2013 Community Health Champion Awards Recipients Announced
FRESNO – The West Fresno Family Resource Center has singled out and announced three honorees for its annual fundraiser “This is Your Life of Service: A Tribute to Community Health Champions.”
The three award recipients are Dr. Dominic Dizon with UCSF Fresno; Stephen W. Schilling, chief executive officer with Clinica Sierra Vista; and Sharon Johnson, executive director of Susan G. Komen Central Valley. The event will take place at the Radisson Hotel & Conference Center Friday, Oct. 5 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
A press conference officially announcing this year’s honorees took place at UCSF Fresno Tuesday morning, and was attended by Congressman Jim Costa, who praised their efforts in making our making our communities healthy.
“We’re here to acknowledge three individuals who follow in the footsteps of others who have made a difference,” Costa said.
Costa was particularly moved when he called Sharon Johnson, a two-time breast cancer survivor, to the front of the room. He said his own mother was a cancer survivor, and she lived to be 90 years old before she passed away.
“Anytime you receive recognition like this it really adds fuel to the fire,” Johnson said. “We’ve got a great task ahead, and closing the gap with the financial, educational and cultural disparities locally sometimes is a rough go.”
Yolanda Randles, executive director with the West Fresno Family Resource Center, said the organization’s main program deals with health education. Diabetes, obesity, cancer and asthma are some illnesses it addresses and provides resources for locally. In addition to the fundraising, the main purpose is recognizing those who have deserved the honor to call themselves the 2013 Community Health Champions.
“They’re remarkable individuals that have gone over and beyond the call of duty for health care in our community,” Randles said.
The October event will include dinner, entertainment and a silent auction. Photographs from throughout the honorees’ lives will be shown, and they will receive additional awards of congratulations from the governor of California, senators and other legislators. Tickets are $75, and sponsor and ticket information is available by calling (559) 264-7185.