A celebration of dedicated North Texas hospital employees, the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council (DFWHC) Foundation’s 22nd Annual Employee of the Year Luncheon is set for April 25 at the Hurst Conference Center in Hurst, Texas. The 2018 winners will be announced at the event from a pool of more than 130 nominees. The theme of this year’s luncheon is “Caregivers Matter: A Survivor’s Story,” with Rebekah Gregory, an inspirational survivor of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings, serving as keynote speaker.

“With the recent devastation of Hurricane Harvey and so many other public tragedies, there’s an increased need for emergency preparedness and awareness,” said Kristin Jenkins, president of the DFWHC Foundation. “We thought Rebekah Gregory would be the perfect speaker for hospital employees of North Texas. This luncheon is an opportunity for hospitals across the region to acknowledge exceptional healthcare employees. They play such an important role in the success of our hospitals. This is their day and they deserve it.”

Gregory was a small-town wife and mother whose life was forever changed due to the horrifying events at the Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013. The act of terrorism left her as one of the 17 amputees at the young age of 26 years old. Co-author of the book “Taking My Life Back,” Gregory will discuss that terrifying day and provide an interesting perspective on the care she received from nurses, doctors and numerous bystanders.

Nominees are separated into four categories including hospitals between 1-99 beds, hospitals between 100-250 beds, hospitals between 251-499 beds and hospitals with more than 500 beds. Two recipients are selected from each category and receive trophies and cash awards. Additional honors include the Community Service Award, Preceptor Award, Physician Award, Volunteer Award and the Hospital System Award. The Rex McRae Scholarship will also be presented to an area healthcare student.

Board members of the Dallas-Fort Worth Healthcare Human Resource Association judge the nominations with the names of individuals and hospitals removed. They base their selection on the facts presented.

Serving as the top sponsors for this year’s event are Hall Render and CampbellWilson, LLP.

For information on how to participate, please contact Chris Wilson at chrisw@dfwhc.org or 972-719-4900.