Awarding unsung heroes of healthcare from across the country - with a little help from a “New Kid on the Block”

26 July 2016 – Iselin, NJ – Ansell, a global leader in protection solutions, is proud to announce the winners of the 4th annual US Ansell Cares® H.E.R.O. (Heal. Educate. Reach. Overcome. ®) Nurse Service Award. This award serves to recognize nurses who have made lasting impressions on their peers, patients, profession, and communities.

To kick off the program, nurses from around the country were nominated by friends, family, colleagues, and patients, followed by a voting period. In recognition of their accomplishments, 10 winners will each receive a H.E.R.O. Nurse Service Award plaque and certificate, a nursing reference book of their choice, and will have their story profiled online. In addition, the top vote recipient of the 10 winners will receive a donation to the charity of their choice.

The 2016 contest was bigger and better than ever:

• More than 35,000 votes cast

• 30% increase for winning votes over prior years

• 300% increase in web traffic to www.ansellhero.com

• 450% increase in social media votes

This year’s program also had a special supporter in Donnie Wahlberg – mega star member of New Kids on the Block, the hit television show Blue Bloods, Wahlburgers, and Donnie Loves Jenny. Donnie’s mother, Alma, raised nine children while simultaneously maintaining a successful career as a nurse. She was a HERO to both her children and her patients.

Without further ado, we are happy to announce the 2016 Ansell Cares H.E.R.O. Nurse Service Award winners. Of the 10 recipients, the HERO with the most votes is Rebecca White, BSN, RN from Texas Children’s Hospital. “As a mother of a child with debilitating chronic illness, I found myself called to the nursing profession, inspired by the heroes I came in contact with in the NICU nine years ago,” says White. Seven years later, Rebecca made her way back to that NICU, though this time on the other side. Now that she's a nurse, she spends her time off volunteering in the community and going above and beyond at her organization. “Special thanks to Ansell for promoting nursing in this extraordinary way and for doing what you do, so we can do what we do.” A $10,000 donation will be made in Rebecca’s name to the Children’s Craniofacial Association http://www.ccakids.com/.

This year’s additional winners are:

• Paolo Pentines: Legacy Meridian Park Medical Center – Oregon

• Verconica Vital: Chamberlain College of Nursing – Arizona

• Heather McKelvy: Stanford Children’s Hospital – California

• Jean Iris Foxworth: National Park Medical Center – Arkansas

• Paula Goff: Advocate Lutheran General Hospital – Illinois

• Carla Khristina: Sunrise Hospital – Nevada

• Kim Kiser: Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center – North Carolina

• Michele Lynch: VA Hospital NWIHCS – Nebraska

• Brenda McFadden: Marathon Health/T.J. Samson Community Hospital – Kentucky

“On behalf of everyone at Ansell, we would like to congratulate all of the nominees and winners, especially Rebecca. Her story is certainly inspirational”, says Anthony López, President and General Manager, Medical Solutions at Ansell. “Each year we are honored to recognize deserving nurses across the country for their outstanding contributions within the medical profession, and throughout the communities where they work and live. They are the exemplary professionals who demonstrate commitment, excellence, and innovation. Indeed they are role models for all of us to follow.”

For more information on all of this year’s winners visit www.ansellhero.com.

ENDS