Wyandanch, NY – Suffolk County Legislator Jason Richberg recently recognized Cindy Ann Johnson of the Martin Luther King Jr. Health Center in Wyandanch as the 15th Legislative District's 2021 "Healthcare Hero".
Suffolk County designated the month of June as “Healthcare Heroes Month” last year to acknowledge the inspiring and selfless contributions of our frontline workers who cared for others at a time of great uncertainty and put the well-being of the residents of Suffolk County ahead of their own personal safety.
This past March, the Legislature approved IR1085-2021 which established an annual recognition of a healthcare hero from each Legislative District. Beginning this year, each county legislator designates a Healthcare Hero representing his or her respective legislative district. Each honoree is then recognized at a general meeting of the Legislature in honor of Healthcare Heroes Month in Suffolk County.
“I’d like to thank Cindy Ann and all of our healthcare workers for their determination over the past year and a half on the frontlines of a deadly pandemic,” said Legislator Richberg. “The bravery and selflessness displayed by our healthcare heroes day after day has allowed us to get where we are today and begin returning to some semblance of normal, pre-pandemic life. We will not forget their efforts.”
Cindy Ann Johnson has worked in healthcare for 22 years, 18 of which have been as a nurse. Cindy is an immigrant from Jamaica whose journey in healthcare started while attending Respiratory Therapy schooling in the Air Force. Cindy currently serves as an LPN at Sun River Health’s Martin Luther King Health Center in Wyandanch. She holds a dual position as the Adherence Nurse for the HIV and Medication as Treatment Opioid Dependency Program. Her passion for patient education has allowed her to help patients assimilate the information provided, which in turn allows patients to play a more active role in their own care.
Cindy is proud to be one of the many healthcare workers who were out on the frontlines during the pandemic- in the cold, sometimes without breaks, diligently performing COVID tests, triaging patients and making sure they received the highest levels of care.