Heart of Gold Award

Christine truly exemplifies the qualities of compassion, kindness and selflessness in the Cardiac Echo Lab every single day. She consistently goes above and beyond for our entire Echo Lab team – from celebrating all wins big and small, to making sure we have time to pursue our own echocardiographic interests and passions, Christine’s entire team constantly feels supported. Our team is so terrific because we have such terrific leadership!

Giovanna consistently goes above and beyond to provide extraordinary care to our patients. She does not limit her compassion to those assigned to her on a given shift, she makes it a point to check in on all our patients, offering comfort, reassurance and extra TLC whenever it is needed. Many of our patients have become ‘Giovanna’s babies’ from this very attitude! She so quickly bonds with her patients and will be by their side throughout the duration of their hospital stay. Giovanna thinks nothing of spending extra time in a patient room or jumping in to assist a coworker and ensures that no patient or family ever feels overlooked.

Her dedication to patient-centered care is one of the many reasons she was recognized with the prestigious DAISY award last year, an honor she truly embodies every day. Giovanna’s deep love for 5 East, her patients, and the people that make the unit what is it is, is what truly sets her apart. She is always willing to step in, lend a hand, offer encouragement, or take on extra responsibilities if it will benefit the team. Her presence brings positivity, stability and heart to the unit. Giovanna is more than an outstanding nurse, she is a leader, an advocate and a cornerstone of 5 East and the Cardiac Center. She embodies the very spirit of a ‘Heart of Gold,’ and her impact is felt daily by patients, families and colleagues alike.

Heather is an unsung hero at the Cardiac Center. She has been here more than 30 years, most of which was as a highly respected CICU nurse. Now, she is responsible for leading her care coordination team and directly helping families who need surgery, catheterization and other procedures navigate all the necessary steps to insure they are taken care of. She works long hours to ensure this, often involving complex coordination to make sure things go as smoothly as possible for families.

Jarae exemplifies excellence within the APP profession. She is a natural leader with a selfless attitude, consistently bringing a positive attitude. She is a highly valued APP in the CICU and has been a wonderful team lead and patient advocate. She consistently demonstrates dedication to our team, the profession, and patient care. It is evident just how much she cares about the work we do and the patients that we care for – she truly has a heart of gold!

Compassionate, kind and selfless — three words required of a Heart of Gold Award recipient — are also the three words that most immediately come to mind when I think of Dr. Matthew Elias. [His] ‘above and beyond’ care is not an exception for Dr. Elias; it is simply who he is. I do not know if I will ever be able to fully articulate the magnitude of what Dr. Elias has done for our son and our family. He has quite literally changed the trajectory of our lives. Our son is here, thriving and living a full childhood because of his expertise, dedication and humanity. CHOP’s care is extraordinary, and Dr. Elias embodies the very best of its mission.