Year Three Heroes
The third National Heroes of the Year were announced and recognized in May 2002 at the Bayada Nurses Awards Weekend. The links below provide information on the National Heroes of the Year plus all the National and Division Heroes for the 2nd quarter 2001, the 3rd quarter 2001, the 4th quarter 2001 and the 1st quarter 2002. It is from these four quarters that eligible nominees for the third Heroes of the Year were chosen

Third Annual National Heroes of the Year
By rising to the challenge of meeting our high standards for skilled, caring, and reliable home care, our national heroes represent all we can be proud of at Bayada Nurses. Their work epitomizes our noble purpose of helping people live with independence and dignity in the comfort of their own home, despite illness or disability. Having gained the respect of both their supervisors and their clients, we are excited to honor them with the recognition they deserve.

RN Category: Gloria Lindsay, Wilmington (WIL) Office, Wilmington, DE
LPN Category: Christine Olweean, Winston-Salem Skilled (WS) Office, Winston-Salem, NC
HHA Category: Margaret Galletto, Morristown (MOR) Office, Morristown, NJ

1st Quarter 2002 National and Division Heroes
4th Quarter 2001 National and Division Heroes
3rd Quarter 2001 National and Division Heroes
2nd Quarter 2001 National and Division Heroes

Gloria Lindsay, RN, works with a cancer patient who has battled the disease for 10 years. The patient is described by a friend as "a very upbeat person with a terrific outlook on life." However, time and her latest setback in her health had worn her down. The client's daughter, who lives in Nebraska, says, "Gloria came into the home of my mother as a stranger, yet had a job that required the most intimate of a relationship. I consider Gloria a hero for what she has done to heal not only (my mother's) wounds but also her soul. Surviving cancer for 10 years has been hard for my mother, but this open wound has been one of the hardest parts for her to deal with." The client expressed to her daughter, "If Gloria wasn't my nurse, I could very easily be her friend." The client took that comment further by adding, "I had the luxury of feeling safe with Gloria-safe as a trusted friend or family member." The client's friend added, "Gloria was a smile and a gentle touch that means so much."

Christine Olweean's skill, caring and compassion are illustrated by her years of work on a very high-tech case. She goes to great lengths to meet the needs of the entire family and ensure coverage for the family's two special needs children. This involves regularly rearranging her schedule to accommodate the family's needs-going so far as to reschedule her own vacation, her own children's schedules, and working on holidays during a time of need. She is also extremely reliable-never calling out once in the past two years. On one of the rare times she did call out, it was because a tornado had removed the top of her house. Olweean's skills are also exemplary. She helped keep one of her patients with a central line free of infection for more than 8 years. The parents also appreciate her willingness to consider the needs of the entire family-not just her patients. On the nomination form, the mother of her two patients wrote: "I couldn't make it without her, and I don't want to try."

Margaret Galletto's dedication is illustrated by her reliability, loyalty, and tireless support of her clients. During her 19 years of service, she has worked with only four clients-staying with each of them until the end. According to Division Director Linda Siessel, "Margaret is an angel whose time has come to be honored. She epitomizes the quiet and dutiful caregiver with such permanence that transcends every statistic in home care. She has dedicated 19 uninterrupted years of service to Bayada Nurses. I am proud to be associated with such an extraordinary example of heroism." In the 19 years that Margaret has worked for Bayada Nurses, she never called out sick once.