Centers Health Care Announces the Winner of the 2018 Patient Advocacy Award at the Roosevelt Hotel Grand Ballroom in New York City

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Mar 16, 2018, 06:00 ET

NEW YORK, March 16, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Centers Health Care, one of the largest and most complete post-acute health care continuums in the northeast, announced that the recipient of the 2018 Centers Health Care Patient Advocacy Award is Ms. Yanette L. Tactuk. The announcement was made by Center's CEO Kenny Rozenberg at a special award ceremony held last night at the Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan. This is Centers' 2nd Annual Patient Advocacy Award.

From Left To Right: E. Angela Heller, New York Presbyterian Hospital & 2017 Patient Advocacy Award Winner, Yanette Tactuk, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center & 2018 Patient Advocacy Award Winner, Kenny Rozenberg, CEO, Centers Health Care

"Social workers are the caring, compassionate patient advocates who keep potentially tragic outcomes from becoming commonplace," said Rozenberg in his presentation of the award.

A clinical social worker at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Ms. Tactuk was one of ten highly experienced finalists of this award. The award includes a $2,500 educational grant, plus a $5,000 donation from Centers Health Care to a charity of the winner's choosing.

"Yanette provides immense support during the challenging situations that face all her patients," said Penny Damaskos, Director of Social Work at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. "She is able to lead difficult discussions concerning end of life, critical illness and complex family dynamics and is a valued contributor to the interdisciplinary team emphasizing the psychosocial perspective in the patient's care."

Ms. Tactuk graduated from NYU Silver School of Social Work in 2011. From 2011 to 2016, she worked at the Mount Sinai Dubin Center/Breast Health Resource Program before joining Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Ms. Tactuk has nearly seven years of oncology experience, she is a certified medical interpreter and certified in palliative and end of life care. She currently works with inpatient breast medicine, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma.

"I am very honored to be this year's award winner," said Tactuk. "I have been lucky enough to be surrounded by strong women who have supported, motivated, and inspired me."

Ms. Tactuk selected Girls Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to inspiring girls to be strong, smart, and bold through direct service and advocacy, to be the recipient of Centers' donation.

"The organization is important because they offer young women life lessons to become empowering," said Tactuk.

Former New York State Governor David Patterson attended the ceremony and spoke about the importance of today's social worker.

For more information about this year's award, please visit http://www.centerspatientadvocacyaward.com .

About Centers Health Care
Centers Health Care is one of the largest and most complete post-acute health care continuums in the northeast. The Centers Health Care family includes more than 40 skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities in New York, New Jersey and Rhode Island, four home health care companies, NY State's second-largest Managed Long-Term Care company and a provider of durable medical goods. Centers facilities also operate eight fully accredited Adult Day Healthcare Centers, two state-of-the-art Renal Dialysis Centers, three assisted living facilities and Centers Urgent Care provides walk-in medical care. More than 20,000 dedicated staffers and caregivers provide for the needs or over 7,000 long-and short-term residents throughout the Centers Health Care family.

For more information, please visit us at http://www.centershealthcare.org

Contact:
Jeff Jacomowitz, Centers Health Care
(845) 269-2893, [email protected]

SOURCE Centers Health Care