A hero can take many forms and display many traits: humility, knowledge, courage, wisdom, strength, and leadership. The Health Care Hero Awards are presented annually by the Triangle Business Journal and honor individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to health care in the greater Triangle community.

The health care contributions of these award winners touch upon some of the most important and challenging medical issues that we face today, and represent Duke Medicine’s commitment to quality care, innovative research, and excellence in medical education.

We are proud to acknowledge Duke Medicine’s “Health Care Heroes” of 2008.

William Clayton Bordley, MD
Chief of the Division of Hospital and Emergency Medicine in the Department of Pediatrics at Duke University Medical Center and chief of the hospitalist service at Duke Children’s Hospital
Category winner: Hospitalist

Bordley launched the hospitalist division of Duke Children’s Hospital in 2002. Since then he has brought the wealth of his expertise as teacher and physician to this relatively new area, which focuses on patients care in the hospital.

“He has extraordinary leadership abilities as well... He’s very successful in recruiting new faculty and in developing new protocols to optimize patient care both in the hospital and in the emergency department,” says Joseph St. Geme, MD, chair of the department of pediatrics at Duke University Medical Center.

Carolyn Colsher
Manager, Duke HomeCare & Hospice volunteer program
Category winner: Health Care Manager

During Colsher’s five years at Duke HomeCare & Hospice, the number of volunteer’s hours has nearly doubled. According to a co-worker, the increase has everything to do with the deep commitment Colsher inspires through her support and training of the volunteers. The Care Shawl program, The Loving Hugs Blanket program, The Gift of Words program, and a family resource program are all new programs implemented by Colsher to serve the needs of patients and their families.

“She’s the one who encourages the volunteers, listens and provides wonderful training for all of us. She’s poised and articulate, intelligent, caring and well-balanced. It’s just a pleasure to work with her and a pleasure to call her a friend,” says volunteer Sarah Woodward.

Jennifer Garst, MD
Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology
Professional Excellence Award: Physician

Catherine Gilliss
Dean of the Duke University School of Nursing and Vice Chancellor for Nursing Affairs
Category winner: Health Care Manager

Gillis started the Yale-Howard Program with the goal of creating leaders from under-represented groups within the nursing profession.

Gilliss’ strategy comes at a time when the School of Nursing is experiencing unprecedented growth, and global health is increasingly relevant. Her funding sources -- National Institute for Nursing Research, the NIH Center for Minority Affairs, and the Elimination of Health Disparities -- also find value in her vision of reaching out to talented minority students, international and of color, and helping them set their sights higher.

Gilliss gives credit back to the platform from which she has been able to instigate such important change. “To be a part of the top team of academic administrators at Duke is very likely the most satisfying and rewarding experience that I’ve ever had.”

David Goldstein, PhD
Director, Center for Population Genomics and Pharmacogenetics at Duke’s Institute for Genome Sciences and Policy and professor of molecular genetics and microbiology
Category winner: Innovator/Researcher

Goldstein was honored as lead author of a study published by an international team of researchers that used genome research to produce potential breakthroughs in HIV research. Potential breakthroughs from the study include new directions in drug therapy and vaccine development from previously unrecognized host factors related to genetic variation among individuals.

Chris Tobias, spokeswoman for the Institute for Genome Sciences and Policy, says, “He does some really brilliant work, and his intellectual capabilities are a breath of fresh air.”

Ralph Moore
Professional Excellence Award: Volunteer

Moore is honored for his successful leadership in merging Raleigh Community Hospital with Duke University Health System to form Duke Raleigh Hospital.

Moore served Raleigh Community Hospital for periods since 1983 and on Duke University Health System’s Board of Trustees since 2003. He now serves as chairman of Duke Raleigh Hospital’s advisory board. With vision and sway, he has been committed to bringing the support and resources of Duke Medicine to Raleigh and has helped create a five-year plan to facilitate even more growth, including the Duke Raleigh Cancer Center and Duke Raleigh Cardiovascular Plaza. Moore also helped set up Duke Raleigh Hospital’s philanthropic fund, the PG Fox Society.

Paul Nagy
Program Director, Department of Psychiatry Duke Addictions Program
Category winner: Allied Health

Judy Ross Prewitt
Director, Oncology Network Nurses
Professional Excellence Award: Health Care Manager

Alice Rowell
Professional Excellence Award: Nurse

Rowell’s expertise as an orthopaedics team leader extends far beyond the walls of Duke Raleigh Hospital into the impoverished country of Nicaragua. Since 2002, she has partnered with the nonprofit group Cooperative Orthopedics between Nicaragua and America (COAN) to be part of a team that performs about 30 surgeries in a week. Their goal is also to bring education and updated techniques to the local hospital staff amidst challenges of lacking equipment and supplies.

This selfless work is done on Rowell’s vacation time. “The most rewarding thing for me is that you are representing the face of America. You are who these patients see.”

Martin Tornai, PhD
Associate professor at Duke University Hospital’s Department of Radiology with secondary affiliation at Pratt School of Engineering
Professional Excellence Award: Innovator/Researcher

Tornai is honored for his improvements in breast scanners that may enable small tumors to be seen with more accuracy and significantly less exposure to radiation.

The widespread use of the equipment Dr. Tornai has been working on would serve as a significant development from today’s traditional mammograms and could make the experience more comfortable for women.

Lee G. Wilke, MD
General surgeon at Duke University Medical Center
Professional Excellence Award: Physician

Wilke focuses on breast cancer surgery and research and laparoscopic abdominal surgery. She is nominated for the professional excellence award by her co-workers and former patients. They notice the extraordinary care Dr. Wilke gives and describe her as “self-less.”

“I try to encourage my patients based on their personalities and individualize when I talk to them. My goal is to make sure that my patients benefit from both the cutting-edge research that takes place at Duke and to help them understand as much as they can.”

Sarah Woodard
Category winner: Volunteer

Among Woodard’s extensive volunteer activities, the service she provides when she sits beside a person in the final stages of life might be the most difficult. But she considers herself blessed by the opportunity and describes her great love of people as her motivation for the hour or so a week that she
gives to the families she is assigned through Duke HomeCare & Hospice.

For 16 years she has offered what she calls her “ministry of presence,” and has found her niche with dementia patients who are often unable to respond.

Volunteer service coordinator Carolyn Colsher says, “Those facing the end of life find it an easier journey with Sarah at their side. And their families get extra support not available anywhere else at any price.”

Duke ALS Clinic
Professional Excellence Award: Innovator/Researcher

The Duke ALS Clinic is shaped by Director Rich Bedlack’s own experience as a resident when he found it unacceptable to offer a patient a bewildering diagnosis without significant treatment options. The clinic has become a model for providing a better quality of life and new drug alternatives, which Bedlack hopes to see spread over the southeast.

“With research comes hope, and hope is very important, because people who have this disease previously haven’t had a lot of hope.”