Here are the finalists in the 2015 Health Care Heroes Community Achievement category.

Honors an individual or team who successfully implemented a program addressing a problem in health care administration or delivery.
 

Katrina Knight and David Rice

TITLES: Knight: Executive director/Rice: Director

ORGANIZATIONS: Knight: Good Shepard Center/Rice: New Hanover County Health Department

WHAT THE NOMINATOR SAID: “In 2004, Good Shepherd and the New Hanover County Health Dept. joined forces to address a serious gap in  health care delivery in our community – a sizable homeless population with considerable health care needs that  too often went unaddressed except at the Emergency Room.

Providing non-threatening, no-appointment-necessary care in a modest clinic situated within the shelter, they  succeeded in drawing into care even the most severely mentally ill who were historically reluctant to access  unfamiliar providers and tended to miss referral appointments elsewhere.

Funded by Good Shepherd but staffed by caring nurses and a volunteer physician from the Health Department, the clinic has provided literally thousands of homeless neighbors with free, quality health care and follow-up.”

-Katrina Knight, Good Shepherd Center executive director
 

Mary Earp

TITLE: Founder of Brunswick Pink Angels

ORGANIZATION: Brunswick Pink Angels/Novant Health Foundation Brunswick Medical Center

WHAT THE NOMINATOR SAID: “As a breast cancer survivor, Mary chose to volunteer her time to help women that were facing the devastating news of a cancer diagnosis.

The Brunswick Pink Angels create comfort bags that are placed in physician offices such as Novant Health Surgical Associates in Bolivia to give the newly diagnosed. The bags are filled with inspirational books, a notebook, a blanket, socks, Aloe Vera cream, a homemade toboggan, educational items, etc.  

As soon as a woman in Brunswick County receives a breast cancer diagnosis, they are given the bag in which they have the support of other survivors and items that will help with the journey of battling breast cancer.

Mary reached out to Novant Health Foundation Brunswick Medical Center last year to form a partnership between the Brunswick Pink Angels and the Foundation. This partnership gave the group a nonprofit status and ensures that the mission will continue on for the women “of the Brunswick County. “

-Victoria Bellamy, Novant Health community engagement specialist

Carolyn Moser

TITLE: Director

ORGANIZATION: Pender County Health Department

WHAT THE NOMINATOR SAID: “Carolyn Moser is a professional who wants the best possible health for every citizen of the county.

She runs an efficient operation. She makes certain proper entities are billedfor services and she maintains her budget with integrity.

She is also concerned for the employees in her department and she recently requested a deputy to ensure the employees’ safety.

Carolyn oversees the animal shelter. She took a poorly run operation and has turned it into a facility where adoptions are high and animal care is a priority. Carolyn’s life has been health and safety and she is a perfect person to receive a heroes award.”

-Tammy Proctor, Pender County tourism director

She has been in the health care field for 33 years. Prior to coming to Pender County, she was the health director in Madison County. She worked as health consultant for the state and helped write The North Carolina Guide for the Early Years, a resource for local school systems. She is also past president of the N.C. Public Health Association and president-elect of the Eastern District N.C. Public Health Association.