By JESSA PEASE / Staff Writer

PELHAM— Twelve health care professionals in the Greater Shelby County area were recognized at the Aug. 26 Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce luncheon.

“When you live in Birmingham, you have places like UAB, St. Vincent’s, Brookwood, Baptist and so many others, not to mention home health care,” said Matthew Allen, head of the chamber’s health services work group. “There is such a huge gamut of health care that is available in the Birmingham area. It’s a tall task to recognize those who stand above the others.”

Allen said the health care professionals of the year were chosen for being dedicated to their profession and making life better for others, for being accomplished and outstanding in both their goals and discipline and for achieving outstanding status with among their peers.

Nominations for these awards were accepted for any health care professional employed in the Shelby County area.

The twelve winners were Donna Sibley in the dietary health category, Stephanie Holderby for health administration, Donald Perrin for home health, Jan Cibulski for nursing in the Shelby County School system, Dr. Rupa Goolsby for obstetrics, Dr. Jessica Palmer for optometry, Dr. Mike Patterson for orthopedic medicine, Michele Carter for palliative care, Russ Hyde for physical therapy, Shanan Sims for psychiatry and Dr. James Sedlis for sports medicine.

State Representative April Weaver was also recognized as health care advocate of the year for her work with Gabe’s Right to Try, legislation that allows participants who have terminal illnesses the opportunity to try medication that hasn’t been approved by the FDA yet.

This was a new category from previous health care professionals of the year awards.

“We felt like those three criteria were going to distinguish people in the health care community,” Allen said. “I’m please to say that everybody we are recognizing today went above and beyond meeting those criteria.”

Chamber attendees also heard from Zelia Baugh, executive director of psychiatric services with Baptist Health Systems. Organizations in the health care industry were showcased at the luncheon for guests to peruse previous to the program.