January 28, 2010
Dr. Connie Poppino
Kansas City Veterans Affairs Medical Center
4801 E Linwood Blvd
Kansas City, MO 64128
Dear Connie,
On behalf of our staff and associates, we would like to be the
first to congratulate you on being named among this year’s
class of Ingram’s magazine’s Heroes in Healthcare. This is the
7th annual Heroes in Healthcare awards presentation and
we’re delighted to include you in this impressive lineup of several of the most committed professionals who work on the front lines of the medical field.
The Heroes in Healthcare program has become a well-received and much-anticipated feature within the Kansas City area medical community and among Ingram’s readers alike. As you’ll see, you’re being recognized with some terrific company. We received hundreds of qualified nominations for this honor and you are accompanied by 20 individuals who we believe best exemplify the spirit of Ingram’s Heroes in Healthcare. We truly are honored to include you among this year’s Heroes class.
On behalf of our family at Ingram's and the many good people at Kansas City Veterans Affairs Medical Cen, we wish you our most sincere congratulations. Thank you for all you have done for the healthcare profession and particularly for those you have compassionately served over the years. You are truly an inspiration to us all.
With every good wish, I am
Sincerely,
Joe Sweeney
Editor-in-Chief & Publisher
From the Ingram website acknowledging Connie's contribution:
Amputation. Spinal-cord and traumatic brain injuries. Blindness. Burns. Connie Poppino stares directly into the living effects of modern warfare, and doesn’t blink. As the regional face of the VA for veterans with service-related injuries, she steers them toward recovery from much more than just their physical injuries. “As I grew up, I learned that there are many aspects to the condition of ‘being healthy.’” Poppino said. “Not only does one need a healthy physical body, but it is important to have a healthy mind to support and interact with the physical body.” She serves as Transition Patient Advocate for injured veterans returning from both Iraq and Afghanistan, as many as 100 of them each month. As a veteran herself, retiring from the Army Reserve with the rank of major, Poppino knows first-hand some of the challenges veterans face finding medical care, mental-health care, financial planning aid, marital counseling and more.
Her skills came into play last year with a veteran who had served in Iraq. Financial difficulties had triggered his referral, but “it was clear to me that he had not accessed VA services or taken advantage of his health-care benefits,” Poppino said. She helped arrange for surgeries to correct a breathing obstruction and a knee injury, then worked to deliver services for post-traumatic stress disorder and financial counseling. “Things are far from perfect for him,” she says, “but he is on a path to recovery and making steady progress toward his goals.” His is the kind of success, built in increments, that keeps Poppino engaged in her work. “I am inspired,” she says, “by the resilience of our patients and the sacrifices they have made for our country.”
Visit the website by clicking here.
Congratulations to Dr. Connie Poppino, Pacifica Graduate Institute alumnus, for your Heroes in Heath Care award
An excerpt fromDr. Poppino's acknowledgement letter:
