Let’s hear it for Valley’s heroes for health care

Hospitals across the coun- try face daunting challenges in their mission to provide professional, comprehensive, affordable and compassionate care to patients in a time of skyrocketing costs and insurance uncertainties.

Toward meeting those challenges, hospitals require a veritable army of dedicated medical and support staff plus growing legions of community supporters. Fortunately, the Mahoning Valley has long been blessed with no shortage of such heroes.

Several of them have been singled out for honors this month for their commitment above and beyond the call of duty. They represent two of the Valley’s leading health-care systems: Akron Children’s Hospital Mahoning Valley and Mercy Health Youngstown.

Atty. James H. Sisek was presented Akron Children’s Hospital Mahoning Valley’s Champions for our Valley’s Children award Tuesday by William Considine, Akron Children’s Hospital’s president and chief executive officer.

Considine, head of Akron Children’s for 38 years, praised Sisek, of Poland, for his generosity and advocacy for the hospital. The praise is well earned.

Sisek has served as charter member of ACH’s Mahoning Valley Community Leadership Council and a member of the ACH Foundation Board of Directors. Coupled with his keen skills in finance and fundraising culled from a distinguished career leading a local trust company, his commitment to the hospital has been instrumental in securing millions of dollars of support for programs at ACH facilities in Mahoning and Trumbull counties.

Those millions of dollars in donations have been critical to the hospital’s success and its ongoing expansion. Hospitals have become increasingly reliant on the generosity of others. Nationwide, the Association of Healthcare Philanthropy reports gifts, pledges and grants to hospitals and health care institutions reached $9.6 billion in 2015.

In addition to Sisek, ACH Mahoning Valley also recognized several individuals and organizations for its the 2017 Children’s Advocate Awards. They are Inspiring Minds, Fostering Dreams, OH WOW! The Roger and Gloria Jones Children’s Center Board of Directors, Operation Search and Help, Resource Mothers and United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley.

MERCY HEALTH HONOREES

Stellar health-care commitments also were duly recognized this week by the Mercy Health Foundation of the Mahoning Valley as it handed out its annual Visionary Awards in Warren.

This year’s Heart of the Mission award went to Sister Margaret Ebin, retired Mercy Health clinician. According to the foundation, she has been a key advocate and resource for the Humility of Mary Sisters and innovative in her vision as former director of ambulatory clinics.

The foundation also honored Duane Piccirrilli, executive director of the Mahoning County Mental Health and Recovery Board, with its Mahoning Valley Leadership in Health Award. Piccirrilli earned the accolades for his work in coordinating and fostering collaboration during the current opiate epidemic.

We join the hospital systems in congratulating these award winners and in encouraging others to follow in their noble and selfless footsteps.