On Friday, April 28, the St. Louis American Foundation will honor seven area professionals with 2017 Excellence in Health Care awards at the Salute to Excellence in Health Care Awards Luncheon, an event whose net proceeds fund college scholarships through.
Samuel Achilefu, Ph.D., is chief of the optical radiology laboratory at Washington University School of Medicine. His research involves using ultraviolet (UV) spectrum light (unseen to the naked eye) as a weapon against cancer. One of his inventions, cancer goggles, uses UV light as an illuminating agent to see cancer cells. The eyewear helps surgeons distinguish the cancer cells in need of removal from the patient’s healthy cells. Achilefu, a professor of radiology, currently has a $4.5 million award to investigate using UV light to destroy breast cancer cells. The research is in early stages.
Eddie McCaskill is a licensed psychotherapist who conducts family therapy at the Father’s Support Center in St. Louis. A practicing therapist for more than 23 years, McCaskill has worked with children in the foster care system, juveniles in St. Louis family court, children with an incarcerated parent, persons with drug addictions, people with a positive HIV status, and homeless men and women. In 2009, McCaskill formed the MPRINT Community Wellness organization through Greater Bethlehem Church. MPRINT provides health education on drug awareness, suicide prevention, trauma, depression, hypertension, cancer, heart disease, diabetes and healthy lifestyles.
Melody McClellan is the founder, CEO and health coach of UnWrap You, LLC. Through group coaching and journaling, McClellan encourage women and girls to adopt healthier behaviors to lose and sustain weight loss through better nutrition, exercising more and identifying their personal triggers that can derail their health goals. She has created community walks and wellness challenges in the metro area through partnerships with local organizations. Previously a pharmaceutical sales representative, the certified health coach said she developed UnWrap as a result of her own weight struggles following the birth of her children.
Leslie Scott, M.D. is chair of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department at SSM Health DePaul Hospital. Scott cares for patients as an OBGYN at SSM Health Group at DePaul. She was a part of Serenity Health Group until it merged with SSM. Dr. Scott said developing a relationship of trust, partnering with women in their care, and health education are important to her practice. The University City native graduated from Washington University with a double major, biology and African-American studies, and completed medical school and her residency at Saint Louis University.
Rachel Simon-Lee is a media production specialist for St. Louis Children’s Hospital, where she records and edits video of heart surgeries at its Heart Center, as well as for the families of young heart patients. The videos inform, educate and reinforce surgical techniques for physicians and medical students. After becoming a subject matter expert on heart surgery videos, Simon-Lee created her own video production business, Heartwork Videos, to record and edit surgeries for other heart surgeons. She previously worked at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and BJC Media Services and she serves on the BJH Diversity Council.
Danita Smith is owner of My Blooming Health, a mobile phlebotomy (blood-drawing) service. A retired nurse manager, she started the operation because of the need for greater patient follow-up, community preventive care and health education. My Blooming Health goes to individual patient’s homes and locations to collect blood draws to send for lab analysis. Smith’s business also offers DNA paternity testing. For employers, the mobile lab provides onsite drug testing, vaccinations and employee wellness. Smith and her team of nurses and phlebotomists operate throughout the St. Louis metropolitan area and in Illinois.
Elatris VanHook is the assistant director of nursing in Surgical Services at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital. Her two areas of responsibility are endoscopy and pre-admissions testing. VanHook is a St. Louis native who followed the footsteps of her mother, who was a nurse manager of a surgical floor at Homer G. Philips Hospital. Most of her career has been dedicated to SLU Hospital; she previously worked as a trauma ICU nurse, a pre-surgery charge nurse and then in home health care for a couple of years before returning to SLU Hospital.
Tickets for the 17th Annual Salute to Excellence in Health Care Awards Luncheon on Friday, April 28 at the Frontenac Hilton are $750 per table for VIP/Corporate seating and $50 each/$500 table for Individual seating. To order tickets, call 314-533-8000 or visit www.stlamerican.com.Â