CHRISTUS Good Shepherd Health System

In honor of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we are celebrating saints like Saint Paul Miki, the Patron Saint of Japan and one of the first native Japanese Christians whose faith endured even in the face of persecution.

As a Jesuit seminarian and gifted preacher, Paul Miki boldly shared the Gospel at a time when Christianity was outlawed in Japan. In 1597, he and 25 companions were arrested and crucified for their faith. From the cross, Paul continued to preach, stating just before his death “After Christ’s example, I forgive my persecutors. I do not hate them. I ask God to have pity on all, and I hope my blood will fall on my fellow men as a fruitful rain.” His courage and unwavering trust in God helped sustain the Catholic faith in Japan for generations. St. Paul Miki reminds us that even in the most difficult moments, faith, mercy and hope can leave a lasting impact.

We recently hosted our first Northeast Texas Regional Quality Improvement and Research Symposium, showcasing the incredible scholarly activity taking place across our region! Learners from our Internal Medicine Residency program, along with medical students and others, came together for a day filled with interesting cases, research, and quality-improvement initiatives. We are proud to celebrate the collaboration, curiosity, and dedication of these bright individuals as they continue advancing medical education and patient care through scholarship and innovation.

At our annual Nursing Hall of Fame Awards, we celebrated the compassion, leadership, excellence, and dedication our nurses bring to every patient interaction. These honorees represent the very best of nursing at our facilities.
Congratulations to our 2026 award recipients:
✨ Nurse Rookie of the Year – Joseph Maique, RN
✨ Preceptor of the Year – Emilee Hailey, BSN, RN
✨ Charge Nurse of the Year – Sonja Brooks, ADN, RN
✨ Educator of the Year – Maria Thacker, BSN, RN
✨ APRN Clinic – Jennifer Bardwell, AGACNP-BC, FNP-BC, RNFA
✨ APRN Hospital – Courtney Alford-Portley, APRN, FNP-C
✨ Nurse Leader of the Year Hospital – Stephanie Foster, DNP, RN
✨ Nurse of the Year Clinic – Julie Zielke, BSN, RN
✨ Nurse of the Year Hospital – Kimberley Robertson, RN

Thank you to every nurse across our ministry for the healing, comfort, and hope you provide each day. Good health is worth celebrating!