Mercy Colleagues Recognized as Healthcare Heroes

Mercy's Cindy Leonard, BSN, OCN, Infusion Manager at the Sister Caritas Cancer Center speaks at the Gala.  (Photo courtesy of Underwood Photography)

The Springfield-based publication’s “Class of 2025” included Cindy Leonard, RN, BSN, OCN, Infusion Manager at the Sister Caritas Cancer Center, for her selection in the Healthcare Provider category. BusinessWest also presented a Collaboration in Healthcare Award to the team of colleagues and Mercy supporters who worked on the creation of the Andy Yee Palliative Care Unit.

Cindy oversees all the essential activities within the infusion center with a continual focus on quality care – a tremendous task as medical oncology infusion services at Mercy provide over 17,000 treatments annually. In addition to numerous administrative responsibilities, Cindy routinely interacts with physicians, medical assistants, nursing staff, administration, pharmacy, and housekeeping as well as patients and their family members – all while taking on her own daily patient load.

Mercy’s Andy Yee Palliative Care Unit is named in honor of the late well-known restaurateur and longtime supporter of the hospital where he received treatment at the Sister Caritas Cancer Center. After his passing, Andy’s wife met with hospital leaders about creating a space dedicated to palliative care for patients. Over the next several years, Andy’s family and friends took up the cause, collaborating with Trinity Health Of New England’s Philanthropy Department on a fund-raising effort that ultimately raised $1.5 million for the creation of the Andy Yee Palliative Care Unit at Mercy Medical Center.