On April 14, 2023, Kaiser Permanente hosted a momentous event at the Center for Total Health in Washington, DC, to honor some of our youngest patients fighting serious illness. For this special event, Kaiser Permanente was honored to partner with Medals4Mettle, a national organization that collects donated medals from endurance athletes and awards them to children facing serious illnesses to acknowledge their bravery and resilience.
During the event, six physicians who provide care to pediatric patients – Drs. Carla Hanash, Jason Mitchell, Eva Perdahl-Wallace, Raafe Gouse, Alpa Vashist, and Anna Isfort – presented medals to nine of their patients and their families. One of the patients, Caoilinn McLane, a Northern Virginia Community College student and high school athlete, has battled leukemia and is pursuing her dream to attend the United States Naval Academy in the future.
The physicians at Kaiser Permanente were honored to uplift young patients who deserve recognition for their unwavering strength and courage in the face of adversity. Kaiser Permanente’s collaboration with Medals4Mettle allowed the organization to recognize and celebrate the bravery of these inspiring children, who are facing medical challenges with remarkable fortitude and determination.
