Check back on April 14, 2010, to watch the inspiring video of Sue from the Heroes Breakfast.

Nurse Sue Hickerson treats families to heal their lives, not just their ailments. She will receive the Nurse Award for her innovation and compassionate care, which has helped thousands of underserved children and parents stay healthy.

“When you come into Community Nurse, you look for Sue,” said Cheryl Anderson, a mother who has been bringing her children to Sue for more than 16 years. “She’s so patient, and she’s always there to listen.” As the clinical director at Community Nurse, a free clinic in LaGrange, Illinois, Sue treats a growing population of impoverished families in the western suburbs of Chicago. She notices patient trends and develops solutions that address wider needs.

Sue helps families overcome the financial and language barriers that prevent them from accessing healthcare. She paved the way for more children to avoid deadly childhood illnesses by developing a program that immunized more than 1,600 children who were living below the federal poverty level. She is also proud that not a single child who goes to Community Nurse has been admitted to the hospital for asthma-related issues in the past two years. The community attributes this to Sue’s success in securing a grant so these children could have at least two asthma inhalers—one for home and one for school.

She works tirelessly with area agencies and schools to ensure that families access the nutrition and care they need. When a young girl complained of stomach pain, Sue discovered that the girl’s mother couldn’t afford to buy fresh fruits and vegetables. Sue gave the mother food from the clinic’s emergency food pantry, also created under her leadership. The bags of food and grocery store gift cards helped the family make it through the next few weeks while they awaited their LINK card to be processed.

“Sue provides care in a holistic way,” said Angela Curran, executive director for Community Nurse. “Sue prepares our patients to live a healthy lifestyle, helps them prevent disease and responds with knowledge, concern and hugs whenever they need help.”

 The Nurse Award is presented to a licensed and practicing nurse, nursing student, or retired nurse who exhibited heroism either in their response to an emergency situation or through an ongoing commitment to the community.

Ms. Sue Hickerson of Tinley Park, Illinois, is the 2010 Red Cross Nurse Hero
This award is generously Sponsored by Aon Corporation