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NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst Female Staff Recognized in Glamour Magazine’s ‘Women of the Year’ Award
Oct 15, 2020
NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst today announced that its female frontline staff members were recognized as one of Glamour’s ‘Women of the Year.’ Four frontline staff members’ COVID-19 experience were featured in the magazine spread, ‘Guardians of Elmhurst,’ documenting the hospital’s heroic response to the pandemic. NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst Chief Medical Officer Dr. Jasmine Moshirpur, critical care nurse Navdeep Kaur, RN, director of pathology Veronica Henry, and Meida Sanchez, an environmental services team member, represented the experiences of the hospital during the first COVID-19 wave in Queens. This year, Glamour’s ‘Women of the Year’ award is celebrating its 30th anniversary of recognizing female game changers, rule breakers, and trailblazers across all sectors.
“I want to thank the editorial staff of Glamour for highlighting the dedication and commitment of four of our outstanding care team members during the height of the COVID-19 crisis here at NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst,” said Israel Rocha, Vice President of NYC Health + Hospitals and CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst and Queens. “Their stories are emblematic of what so many of our 4,000 employees experienced as the pandemic ravaged our community this past spring. These women are truly inspirational, and are great examples of what it means to be “Elmhurst Strong”.
NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst came to the aid of its patients and neighboring communities during the unprecedented challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, providing care to over 10,000 New Yorkers who were impacted by COVID-19 in in-patient and out-patient settings. In response to the community need, the hospital opened the first open-access, walk-in COVID-19 testing center in the country, administering over 25,000 tests to-date. The hospital also expanded ICU and in-patient Medical-Surgical capacity, and added hundreds of additional healthcare providers to help meet the patient surge.
“Whether in hospital care, nursing homes, home care, or public health, women are disproportionately on the front-lines of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Assembly Health Committee Chair Richard Gottfried. “The outstanding staff at NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst have demonstrated leadership, compassion, and persistence in the State’s COVID-19 response. I applaud their work and thank Glamour for highlighting their crucial contributions.”
“The four women honored by Glamour are true heroes of our community. When COVID-19 hit us the hardest, they were on the frontline fighting to save lives day in and day out. They are four of 4,000 NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst employees who should be recognized and applauded for their bravery, courage, and selflessness. We are still fighting this pandemic, but because of the hard work of these four women and countless others, we are no longer in the dark place we were months ago,” said Senator Toby Ann Stavisky.
“The doctors, nurses, and staff at NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst were a critical part of our community long before the pandemic struck. For decades, this community hospital has been the only source of health care for so many. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw them sacrifice everything, from their time with their own families to their health and safety, in order to save the lives of our neighbors. They are the real heroes of our community and I commend Glamour for recognizing these amazing women,” said Assemblywoman Catalina Cruz.
“Congratulations to Dr. Jasmine Moshirpur, Navdeep Kaur, Veronica Henry and Meida Sanchez on receiving Glamour’s ‘Women of the Year’ award,” said NYC Council Member Daniel Dromm (D-Elmhurst, Jackson Heights). “Queens residents know that these NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst first responders are heroes. They have toiled night and day to keep us safe throughout this pandemic. Now, because of this recognition, people across the nation will become acquainted with the life-saving work these frontline staff members carry out every day. I thank these women for going beyond the call of duty during our darkest hour. They truly deserve this honor.”
Other honorees included in Glamour’s ‘Women of the Year’ awards are actress Regina King, civil rights champion Sherrilyn Ifill, activist Dolores Huerta, and Atlanta’s Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.
Read the full ‘Women of the Year’ profiles here.