Sharon Wright of Hardin Memorial Health Receives Ceca Foundation Special Award for Caregiving Excellence
Celebrating the Extraordinary Service of Healthcare Workers During the Time of COVID
WASHINGTON, DC, July 23, 2020 -- Ceca Foundation is pleased to honor Sharon Wright, Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer at Hardin Memorial Health (HMH), was presented with the Ceca Special Award for Caregiving Excellence. The Special Awards were designed specifically to recognize exceptional acts of caregiving by healthcare workers on the frontlines and behind the scenes, who are working tirelessly every day to protect our most vulnerable populations from COVID-19.
Ceca, which partners with hospitals and healthcare communities to honor their exceptional caregivers, had not previously accepted nominations from outside its network. But Sharon Wright’s nomination was so overwhelmingly inspiring, Ceca felt compelled to honor her through this Special Award. Her nominator, a Hardin Memorial Health Foundation Board Member, also donated to Ceca to extend thanks to so many other wonderful caregivers out there like Sharon, who truly embody what it means to care for others.
Sharon’s nomination highlighted her leadership in preparing HMH for the novel coronavirus — assembling a multidisciplinary team and serving as Hardin’s Incident Commander, attending to every nuance and detail of response. She researched the issues and collaborated with other hospitals to find creative ways to serve all patients and keep the HMH team safe: turning critical care rooms into negative pressure rooms, procuring personal protective equipment, establishing a sterilization hub for N-95 masks, and more. All the while, she paid keen attention to her team’s emotional and physical well-being, and worked tirelessly to keep lines of communication open, internally and within Hardin. “Sharon’s passion for patients and love for others make her the consummate servant leader, and the reason for much of Hardin’s success,” said Dennis Johnson, CEO and President, Hardin Memorial Health.
On Wednesday, July 22, Sharon was celebrated by fellow staff members, patients, families, and the Ceca team at their Hardin Memorial Health in Elizabethtown, KY.
Matthew Lawlor, Founder and Executive Chair, further stated, “We are proud to honor Sharon, as we have hundreds of caregivers at partner communities since our founding. But her story is unique. The excitement and enthusiasm of her peers at Hardin Memorial show that she is not only respected but loved by those she encounters every day."
“The Sharon Wright story is exceptional and, while we actively recognize and reward caregivers throughout our network of hospitals and healthcare communities, we know there are thousands of heroes across the country who deserve recognition,” notes Ceca President, Nate Hamme. “So, during these extraordinary times, we are inviting those outside our network to submit their own stories about the kindness, selflessness, creative ideas and extraordinary acts of care that we need to get through these difficult times.”
Added Hamme, “We share the healthcare community’s passion for providing exceptional patient service and hope that these Special Awards help ensure that our country never forgets the sacrifices healthcare workers make every day caring for our loved ones. We owe them all a debt of gratitude.”