Staff Kudos

Awards and Accolades

Individual Awards and Kudos

Lucy Burch and Jan Huntley 6/10/2025 - Received a Kudos - "I wanted to take a moment to express my sincere appreciation for two of the chaplains on your team, Jan Huntley and Lucy Burch. These ladies have consistently provided incredible support and compassion to our patients, their families, and our staff.

Their presence brings comfort during some of the most challenging moments in people’s lives. Whether offering a listening ear, a calming presence, or spiritual guidance, their work makes a profound difference in the emotional and spiritual well-being of everyone they encounter.

Their dedication does not go unnoticed. Many staff have shared with me how their kindness and empathy have helped them find strength and peace during difficult times. As colleagues, we are also deeply grateful for the way they support our teams —always ready with encouragement, understanding, and care.

I want to thank the entire team of chaplains for being such a vital part of our hospital community. Your work is truly a gift, and we are fortunate to have all of you as part of our team." -From Angela Duffey, BSN, RN, CPAN

Zach Hutchinson 6/3/2025 - Received a Kudos Card - This particular shift I was bedside, and we had a patient who is a believer of faith. I was fortunate to have this patient 3 days in a row and every morning I would great her and she would reply - "Good morning! I'm blessed to be alive, you are blessed, and today is a great day to be here". It's the simple things and I found such joy in seeing her face every morning. I also had the privileged to discharge her back home. Her discharge was set for 2:00pm and at 1:50pm she had a final request to pray with the chaplain before she departed the hospital. I reached out to Zach via secure chat and immediately he came to bedside the same time as her ride. They held hands and said a quick prayer before she was off to home. The patient was so appreciative that Zach was able to pray with her, she squeezed my hand with tears in her eyes and said "God blessed you and God blessed Zach". Kudos to Zach for being a shining light to our patients but putting people first.

Our director, Rev. John Oliver, had an article written about him featured on the Duke SharePoint page! Check it out: Spotlight on Reverend John P. Oliver: Celebrating Each Other

Artie Hendricks 5/27/25 - "On May 8^th the Case Managers department had their celebratory lunch to honor nurses in our department, and Artie Hendricks was kind enough to start off our luncheon with a blessing of hands. Artie's thoughtful words about the role of our RN case managers set the tone for a meaningful lunch together and reminded us of the value of our coworkers and the work they do. He was a welcomed addition to that day, and helped to transform a work event into a time of fellowship with each other. Please let Artie know he is appreciated. Thank you!"

Katherine Henderson 5/9/2025 - Received a Kudos Kard – "(She) is a teammate worth celebrating! Putting people first is at the center of all that she does, though a special nod to her amazing ability to empower and lift up others. Kudos to Katherine!"

Artie Hendricks 4/25/2025 - Gold Star Award – “Artie has been following one of our patients that my OT counterpart and I have been working with for quite some time now. There have been a number of times we have read some of Artie's notes and have learned something new about this patient. It has helped us tremendously, allowing us to make our sessions more personalized and effective, we have been able to connect with him on a very personal level thanks to Artie. In addition, we have seen Artie go far above and beyond in order to encourage this patient to keep pushing, stay motivated and take every day as it comes. Artie is always SO positive and caring, and I just felt like his level of care and compassion needed to be recognized.   Thank you Artie for all you do!” 

Katherine Henderson 5/2/2025 – Kudos Kard - “I am the Hospital Medicine administrator on call this week, and wanted to pass along kudos for a member of the chaplain team. Dr. Z. reached out to say that Katherine Henderson was incredibly helpful during a BERT event last night - she stepped up and talked with the patient, helping calm him down so effectively that the team was able to avoid placing him in restraints or forcibly administering medications.”

Lucy Burch 2/19/2025 – Kudos – “Wanted to express my gratitude to Lucy for her visit with my patient yesterday. He’s getting a transplant and her note about their conversation was very moving to read. This has been a long road for him, and on top of being ill he has dealt with other marginalizing health challenges. He has told me how much Duke has made him feel cared for and loved. Thanks for everything you all do.

Rolando Perez-Velasquez – Kudos – “A family on 7E want me to express their appreciation for the care you provided them at the time of their loved one’s death.  The family shared for several minutes.  Thank you for sharing yourself and caring for this family."

One of our chaplains, Theresa Bayless, had an article about her work featured in the New York Times!

Click the link to check it out: A Final Celebration of Their Life Together - The New York Times

Father Nakireru had an article written about him! Click on the link below to read it:

Duke Chaplain Lifts the Spirits of Catholic Patients | Duke Today