Here are the winners in the 2013 Health Care Heroes Volunteer category.

VOLUNTEER-Honors a volunteer at a health care provider or other health-related organization who is considered exemplary by people within those organizations.

Jane Broder
TITLE: Volunteer
ORGANIZATION: The Davis Community
WHAT THE NOMINATOR SAID: “[Broder] has a passion for people and creates laughter and fun wherever she appears, whether as a cook for her church or serving as a guide at the Cameron Art Museum.
But at Davis she shines. Every Friday for ‘umpteen’ years she arrives and begins to bring residents to social programs. Easy banter, strong strides bring residents sometimes decades younger than Jane to the common areas for socialization.
She learns about their likes and dislikes, gets them refreshments and comforts those who need a little extra help.
… Her willingness to show that assisted living could be a good experience for people rather than a step toward the end of life has helped create a new look for assisted living throughout the community.
… A volunteer like Jane is hard to find, but once any organization has one like her you want to shout from the rooftops, ‘Thank you, Jane!’ ”
 – Julie Rehder, The Davis Community marketing and community relations administrator

Tor Ljung
TITLE: Plastic and reconstructive surgeon
ORGANIZATION: Wilmington Health
WHAT THE NOMINATOR SAID: “As a plastic surgeon, [Ljung] treats patients through reconstructive and cosmetic surgery. By eliminating or minimizing physical abnormalities caused by accidents, disease and congenital defects, he restores confidence and normalcy for reconstructive patients.
… When Dr. Ljung isn’t positively changing the lives of local patients, he is an active leader in the philanthropic organization Operation Rainbow.
The nonprofit organization based out of Sugarland, Texas provides surgical care to the most underprivileged children in the world.
Dr. Ljung travels annually with the organization and provides orthopaedic intervention to children and young adults suffering from congenital abnormalities or untreated chronic injury in underserved areas
… With each trip, Operation Rainbow changes the lives and future outcomes for 50-60 children … Dr. Ljung proudly represents Wilmington Health and the community and actively works with other providers and residents in the area to encourage participation with Operation Rainbow, going so far as to help secure the necessary items needed for each mission trip.”
– Kelly Schaudt, Wilmington Health senior operator of Lean Operations

Jonathan Woods
TITLE: Physician
ORGANIZATION: Southeastern Nephrology
WHAT THE NOMINATOR SAID: “Dr. Woods maintains an equal balance with his patients at New Hanover Regional Medical Center, the nine various dialysis units he rounds at … [and] he runs a free patient care clinic in Kenansville and provides free care to those who do not qualify for Medicaid/Medicare.
Dr. Woods also does many behind-the-scenes logistics and quality care for the Willie Stargell event benefitting dialysis patients and raising awareness.
In his free time he educates students, patients and school-aged children about organ donation.
He is working with the NCDMV to bring mobile DMV clincis to Wilmington and surrounding areas to encourage donation of organs and raise awareness.
 … He is bringing a pediatric dialysis unit to ILM from Chapel Hill.
This means mothers, fathers and families of ill babies and children will no longer need to travel hours on end to RDU.
… He travels to Haiti to run a clinic for free health care for orphans, elders and the terminally ill while educating nurses on routine care and triage.”
– Narelle Helmer, consultant