Kunigunda (Gunda) Adams, one of our most loyal employees, was recently awarded the Hospital Hero award at the 9 ^th Annual Hospital Hero Awards Luncheon, which took place November 21, 2014 at the Skirball Cultural Center. Gunda was amongst many nominees in the Southern California area and is the first winner from Garfield Medical Center! Below is the write-up that her nominator submitted.

Gunda is a person who always puts the needs of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) first. She is thorough with her work and eager to keep up with all the changes. She is an inspiration to the staff for her 42 years at Garfield Medical Center. Her longevity and continued enthusiasm is admirable and inspirational. Her thoughtfulness and giving nature contribute to the sense of family that is felt by all in our unit. If she has the day off, and we need her, she comes in. The numerous qualities she has make us proud to have her in our unit.

She is much more than a hero. She is our beloved "Mama Gunda". Her loyalty and dedication has served as an example to her co-workers. She fosters teamwork and boosts morale. All this for someone who recently celebrated her 90 ^th birthday!

She is proactive in maintaining our specialty supplies. She is our front-line defense in infection control by making sure our visitors scrub appropriately when they enter the unit. She communicates with the staff and doctors making sure ordered procedures are done. Her attention to detail includes informing the staff of pertinent information related to patient care and making sure our log book is up to date. She is dedicated. In her 42 years at Garfield she has never called in sick!

A hero at any work environment is someone who greatly impacts in a positive way and Gunda is indeed no exception.