HEALTH FIRST CHIEF Clinical Officer and Chief Nursing Officer Cheyana Fischer (middle) is joined by Brevard Heart Foundation Director Stacy Cartechine, at left, to award a Heart of a Hero award to Paula Ludwig, Director of Patient Services, Hospice of Health First.

More than a dozen Health First doctors, nurses, counselors and managers were honored with Hearts of a Hero awards at the 3rd  awards gala hosted by the Brevard Heart Foundation April 6 at the Crowne Plaza Oceanside.

“Health First has a long history of providing excellent, advanced care close to home for our community. One of the best ways to be able to provide excellent care right here in Brevard is to invest in future nurses and doctors, which is just one of the reasons we love this Foundation and their mission,” said Cheyana Fischer, Health First’s Chief Clinical Officer and Chief Nursing Officer, during remarks introducing the Excellence in Leadership award to Paula Ludwig, Director of Patient Care Services at Hospice of Health First.

Along with Ludwig, the following Health First physicians, clinicians and staff received awards:

• Interventional Cardiologist Steven Karas, MD
• Cardiologist John Hoyle, MD
• Cardiac Electrophysiologist Vishal Patel, MD
• Michael Perry, Cardiac Cath Lab Coordinator, Health First’s Holmes Regional Medical Center
• Katie Kennedy, Nurse, Pediatric Emergency Department, Holmes Regional
• AnneMarie Lake, Nurse, Health First Home Health
• Sarah Belmont, Nurse, Health First’s Palm Bay Hospital
• Cameron Humes, Nurse, Palm Bay Hospital
• Bailey Bonnett, Nurse, Health First’s Cape Canaveral Hospital
• Makayla McCombs, Nurse, Cape Canaveral Hospital
• Leigha Bartram, Medical Assistant, Cape Canaveral Hospital Medical Plaza
• Charles Parker, Pastoral Care and Grief Counseling, Hospice of Health First

In all, 15 Health First associates and leaders were invited to the stage to receive awards or give remarks during the event – none more than Health First Cardiologist Kevin Campbell, MD, FACC, who emceed the evening and was earlier this year picked board president of the nonprofit.

"I am so fortunate to serve in both of these roles, as a Health First Cardiologist and the board president for the Brevard Heart Foundation,” he said after. “Each allows me to serve my fellow Brevard County residents.  

“It was an honor to publicly recognize the good deeds of my Health First colleagues and friends. Hearing stories of patients and their families who are positively impacted by these good deeds – it inspires me to be a better physician every single day and work harder for my patients and their families." 

READ all of the coverage and see photos at Space Coast Daily HERE.