Honors an individual or team who successfully implemented a program addressing a problem in health care administration, delivery or community outreach.

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BUFFY ANDREWS 

Title: CEO + Wellness Buff 

Organization: The Made Well Center for Wholeness

What a nominator said: “Buffy goes above and beyond to be creative within the realm of health and wellness. She believes fully that people can get well. She also believes people deserve to access quality mental health and wellness services. Buffy founded The Made Well Center for Wholeness in 2019 because she saw that people in these high-crises management services weren’t really receiving the care they needed due to all the red tape. So she set out to create a wellness center that cultivates health and wellness from a physical, mental and spiritual standpoint. She also saw that there were lots of people in the community who could not afford their health and wellness services, so she sought to create This Whole Life Foundation to be able to provide scholarships for those in need. Buffy is always looking for creative ways to make access to health and wellness possible. She is also always just looking for the best way to actually help her clients heal. Buffy also goes above and beyond with her team at The Made Well Center.”

– Madison Strickland, administrator/office manager, The Made Well Center for Wholeness

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JASON CLAMME

Title: Director of Community Engagement 

Organization: Lower Cape Fear LifeCare

What a nominator said: “Jason has served as the Director of Community Engagement for Lower Cape Fear LifeCare (LCFL), one of the area’s largest nonprofit organizations, for over 21 years. In this role, he has led efforts to communicate the benefits of hospice care, the importance of advance care planning, the value of volunteerism and a myriad of other end of life issues and topics. Jason has devoted his professional career to his community, providing education and awareness to help ensure a better quality of life for patients and families. Jason has become the face and voice in southeast North Carolina for the importance of Advance Care Planning for healthcare as well as an extraordinary community leader who has demonstrated community impact nationally, statewide and locally through his selfless dedication to various programs, initiatives and services … He is thoughtful, humble and an outstanding collaborative who makes people’s lives better collectively addressing gaps and finding solutions to support healthy aging and well-being in our communities.” 

– Suzanne LaFollette-Black, lead AARP volunteer

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NIN PATEL

Title: Pharmacy Technician 

Organization: Dosher Memorial Hospital

What a nominator said: “Fifteen years ago, Nin Patel, a pharmacy tech at Dosher Hospital, wanted to find a way to help mitigate Brunswick County’s growing opioid crisis by getting dangerous and addictive drugs out of circulation. Nin was also aware of the negative environmental impact of careless drug disposal to water systems or potential harm to pets and wildlife. Nin’s desire to keep drugs out of the wrong hands and to dispose of them safely compelled her to team up with the narcotics unit of the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office to start Operation Medicine Cabinet, a semi-annual drug take-back event at Dosher Memorial Hospital.

“This drive-through event makes it easy for community members to dispose of unwanted medications without having to leave their vehicles, and they can participate in a safe environment, under the watch of the Brunswick County Sheriff’s [Office] as well as the Southport Police Department … The Sheriff’s Department helps Dosher staff members sort pills and liquids” before they are incinderated.

– Ilene Evans, director, marketing and community relations, Dosher Memorial Hospital

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Read more about all of the 2023 Health Care Heroes finalists here.