The American Heart Association will honor three deserving individuals with the Richard M. DeVos Award at the Grand Rapids Heart Ball on April 26, 2019.
The award is given annually to individuals who enhance the cardiovascular quality of life for many and play a significant role in advancing the mission of the American Heart Association in West Michigan. This year there will be three award recipients.
The Richard M. DeVos Award for Medical Excellence is presented to Dr. Jason Slaikeu of Spectrum Health.
Jason D. Slaikeu, MD, FACS, MBA, is a board certified vascular surgeon and the division chief of vascular and endovascular therapy at Spectrum Health. He has been an ambassador for improved healthcare in minority groups and the underprivileged populations in West Michigan, mentoring minority high school and college students and inspire a curiosity about healthcare. He leveraged the Lois Mol Cardiovascular Sim Center at Spectrum Health to provide an innovative learning environment to expose students to the healthcare industry as a career choice.
Dr. Slaikeu is also a member of many groups: Diabetes Practice Excellence Workgroup, Community Commitment Advisory Committee, Patient Safety Subcommittee for the QSCI committee, and the chair of the board of the Spectrum Health Medical Group.
He led the ambulatory vascular surgery practice outreach expansion to improve access to patients in need of care. He launched a clinic in Muskegon County to improve access to patients for both vascular and venous conditions. He was the first in West Michigan to perform the TCAR procedure. This procedure dramatically reduces the potential risk of stroke in high risk patients suffering from carotid disease.
The Richard M. DeVos Award for Community Excellence will be presented to Heart Hero Rachel Catinella of Mercy Health Saint Mary’s.
Rachel Catinella is a neuroscience clinical nurse specialist with Mercy Health Saint Mary’s. She has built a strong presence of stroke certified registered nurses (SCRN), which has a direct impact on both the quality of care and outcomes of patients. Catinella developed the course and offers one-on-one study sessions for nurses preparing to become certified. Currently, over 83 percent of eligible nurses at the stroke unit at Mercy Health Saint Mary's have become SCRN certified.
In addition, Catinella led the initial work to optimize the hospital’s in-house stroke process and continues to champion, streamline, and respond to in-house strokes. She coordinates potential neurointerventional patients who are transferred into the hospital, establishing relationships with these patients and their families from the beginning of their stay, and helping with continuity of care.
Catinella is the facilitator for the Hauenstein 3 Unit Based Council (UBC). The UBC is a shared governance model that allows bedside nurses to be involved in decisions that affect their work and set clinical standards within their work areas. Through her heart for community outreach, she has organized a numerous blood pressure screenings and other educational and awareness events around stroke and its risk factors.
The Richard M. DeVos Volunteer Award is being presented to Kellie Norton of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.
Kellie Norton, a director in West Michigan & Upper Peninsula administration with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, is receiving the Volunteer Award. Norton been a passionate advocate for the American Heart Association. She is a current member of the West Michigan board of directors and has been an executive leadership team member for the West Michigan Go Red for Women Luncheon for over 5 years. Her passion for equity in healthcare and building a healthier West Michigan shines through her community outreach efforts.
The Heart Ball is now in its twenty-second year and has raised nearly $5 million for education and research. Past honorees of the Heart Ball have included such notables as Former President Gerald R. Ford, Frederik Meijer and Richard DeVos, who allowed his name to be used for the awards.
The awards will be presented at the Grand Rapids Heart Ball, a celebration with prominent business and medical professionals in our community. The Heart Ball will be at 20 Monroe Live on April 26. Catherine Cooper, senior director of community partnerships and giving for Meijer, is chairing the event.
The American Heart Association is building the next generation of healthy hearts through energetic play, teaching Hands-Only CPR and encouraging healthy habits in West Michigan. The theme of the Heart Ball is ‘Play it forward’ and those attending are encouraged to bring new sporting equipment such as basketballs, soccer balls, jump ropes, sidewalk chalk and the like that will be donated to area community centers and after-school programs.
Sponsors of the 2019 Grand Rapids Heart Ball include Meijer, Mercantile Bank of Michigan, Spectrum Health, and VanDyk Mortgage. Media sponsors include The River 100.5, Mix 95.7 and Women’s Lifestyle Magazine.
For more information, contact
Kelsey.Schweibert@Heart.org or visit www.Heart.org/GrandRapidsHeartBall
