Huntington Health presents Heart of Huntington Award

On July 25, Huntington Health held the organization’s seventh Heart of Huntington Award ceremony. Developed as a peer-to-peer recognition program for employees, physicians and volunteers, this quarterly award honors clinical and non-clinical individuals for displaying extraordinary acts of kindness to our patients, their families and one another.

Lori J. Morgan, MD, MBA, president and CEO, Huntington Health, presented Heart of Huntington Awards to Danny Cuellar, patient care associate, emergency services; Karla Marshall, RN, BSN, same-day surgery; Lisa Crave, MSW, clinical social worker, Senior Care Network; and Robert Castleman, security officer.

Danny Cuellar accepted the clinical Heart of Huntington Award after receiving 22 nominations – one of the most nominations received for an individual! He was nominated for always going above and beyond to serve patients and support colleagues. Recently, Danny’s attentiveness helped avert a potential crisis for a young patient with asthma exacerbation. While staff were retrieving equipment to treat the boy, Danny noticed he had stopped breathing. Danny immediately administered mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to supply his brain and body with oxygen. Danny’s quick thinking most likely prevented the young patient from going into cardiac arrest.

“Danny is known by his colleagues for remaining focused on ensuring the safety of his patients and coworkers. He takes appropriate steps to safely diffuse any tense situations that may arise. And, whenever needed, Danny will jump in to ensure lifesaving care,” said Dr. Morgan.

Clinical Social Worker for Senior Care Network Lisa Crave received the non-clinical Heart of Huntington Award. Lisa was nominated for her positive impact on seniors in the community and the great lengths she goes to understand and address their complex problems. One of her recent clients needed to transition into an assisted living facility and was very concerned about what to do with her many prized belongings that lined the walls of her longtime residence. With decreased physical stamina and minimal family support, her client could not relocate her items alone. Lisa worked with several organizations to help clear the home while honoring her client’s dignity and respecting her autonomy to decide about her belongings. 

“Thanks to Lisa’s unrelenting support, patience and creativity, the client successfully moved out of her home and into an assisted living facility of her choosing. As a champion of compassionate community care, Lisa is truly the Heart of Huntington,” Dr. Morgan said.

Dr. Morgan also recognized clinical finalist Karla Marshall for using her warmth, compassion and sense of humor to help a frightened staff member feel more at ease before undergoing hip surgery. Karla, who has worked at Huntington for the past 41 years with experience in the catheterization lab, NICU and education department, used her vast medical knowledge to answer the staff member’s questions and lessen her anxiety.

“It’s awe-inspiring to imagine the countless number of patients whose lives have been similarly touched by Karla’s compassion and expertise for more than four decades of service. I am grateful for her many years of dedicated service to our community,” said Dr. Morgan.

Security Officer Robert Castleman was the non-clinical finalist, nominated for his reliability, patience and professionalism. On one particular shift, Robert demonstrated these skills when he handled a difficult visitor repeatedly attempting to see a patient who, for safety reasons, was not allowed to have visitors. Despite Robert’s courteous explanation, over and over, he had to politely escort the visitor out and remain calm so that others were not alarmed. Even when the visitor attempted to disguise herself, Robert never wavered; he stayed the course until the situation was resolved.   

“While he’s known for taking his job very seriously, Robert always maintains a polite and professional approach to keeping staff, patients and their families safe here on campus, even when dealing with challenging situations. His patience and professionalism are remarkable,” said Dr. Morgan.

Congratulations to our recipients and finalists!