Honors a physician whose performance is considered exemplary by patients, peers and other health care providers.
LEKESHIA JARRETT
TITLE: Family Medicine Physician
ORGANIZATION: Wilmington Health
WHAT A NOMINATOR SAID: “Dr. Jarrett is an active member of the YWCA and The Links Inc., which is one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations of extraordinary women who are committed to enriching, sustaining and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry.
Dr. Jarrett is known for also being a public speaker and respected voice in her community. She presented on a Talk on Health with the YWCA, where the goal of the series is to educate, advocate and empower the community to take charge of their health and work with the systems to close health disparities. She also spoke with WECT News educating by dispelling myths about people of color and COVID-19.
... Dr. Jarrett received her BS in biology at Xavier University of Louisiana and earned her Doctor of Medicine at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine. She completed her internship and residency in Family Practice and Community Medicine at the University of South Alabama. She is board certified in family medicine. ... She is a true advocate for social justice, diversity, equity and inclusion.”
– Desirae Hrynko, marketing manager, Wilmington Health
KATERYNA KOTLYAREVSKA
TITLES: Pediatric Endocrinologist/Clinical Assistant Professor
ORGANIZATION: Novant Health Nunnelee Pediatric Multispecialty Care/UNC Health Children’s Wilmington
WHAT A NOMINATOR SAID: “Dr. K, as she is commonly known, always takes time to get to know her young patients …
My daughter has Turner syndrome, and there is a broad spectrum of specialists required to complete care of the patient. Dr. K takes the lead and not only offers great proactive solutions to rising issues but also coordinates the specialists and makes it easy for the parents to understand the complexities of these genetic disorders.
Personally, she has helped my daughter achieve many major milestones in her journey: a) through the use of growth hormone, my daughter was able to exceed the typical height of 48 inches for Turner syndrome girls and is now 5-feet, 4-inches, and her bones grew in proper alignment with her body; b) through blood pressure management, Dr. K. was able to ensure my daughter had the right medications to enable my daughter to still be active and alert; and c) with hormone replacement, my daughter was able to grow and develop as a typical young female through her puberty phase.”
– Paige O’Neill, mother of patient
DERIC WEISS
TITLE: Chief Medical Officer
ORGANIZATION: Lower Cape Fear LifeCare
WHAT A NOMINATOR SAID: “During rounds with staff and during interdisciplinary team meetings, staff regularly witness his extensive knowledge of palliative care and hospice care. He is eager to share his knowledge with staff so they can provide the highest quality care. His staff note ‘We are blessed to be affiliated with such a competent, compassionate, empathetic physician.’
As an educator with local physicians, he developed our current community physician presentation, ‘Your Hardest Discussion Could Be Your Greatest Gift: Talking About Hospice Care with Families.’ This program has educated many physicians, nurse-practitioners, physicians assistants and other providers … about the nuances of the challenging talks with patients and families about the end of life.
The nominee joined our agency four years ago at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding how difficult it was at that time, he still never hesitated to visit patients in the home or facility environment when needed. While many physicians are resistant to home visits because of time commitment or risks, he is quick to make a visit to a patient’s home to provide care or education. ...”
– Eric Walker, vice president of sales, marketing and community engagement, Lower Cape Fear LifeCare
