Hospital for Special Care’s Sara Heath Honored as a 2026 Healthcare Hero by the Connecticut Hospital Association
June 11, 2026NEW BRITAIN, Conn., June 11, 2026 — Hospital for Special Care (HFSC) is proud to announce that Sara Heath, Occupational Therapist in the Autism Center, has been honored with the 2026 Connecticut Hospital Association (CHA) Healthcare Heroes Award.
The 2026 CHA Healthcare Heroes Award celebrates and recognizes the invaluable contributions of exceptional healthcare workers, both to their field and to the community at large. This year, CHA presented the award to a cohort of heroes from hospitals across the state.
Sara is an exceptional member of the HFSC team who consistently exemplifies the organization’s core values: caring, integrity, and pursuit of excellence. Through her dedication and passion for improving patient experience, Sara took the lead in creating an inclusive Fun and Fitness Program in partnership with the Adaptive Sports Program. This program provides vital recreation and socialization for the community and has been flourishing for two years.
Additionally, Sara has supported the New Britain School system and played an instrumental role in developing the neurodiverse track for the HFSC Ivan Lendl Adaptive Sports Camp, expanding opportunities to participate in sport-specific activities for this underserved community. Sara continues to go above and beyond to seek opportunities to enhance patient care and resources, truly making her an everyday hero inside and outside of the HFSC community.
Since 2002, CHA has included a celebration of healthcare heroes as part of its Annual Meeting. This year’s meeting, which took place on Thursday, June 11, 2026, included the recognition of healthcare heroes who represent all types of care from every corner of Connecticut. Heroes received a certificate from CHA and a proclamation from the Office of Governor Ned Lamont recognizing their outstanding leadership.
Read more about each of the 2026 CHA Healthcare Heroes here and congratulations to everyone who was awarded this exceptional award.