These heroes are no longer unsung

A doctor who saved twins and saved the day. Nurses who gave far beyond what the job required. Cold-nosed volunteers who snuggled in bed with patients.

It was a night of emotional and heartfelt stories — real-life accounts that shared a common thread of dedication, humility and gratitude at the 13^th annual Health Care Heroes event sponsored by the Charleston Regional Business Journal.

A total of seven Health Care Heroes honorees represented MUSC in four categories, three of whom were named a Health Care Hero of the Year in their respective categories. Special personal tributes were paid to all who were honored at the Nov. 30 event at the Francis Marion Hotel.

Andy Owens, the business journal’s managing editor, welcomed guests and explained why the Charleston Regional Business Journal hosts an event that honors those who stand out in the health care community for their passion and compassion. It surprises him how often he is asked what is it about health care that fits into the journal’s mission of delivering business news.

He shared an experience he had as a young reporter in Marion County, where essentially he covered everything that was considered news, including police and fire calls.

The local fire chief had given him a pager that alerted him of emergencies at the same time as the first responders. Once, he explained, when responding to a fire, he watched as a family witnessed their two-story house go up in ashes. Well past the point of the house being in any way salvageable, a brave fireman ran into the all-consuming flames to collect two gas tanks — which had they ignited, Owens said, the explosion would have leveled two blocks. The thought of the bravery of people who do the unthinkable on a day-to-day basis has never left him.

So, why the business journal? As a public thank you to the doctors, nurses, health care and outreach professionals, first responders, volunteers, health care engineers and service and therapy dogs who don’t turn their backs on danger or need, he said.

“You go toward danger, as we go to safety. You put yourself between us and the danger. And we appreciate it and want to thank you. This year’s nominations took our breath away when we saw all the good being done in our community,” he declared emotionally.

WCIV-TV news anchor Dean Stephens served as the evening’s emcee, bringing his signature humor to the event.

“Weren’t those the good old days of being a reporter?” he asked Owens. “When people liked us. Now, not so much,” he said to laughter and applause. 

Stephens is no stranger to medical emergencies or health care professionals who go above and beyond. Twelve years ago, his then 11-month-old son Sam was run over by a car in their driveway, crushing his head, cheeks and skull. He was rushed by ambulance to the MUSC Children’s Hospital. Sedated, restrained and on life support, Sam’s life hung in the balance. Stephens described how the hour-by-hour waiting game affected him, his wife and family. He shared how the first responders and MUSC doctors, nurses and caregivers are to this day his personal heroes, and to this day, he continues to thank them for his now healthy son.

MUSC Health CEO Patrick Cawley, one of the evening’s presenters, congratulated the honorees for all they do. Nothing you do, he told them, is simply a one-time thing. “You’re being awarded for something you’ve done year after year.”

Cawley shared why he loves coming to this event every year. “As a leader of a health care organization, I see phenomenal people do phenomenal things every single day. I am always amazed, and I get to hand out all kinds of awards. But even amongst that phenomenal group — there is a group that stands out. That’s the best of the best. The people who really get it done. Those are our health care heroes. I’m awed by what you do. And you get up every day and do it again.”

MUSC’s Jessica Shaw of ART 5West and Anna Claire Abbas, who works in the MUSC Children's Hospital, were honored in the “Nurse” category. Cawley presented the awards to both.

Shaw, an oncology nurse, was described by Stephens as the kind of nurse who faithfully devoted her time and expertise to her patients on the job, but who then spends her off hours still on the job, researching new medical techniques, applying for medical grants, buying presents for her patients and celebrating their milestones. Shaw received a grant to create a complimentary medicine cart that includes aroma therapy, art projects, exercise therapy and distraction techniques to help her patients control pain, nausea and anxiety while receiving chemo, and that was just one of the special ways she delivers compassionate care to her patients.

“We’re helping patients and their families at the worst times of their lives. I go home always feeling like I made a difference,” she said, expressing how much her work and patients mean to her.

Abbas’ nomination came from the mother of a 19-month-old who was rushed to the MUSC Pediatric Intensive Care Unit after drowning. She recalled how Anna Claire Abbas cared for her son and their entire family. All the tender things Abbas did for them touched their hearts and created special memories they would have forever. She gave the parents a baby book with hand and foot prints of their child. When the decision was made to remove him from life support, she handed him to them so they could hold him as he passed away. “I can’t put into words again how grateful my family and I were to have angels right there before our eyes,” the grieving mother said in her letter.

Abbas was emotional as she accepted her “Nurse Hero of the Year” award. “This particular case was really hard for me, because the mother was a nurse. It happened to one of our own, she shared with a trembling voice and tears. “I just looked at it as if it were my child lying there, what kind of care would I want them to receive? That’s what makes me love this job so much is that I am able to love on these families during these difficult times, and whether they run back through the door six months later and give me a hug or they don’t, I am just able to provide what they need at the time. But I wouldn’t be able to do it without my team.”

The “Physician Hero of the Year” went to MUSC’s Jersey Cahill, M.D. When he learned of his award, the neonatologist said, “The opportunity to care for and support our most fragile members of society and see them thrive and develop is the ultimate reward one can receive for their skill and effort.”

Stephens explained that Cahill had recently arranged for tiny twins from Canada who were born at 24 weeks to be transported to MUSC for care. Once healthy enough to travel, their return home became an international incident, with Cahill smoothing the way. A State Department official who had observed Cahill’s warmth and familiarity with everyone involved told him he had the wrong nickname: “You’re not a Jersey boy,” she said. You’re a Southern boy.”

“We never hope to meet any of you,” Cahill told the audience, “and Lord knows this one family never hoped to meet us on vacation.  But if you should meet us, it doesn’t matter where you’re from or where you live. It doesn’t matter who your insurance company is. It doesn’t matter if you’re worth $100, or you have a maxed-out Mastercard, or you’re worth $100 million, every child who comes to us, everyone who calls us. . . When you call the Medical University of South Carolina, or any of the perinatal regional centers in the state, all of our resources are at the disposal of your child. At that point in time, your child is our most important asset. Your child is our most important responsibility.”

Perhaps the audience’s favorite category of the evening was the “Service and Therapy Animals.” And MUSC’s two four-legged honorees were both newly coifed and smelling particularly sweet after their baths. Macy, an affectionate 62-pound golden doodle with dreamy brown eyes, and Pete, a charming Portugese water dog with a fuzzy black patch around one eye, were excited to be at the center of attention, as their handlers shared stories of their love of snuggling with patients.

Stephens said that Susan Hall, Macy’s handler, visits children’s rehab clinics and lets the sweet hound do her work. “Sometimes I think my heart is going to burst,” Hall said. “Children in pain, exasperated by the uphill fight, sometime struggle with the rehab. But when Macy arrives, they work twice as hard.”

Hall takes none of the credit for her pup’s loving personality and connection with patients. “She’s really the hero, not me. She’s the one they ask for, not me. She’s the one they want to hug and love on, not me. She’s the one they want to play with, not me. Trust me, if she could talk, she’d be the one up here, not me.”

Pete sniffed the floor for fallen morsels, as he made his way to the podium. He works double the usual pet therapy load and makes everyone feel better, no matter how bad their days have been, said Stephens. He particularly loves to fall asleep in bed with the kids.

His handler, Pennye Hallman, said these four-legged friends are heroes in their own specialties. “All I do is hold the leash.”

“Pete sleeps with the patients, she explained. “Sometimes there are children who have had difficult nights. He gets up in bed with them, and they both fall asleep. He’s not allowed on the bed at home, but he sure takes advantage of it at the hospital.”

In the volunteer category, MUSC had two honorees: Celeste Jilich and Mia McCullough.

Jilich, a third-year medical student who works extremely long hours in her clinical rotations, also manages to serve in numerous volunteer leadership roles with several local nonprofit efforts. She is director of operations for the CARES Clinic, a student-run clinic for uninsured adults; volunteers for People Against Rape, a sexual assault advocacy program that offers support and services for survivors of sexual assault in the Tri-county area; serves as co-president of the Alliance for Equality, an organization promoting equality for LGBTQ individuals; and the co-founder of Break the Cycle, End the Culture, a student organization that strives to provide awareness and education on domestic violence and sexual assault.

Her greatest goal, Stephens said, is to work with people of all backgrounds and incorporate a social justice lens in her work in the medical field.

“The hours are long and grueling, as many of you know and some of you remember,” Jilich said. “And, it’s hard to find time. But sometimes when you’re alone in the library studying, you lose sight of why you went to medical school, why you want to be a doctor. And it’s volunteering and being with people that reminds you why,” she said.

Miss South Carolina Preteen Tymia McCullough, an 11-year-old from Georgetown, suffers with sickle cell anemia, a genetic blood disorder that causes debilitating episodes of intense pain. Still she’s a trooper. Stephens said that after her 49^th hospitalization, she recorded a public service announcement for the Red Cross, encouraging blood donations. She’s not only lobbied South Carolina congressional members, but over the summer, she spoke on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives and met individually with the entire South Carolina delegation, personally pleading with each to save Medicaid. Mia (pronounced Maya), as she is called, also inaugurated a new bloodmobile and was featured in a National Public Radio story. She represents 6 million children nationally who depend on Medicaid for health insurance. She said it’s the reason she’s alive today, despite debilitating sickle cell disease.

When presented with her “Volunteer Hero of the Year” award, she said, “OMG — I am just lost! Well, first, I would like to thank God for this special award. I would like to thank Doctor (Sherron) Jackson, Miss Mary (Johnson), Miss Pat (Votava) and MUSC for always supporting me in whatever we do. And last but not least, my mom, because she pushes me to do my best, reach for the stars, and never give up.”

She told the audience this award means so much to her because of her sickle cell anemia. “I will always be involved with health care, she said stumbling a bit over her words and pausing to collect herself. She looked at the audience and said, “I have a cold,” and then looked at Stephens and said, “I got this!” to huge laughter and applause.

“I am able to show the world you can do anything or be anything, as long as you work hard with a lasting smile. I will always be involved with my community.”