Myra Medrano Honored with Lisa P. Nisbet Social Work Leadership Award
Myra Medrano, LBSW, was recently named the recipient of the 2014 Lisa P. Nisbet Social Work Leadership Award given by Methodist Healthcare System and Methodist Healthcare Ministries during National Social Work Appreciation Month. Sincerity, compassion and strong spiritual values are just a few characteristics used to describe Myra by those who work alongside her each day. She counsels and provides community resources to the clients she sees each day. Myra never gives up looking for options to help her clients succeed. She provides hope for her clients while inspiring them to be accountable for their goals. In addition, she lovingly supports them during each step of their personal journey. “Myra embodies a work ethic that truly represents the heart of social work as well as the Core Values of MHM. We are blessed to have her on our team!” explains Jorge Luna, Social Work Supervisor at MHM.
Myra has served at MHM for more than three years as a Social Worker Case Manager at the Wesley Health & Wellness Center, but her clients know her by much more than her job description—to them, she is a teacher, a mentor and a friend. Myra worked with one mother who was broken in spirit, in need of medical attention and the means to support her three children. A Hurricane Katrina evacuee, life had been hard for this young woman. Myra swept this client up into her loving care and began the diligent process of helping her gain access to resources necessary to change her life. Today, this mother is a college student and has been promoted to manager in her full-time position at a local restaurant.
MHM is very proud of Myra’s accomplishments, as well as the other MHM team members who were nominated for this year’s award including: Debra Burton-Ibarra, LMSW; Kathryn Jones, LCSW-S; Jorge Luna, LMSW; and Nereida Valdez, LMSW.
About the award: Lisa P. Nisbet was hired in 1989 as the first dedicated Oncology Social Worker at a Methodist Healthcare System facility. She was well known for her leadership in the field of social work for cancer patients. As a teen, Lisa fought a battle with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and she used her experiences to help others. Lisa was an avid learner who approached her work with dedication and a willingness to share. In 2001, Lisa was diagnosed with an incurable cancer of the gallbladder and bile ducts. Six months later, at the age of 38, Lisa lost her battle with cancer, but her legacy continues. Annually, Methodist Healthcare System and Methodist Healthcare Ministries selects a social worker that demonstrates dedication, leadership and outstanding service to be honored with the Lisa P. Nisbet Social Work Leadership Award.
