Volunteer earns national recognition
Longtime West Valley Medical Center volunteer and Caldwell resident, Kathy Ward, has been recognized nationally for her extraordinary commitment to supporting our community, our hospital and our patients.
HCA Healthcare, one of the nation’s leading healthcare providers, presented its annual HCA Healthcare Awards of Distinction recently at a ceremony in Nashville, Tennessee. The HCA Healthcare Awards of Distinction — comprising the Frist Humanitarian Award and the Excellence in Nursing Award — are the highest honors HCA Healthcare bestows on employees, physicians and volunteers, recognizing individuals who exemplify the organization’s culture and values.
“The HCA Healthcare Awards of Distinction celebrate the remarkable individuals whose work and lives reflect the patient-centered and humanitarian values of HCA Healthcare,” said Sam Hazen, chief executive officer of HCA Healthcare. “It takes all of us to fulfill our collective responsibility to show up for our patients and to live out our organization’s commitment to supporting our communities and one another.”
Ward received the Frist Humanitarian Award which was created in 1971 and named after Dr. Thomas F. Frist, Sr. (1910-1998), honoring those within the organization whose work and lives embody the humanitarian principles upon which HCA Healthcare was founded.
Frist Humanitarian Award employee and volunteer recipients receive a $10,000 cash gift and a $10,000 gift to a charity of their choice, while the physician recipient receives a $20,000 gift to the charity of their choice.
“I volunteer because I want people to feel supported and cared for when they’re facing something hard,” said Ward, Frist Humanitarian Award recipient. “Receiving this award is such an honor, but the real reward has always been the smiles, hugs and hope I’ve been able to share.”
“There’s no doubt Kathy Ward shines brightly enough to be recognized on a national level,” said Senta Cornelius, Vice President of Human Resources at West Valley Medical Center. “Her selfless commitment to bettering the lives and health of others, along with her innovative efforts to strengthen our community, embody the values of West Valley Medical Center, HCA Healthcare and the Frist Humanitarian Award.”
While her decades of volunteer service distinguished her nomination, the award particularly recognized her work with breast cancer patients through the Pink Angel Project. Ward raised funds to assemble comfort bags for women recently diagnosed with breast cancer. She personally delivers each bag to patients.
"After losing a dear friend to breast cancer, I felt called to focus my efforts on helping women through their own journeys. From organizing Power of Pink events to delivering Pink Angel comfort bags, it’s an honor to walk alongside patients and remind them they are not alone,” said Ward.
“I was overwhelmed and uncertain when I received my diagnosis,” said Mary Armstrong, a patient who received a Pink Angel bag. “When Kathy presented me with the bag, I felt so special and loved. It was exactly what I needed in that moment. It was like a comforting hug from the community and the hospital.”
“Kathy Ward lives the Frist ideals. With each bag, she delivers the unmeasurable, elusive thing we call hope,” said Lorene Oates, Volunteer Coordinator at West Valley Medical Center. “Kathy exemplifies what it means to raise the bar, and I’m so proud that she is part of the West Valley family.”
In addition to her work with the Pink Angel Project, Ward’s impact extends far beyond the hospital walls. She was the founder of the Power of Pink walk/run and the Caldwell Night Rodeo golf tournament, efforts that raised thousands of dollars annually to help local women access mammograms and diagnostic services.
“Kathy Ward is an exceptional volunteer, driven by a relentless spirit to serve her community and patients,” said Kaycee Emery, Director of Communications and Community Engagement at West Valley Medical Center. “Her leadership and generosity have touched countless lives, and we are so proud to see her honored at the national level.”
Recipients of the HCA Healthcare Awards of Distinction are first nominated at the facility level, then advance through the division, before final enterprise-level recognition.