Catholic Hospice and Palliative Care Services Celebrates 6th Annual Physician’s Dinner and Award Ceremony

On Saturday, March 8, 2025, Catholic Hospice and Catholic Palliative Care Services hosted their 6th Annual Physician’s Dinner and Awards Ceremony in Doral, Florida. This year’s event, themed “Caring Hands: A Tribute to Medical Excellence,” was led by Medical Director Dr. Tracy Romanello and celebrated the exceptional contributions of physician providers. Attendees included physician staff, special guests, and several members of the Catholic Hospice Senior Management Team, including Senior Director of Hospice Operations Nadine Brimo, Admissions Director Manuel Borrajo, Clinical Director Marelys Fleites, Director of Finance Peter Zuckoff, and representatives from Catholic Palliative Care Services.

The program kicked off with a welcome from Dr. Romanello, followed by a prayer from Dr. Benjamin Villalba, a longtime Hospice physician. Catholic Hospice Executive Director Diana Smith-Lopez then offered acknowledgments, and Rudy Molinet, Board Chair of Holy Cross Health, delivered the opening remarks. The ceremony featured an awards presentation, honoring the “Best of the Best,” as nominated by their colleagues at Catholic Hospice and Palliative Care.

Congratulations to the award recipients:

• Palliative Leadership Award: Christopher Curtis
• New Physician Service Award: Dr. Christina Alvarez
• All Around Team Player Award: Dr. Jorge Hernandez Canciobello
• Contract Bed Service Excellence Award: Dr. Yordan Orive Gomez
• Exceptional Inpatient Service Award: Dr. Orestes Mederos
• Collaborative Care Award: Dr. Mireya Llense
• Clinical Excellence Award: Dr. Pauleena Singh-Gandreti
• Get It Done Award: Dr. Orlirio Corrales

A special surprise recognition was also presented by Dr. Romanello to Associate Medical Directors Dr. Angel Sanchez Artiles and Dr. Sanaz Kashan, honoring their dedication, support in the organization’s growth, mentorship of clinical staff, and contributions to building community partnerships. Executive Director Diana Smith-Lopez was also recognized for reaching a milestone of a daily hospice census serving 1,000 patients through Catholic Hospice.

The evening concluded with a raffle, with prizes sponsored by One Point Patient Care, Holy Cross Health, and Life Healthcare Services. Guests enjoyed a lively celebration, including fun on the dance floor to close the evening.

The success of the event was driven by the generous contributions of sponsors, exceptional support from the venue and vendors, and the dedicated efforts of the event planning team: Executive Assistant Ivonne Sanchez, Manager of Special Programs Gian Santayana, and Patient Care Secretaries Barbara Rodney and Vanessa Espinel.

Catholic Hospice and Palliative Care Services extends a heartfelt thank you to all of their outstanding physicians for their unwavering dedication and commitment to medical excellence, embodying the mission of Catholic Health Services!