Two Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus staff members recently received the Best of the West award, which recognizes employees who have exceled at demonstrating Texas Children’s values – leading tirelessly, living compassionately, amplifying unity and embracing freedom.
Dr. Deborah Shardy, medical director of the West Campus Cancer, Hematology and Infusion Center, received the award for her unwavering dedication to serving her patients, their families and her clinical team.
Some of her colleagues and patient families have said the following about Shardy:
- Dr. Shardy is not only an incredible physician in a very difficult field, she has a true passion for our patients and would go above and beyond for each one of them. She demonstrates our core values on a daily basis. She lives for the cause and not the applause, I am honored and blessed to work with her.
- She lives selflessly always putting others needs above her own. Working long days and nights, performing procedures in clinic and in the operating room, covering call for the inpatient units, and many countless consults. She lives compassionately while keeping a positive outlook each day and encourages others to focus on the patient, ensuring their safety and comfort despite their sometime very difficult circumstances.
- Dr. Shardy is always willing to help in any situation. Even when she is very busy, there is never a problem that is too big for her to solve. Her persistence in all situations helps our families feel safe and well cared for. If my child were being treated at Texas Children’s Cancer Center, I would want Dr. Shardy to be my child’s doctor.
The second recipient of the Best of the West award this quarter is Maura Dugan, a senior speech pathologist who helped launch upWORDS, a program aimed at closing the opportunity gap by giving parents the knowledge of how to improve the quantity and quality of language spoken with their child and educate them on the long-term impact language can have on their child’s success in life.
Some of her colleagues and patient families have said the following about Dugan:
- Maura’s dedication and perseverance have resulted in a very impressive upWORDS program that provides resources that may result in life-long change for children and families in our community. Parent feedback has been impressive and families achieved 100 percent attendance during the first session of classes, demonstrating the impact this program has for them and their children. Maura has gone well above and beyond to establish and maintain a high-quality, impactful program in addition to her other responsibilities.
- Maura’s dedication and compassion for the children and families she works with is obvious in everything she does. She has worked not only to initiate the upWORDS program at Texas Children’s but also continues to work with a multi-disciplinary team to significantly improve speech therapy services for children with hearing impairment and cochlear implants.
- She does all that she does with little fanfare, as most not directly involved with these programs would know little about her constant drive to provide the most innovative, effective care for her patients and children in the community. Maura not only exemplifies the “Best of the West,” but what all therapists should strive to emulate.
If you would like to nominate someone for the Best of the West award, please click here and fill out the nomination form. You also can pick up a form at West Campus and return it to any of the black mailboxes in the following areas: DOTS Kitchen, the Coffee Spot, in the Human Resources office, the Emergency Center hallway or on the wall near the third-floor elevator.