NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, November 13, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The HealthCare Chaplaincy Network (HCCN) has named two Wholeness of Life Award recipients for 2026. The honorees were recognized as HCCN celebrated more than 60 years of service at their Wholeness of Life Gala on Thursday at Il Cortile in New York City. The Gala’s mission is to advance the integration of spiritual care in health care and to honor extraordinary contributions to the mission of caring for the human spirit.
This year’s awardees are Akina Awano, Clinical Nurse III, OSCU/ SDU, Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) and Desiree Borré, LMSW, Director of Patient and Family Services, St. Mary’s Hospital for Children. Both are based in New York.
“This year we are pleased to honor two extraordinary individuals who embody our mission to care for the whole person – spirit, mind and body,” said the Rev. Eric J. Hall, President and CEO of HCCN and Spiritual Care Association. “Our award recipients commit heart and soul to improving the well-being of those they serve, and those they work with.”
Akina Awano joined HSS in 2018 and embodies the spirit of the Wholeness of Life Award in both her professional and personal life. As a CN III working in the stepdown unit, Awano cares for some of the most vulnerable patients at HSS, addressing both their physical and emotional needs. Her colleagues describe her as a compassionate caregiver, an attentive listener, a skilled communicator, and a calming presence for both patients and staff. She works with the interdisciplinary team to foster excellent care for patients and as well as a respectful, collaborative, and caring environment for her colleagues. As one of her colleagues wrote, “Simply being around Akina inspires those around her to be better caregivers and better people.”
Awano’s impact is felt at HSS and beyond. This past year, she joined the 2026 Operation Walk NYC medical mission to Antigua, Guatemala. Operation Walk is an all-volunteer medical humanitarian organization that provides the gift of mobility through life-changing joint replacement surgeries at no cost for those in need in the United States and globally. Along with her HSS colleagues, Awano brought her expertise and caring spirit to patients in Guatemala who would otherwise have limited access to high-quality orthopedic care. In addition to her professional achievements, she exemplifies wellbeing and balance in her personal life as she pursues her master’s degree while caring for her three young children. HSS is proud to honor Awano with the Wholeness of Life Award, and she is truly an outstanding and deserving recipient.
Desiree Borré has dedicated more than 20 years to St. Mary’s Children’s Hospital, bringing compassion, determination, and a steadfast commitment to patient and family-centered care. With a master’s degree in social work from Fordham University, her expertise in family dynamics and child development spans Foster Care, Early Intervention, Early Education, Healthcare, Mental Health, and Counseling Services.
For the past nine years, Borré has led the Patient and Family Services team, modeling Patient and Family Centered Care and encouraging her staff to do the same. She regularly makes time for families, hearing their concerns and helping them become strong advocates for their children.
Borré reflects the mission and values of St. Mary’s and embodies the spirit of the Wholeness of Life Award. Through her leadership, advocacy, compassion, and service, she cares for the spirit, mind, and body of those around her, making a lasting difference for countless children, families, and colleagues.
The Gala will also recognize 10 others as Patient Care Honorees for their invaluable service. Each represents the meaning of Caring for the Human Spirit. All can be found at the Wholeness of Life Gala website, https://healthcarechaplaincy.org/annual-gala/.
“HCCN continues to lead the way in the integration of spiritual care in health care through clinical practice, education, research, and advocacy,” said Hall. “During its history, HealthCare Chaplaincy Network has always demonstrated a commitment to helping individuals who are facing life’s most profound challenges, whoever they are and whatever their beliefs.”
The Wholeness of Life Gala is HCCN’s single largest source of awareness-raising and revenue-raising, enabling the organization to continue its mission to improve patient experience and patient satisfaction.
To donate, visit https://healthcarechaplaincy.org/donate-now/
About HealthCare Chaplaincy Network
The HealthCare Chaplaincy Network is a nonprofit health care organization helping people and families faced with the distress of illness and suffering to find spiritual comfort and meaning.
In 2016, the Spiritual Care Association (SCA) was formed to provide education, training, and certification based on standardized, evidence-based practice and quality indicators, ensuring that the skills and performance of spiritual caregivers can be measured objectively. Most recently, SCA joined with Capstone University, thereby providing an academic base for spiritual care education and training.
HCCN is now the recognized leader in education, research, and advocacy for the importance of spiritual care in health care. The SCA’s Learning Center is the most extensive and most successful online chaplain education program worldwide. Through the development of Common Standards and Quality Indicators in chaplaincy care, publication of several key foundational papers, and the annual Caring for the Human Spirit® Conference, HCCN’s outreach and advocacy is now felt throughout the field of chaplaincy, nationally and internationally.
Molly Sabala
HealthCare Chaplaincy Network
+1 212-644-1111
Visit us on social media:
Facebook
X
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability
for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this
article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Media gallery
