The Angels Among Us program initiated by Dr. Ronnie Chu is under way, and Lois Dixon is the first hospital employee to be honored in the program.

Dixon is a certified nursing assistant of two years at Bryan W. Whitfield Memorial Hospital with 13 years of total experience at the hospital.

“I’m excited, nervous – hard to say!” she said of winning the award.

Angels Among Us is an initiative through which Physicians Family Healthcare recognizes the efforts of hospital employees. Each month, two deserving employees receive a $100 bonus for efforts above and beyond the typical care offered at the hospital.

Chu said the initiative is designed to reward those deserving hospital employees like Dixon who may not otherwise be recognized.

“Folks like her make the hospital better, make the town better and, generally, make humanity better,” Chu said. “If people would just go the extra mile for other people, it would be a better place.”

Dixon was nominated for the award by Pat H. Dixon of Gallion.

Chu said there were a number of nurses in line for the first award.

“People who are nominated will all get chances,” Chu said. “There’s not, like, a deadline or anything. Every time that patients like Pat Dixon will come out and say, “So-and-so did a great job,’ then we will take notes and the next time the chance comes around, we will honor them.”

Pat Dixon also had words of praise for the first Angels Among Us winner.

“When they first came out with the program, I mentally went through all of the nurses,” she said. “All of them have been so wonderful to me. I thought that Lois provides something that is very refreshing!

“They are a team over there, but what she does is very important. She is very kind. Her attitude is very important.”

Nominations for the Angels Among Us candidates can be turned in at Dr. Chu’s office at Physician Family Healthcare on U.S. Highway 80 West.