Holy Spirit Health System, Memorial Hospital, Bayada Nurses and Pennsylvania's Preferred Health Networks.

2009 Healthcare Heroes award winners

Traci D. Cook, EMS chief, Citizens' Hose Company No. 1 of Dillsburg
Traci Cook is the Healthcare Heroes award winner in the Allied Healthcare Hero category. Cook is recognized for the pre-hospital care she provided during a motor vehicle accident on September 9, 2008. Cook, off duty at the time, promptly responded to the accident by calling 911 and saved an infant's life by performing respiratory resuscitation until additional emergency medical services arrived.

Edward H. Arnold and Jeanne D. Arnold, Volunteers, Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital (PSHCH)
Ed and Jeanne Arnold are the Healthcare Heroes award winners in the Children's Health Advocate Individual category. The Arnolds are recognized for their dedicated time and energy to advancing the health and wellness of children in the Central Pennsylvania area. The Arnolds have donated funds to create the Hummingbird Program, a program designed to meet the needs of PSHCH patients diagnosed with "chronic and complex medical conditions." Additionally, the Arnolds contributed $5 million to the new Children's Hospital and other funds towards the Cleft Lip and Palate Program, Children's Miracle Network and Pediatric Obesity Weight Management Camp.

St. Joseph Health Ministries
St. Joseph Health Ministries is the Healthcare Heroes award winner in the Children's Health Advocate Organization category. St. Joseph Health Ministries is recognized for the "Brush. Brush. Smile!" Program designed to improve the oral health of low income or economically-disadvantaged children in Lancaster County. The mobile dental health clinic, known as the "Brush. Brush. Bus," travels to each of Lancaster's school districts with a dentist, dental hygienist and dental assistant to provide oral services to the children. Since its beginning in 2004, the program has provided 12,000 children between the ages of birth to 18 years with more than $2 million in free dental care and oral health education.

Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition
PA Breast Cancer Coalition (PBCC) is the Healthcare Heroes award winner in the Education Hero category. The PA Breast Cancer Coalition is recognized for its outstanding dedication to breast cancer educational programming, legislative advocacy and research grants. Since its inception in 1993, the coalition has represented, supported and served breast cancer survivors and their families in Pennsylvania. PBCC's latest initiative is to improve the access to quality breast cancer care for uninsured women of low or moderate income by providing them with free treatment through the Breast and Cervical Prevention and Treatment Program.

D&E Communications, Inc.
D&E Communications, Inc. is the Healthcare Heroes award winner in the Innovation Hero category. D&E Communications, Inc. is recognized for being an active player in promoting wellness to its 500 employees in central Pennsylvania through lasting behavioral changes. D&E's Employee Wellness Committee (EWC) educates employees on healthy living and provides the appropriate tools to engage in a healthy lifestyle. D&E also encourages employees to maintain a strong relationship with their primary physician to ensure early preventative measures so that they live a long and productive life.

Minda Bernhardt, LPN, Home Care, Hospice of Lancaster County
Minda Bernhardt is the Healthcare Heroes winner in the Nurse of the Year category. Bernhardt is recognized for her loving dedication to her patients at Hospice of Lancaster County. Her patients describe her as an angel here on earth. Bernhardt goes the extra mile to meet the needs of her patients physically, emotionally and mentally by taking time to know them personally. Bernhardt states, "What I like best about my role in the health care industry is having the opportunity to share in the lives of so many."

Dr. Lisa A. Fritz, DO, Director of Medical Education, Memorial Hospital
Dr. Lisa Fritz is the Healthcare Heroes winner in the Physician of the Year category. Dr. Fritz is recognized for her dedication to women diagnosed with breast cancer. After dealing with breast cancer herself, Dr. Fritz started the P.I.N.K. (Power, Information, Networking, and Knowledge) group as a support network to women who are newly diagnosed with breast cancer. Her commitment to educating physicians within Memorial Hospital and her support offered to women with cancer makes her an inspiration to those around her. Dr. Fritz stated, "If I can touch the life of just one woman and let her know that she is not alone, I will feel like I have succeeded."

Kennedy Jet Kulish, Community Volunteer, Founder, Kisses for Kaeden
Kennedy Jet Kulish is the Healthcare Heroes winner in the Volunteer of the Year category. This 12-year-old is recognized for her profound dedication to community service. When her younger brother Kaeden was born with a hole in his heart, Kulish started a youth service project called "Kisses for Kaeden" and has raised over $79,000 for several non-profit organizations serving children with special hearts. These organizations include Penn State Children's Hospital, M.D.A., Children's Miracle Network, Lancaster City Police Department, Juvenile Arthritis Foundation, American Heart Association, American Red Cross, Hershey Hearts Foundation, Ronald McDonald House of Hershey, Make a Wish Foundation and "MOMS" House of Lancaster.

2009 List of Finalists in their Respective Categories