Healthcare Hero Award Winner: Ms. Blanca Mercado
We are thrilled to announce Ms. Blanca Mercado as the recipient of the Healthcare Heroes Award which was received on Thursday, 12/9 at the Community Care Rx Pharmacy event to recognize DSPs at the Mutton Town Country Club. Ms. Mercado views her role as a DSP as her mission to her two daughters who passed away from medical complications, each of whom had Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities. Ms. Mercado’s son Noel works with us at the West Farms Center.
Ms. Mercado was also one of our employees of the year and was celebrated at our annual conference!
“I am truly inspired by Ms. Blanca and her motivation for the superb work she does with this community. It was humbling for me to be present and witness the honor she received by Community Care Rx pharmacy as a DSP Health Care Hero in the presence of OPWDD new Commissioner Kerri Neifeld. Ms. Blanca certainly has the characteristics of a hero. She is respectful, courageous, fearless and kind-hearted. Above all she is compassionate, selfless and is concerned with the safety and well being of others. I personally experienced this from the very first time I met her, as we worked collaboratively in the CPU West Farms COVID Step Down Unit from the very beginning of the COVID pandemic.
Like many others who were concerned with fear of the unknown of the virus at the time, those men and women – DSP heroes, who worked 24-hours with support of the nurses and management staff in the unit were an amazing and special group of people. Particularly, Ms. Blanca showed a profound respect for the people we support and a love for the work that we do. As a team player, she made her presence felt and was always reliable, as she showed her skills in monitoring the health of those in the unit and providing excellent care and support. I am very proud of Ms. Blanca Mercado for all the recognitions she has received this year as a hero of CPU. Keep on being an inspiration to others and keep up the great work… Congratulations!” Emmanuel Cineus, VP of Nursing
