Health-care heroes honored

THE STAR PRESS

MUNCIE -- Dr. Jan Kornilow lives his life by the golden rule -- and everyone facing a life-threatening emergency in Delaware County is the better for it.

"We're a community, a family, and I treat people how I'd want to be treated," Kornilow said upon accepting the first Health Care Heroes physician of the year award Wednesday for all of the police, firefighters and other emergency workers with whom he works.

Kornilow was among five health-care professionals to be honored during the event, which was sponsored by The Star Press and Ball Memorial Hospital. Finalists in that category also included Dr. Bashar Khatib of Internists Associated and Dr. Joseph Landwehr of Ball Memorial Hospital.

Other winners:

The District 6 Task Force was honored as the Community Achiever in Health Care of the Year. Other finalists included Ball Memorial Hospital Emergency Department and Belinda Hughes of Interlock.

Clara Rice of Ball Memorial Hospital was named Volunteer of the Year. Other finalists were James Clevenger Jr. of the Muncie Fire Department and Kay Stickle of Ball Memorial Hospital.

Bryan Weaver of the Delaware County EMS and commander of the VIPER Team was named Non-physician of the Year. Other finalists were Angie Fritz of Parker Health Care and Rehab and perfusionist John MacIntyre.

Sindee Fry of Ball Memorial Hospital was named Nurse of the Year. Other finalists were Julie Bogue of Parker Health Care and Rehab and Tina Selvey of Ball Memorial Hospital.

The finalists, their friends, families and co-workers gathered Wednesday at the Horizon Center for the Health Care Heroes breakfast.

"You are a positive influence in our community," Doreen C. Johnson, vice president and chief nursing officer at Ball Memorial Hospital, told finalists who are "invited" each day to work with patients.

"This invitation is a sacred trust -- a sacred trust between the provider and those who chose to invite us into their lives. ... Heroes inspire us to be better than we are and better than we believe we can be. Thank you for sharing your talents with us.

For more on these Health Care Heroes, check out The Star Press on Sunday for a special section featuring the honorees.