Page 67 - May 2019 with HCHeroes

GREATER MIAMI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 2019 HEALTH CARE HEROES ®

FIRST RESPONDERS YOUTH VOLUNTEER RECIPIENT

KEITH TYSON ISABELLA ALLEN

Vice President, Education, Volunteer, Holtz Children’s Hospital
Research and Outreach Jackson Health System

Firefighter Cancer Support Network
Isabela “Bella” Allen, 18 is passionate about creat-
Keith Tyson worked as a paramedic/firefighter for ing memories and making dreams come true for
34 years with Miami-Dade Fire Rescue. Six months pediatric patients at Holtz Children’s Hospital.
after retiring at the age of 55, he was diagnosed with The senior student at Miami Country Day School
prostate cancer. He sought and received medical atten- became a youth volunteer with Holtz Children’s
tion and today is cancer-free, but in the process of when she was in seventh grade, and immediately
researching his own situation, learned that firefighters became one of the stellar volunteers in the Palliative
had a much higher incidence of certain cancers than Care Department. She immersed herself in the plan-
the general public. He began to work with other fire- “As a retired firefighter and ning of the annual prom, and under her leadership,
fighters and fire departments to develop an education- cancer survivor, Keith Tyson it has become one of the most coveted events of the “Bella Allen considers her-
al program on cancer awareness and education. might be expected to lead an year. In addition to the months of planning, includ- self very blessed, and always
Today, that program is delivered through the entirely private life. He has ing fundraisers, collecting donations and recruiting looks for ways to share her
Firefighter Cancer Support Network (FCSN), a companies to volunteer their services, Bella also time, and come up with
national organization of firefighters who have had can- chosen instead to spend his organized a clothing drive to collect prom attire at projects that will benefit the
cer and who volunteer to assist and mentor others. time and energy in service to her school and at Jackson Memorial Hospital. less fortunate. At such a
Because of his passion and research, Mr. Tyson was the cause of fighting the epi- Over 250 patients and their families attend prom young age, she understands the
instrumental in developing partnerships with the demic of firefighter cancer.” each year, including teens with cancer, those in
University of Miami Sylvester Cancer Center and also Santiago Leon need of lifesaving organ transplants, and others importance of building a
the Florida State Fire Marshal’s office and other univer- Associate Director— who have been paralyzed in car crashes, diving stronger community. She finds
sity research centers. He also helped to prepare the Health & Benefits accidents or through gun violence. For the past five joy in cheering up sick
FCSN’s 2013 White Paper entitled Taking Action Willis Towers Watson years, Bella and her sister and school friends have patients, and creating magical
Against Cancer in the Fire Service, which has been also been putting together Scaring for Caring, a moments while they are going
recognized as one of the decade’s most important doc- Halloween haunted house that raises money for Big through their darkest times.”
uments on firefighter cancer. Because of his efforts, resources have now been allocated Brothers Big Sisters of Miami and Holtz Children’s Kim Juanico, RN, BSN, CHPPN
to research the causes of the epidemic of cancer among firefighters and develop methods Hospital. Last year, the haunted house and a follow- Pediatric Palliative Care
to combat it. up fundraiser organized by the group raised
$360,000. Nurse Coordinator
Holtz Children’s Hospital

C ONGRA TULA TIONS

Mr. Michael Fux

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This achievement is a tribute to your longstanding devotion to improving
the lives of children and families throughout South Florida.

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