Healthcare heroes in Texas, Minnesota, Nevada, Rhode Island, Tennessee, North Carolina and Indiana will be awarded cash prizes for their extraordinary impact on patient care
2025 HeroesFIRST Winners
heroes first
KING OF Prussia, Pa., Oct. 13, 2025 (Globe Newswire) — ImageFIRST®, a leading national provider of linen, laundry and facility services specializing in the healthcare industry, has announced the winners of its 5th annual HeroesFIRST contest. Each year, ImageFIRST service team members recognize outstanding healthcare heroes who go above and beyond to positively impact the lives of patients. This year, there were over 600 applications from all over the country. From these nominations, 20 healthcare heroes were selected as finalists. The public voted for their most inspirational hero on the contest website.
After a national vote, the hero with the most votes will be awarded a total of $16,500 in prizes. *
The top eight 2025 HeroesFIRST winners are:
Javen Hinojosa, Edinburg Regional Medical Center, Edinburg, Texas;
Amanda Fricke, Allina Health Surgery Center – Brooklyn Park, Brooklyn Park, MN
Emma Young, Canyon Ridge Surgery Center, Las Vegas, NV
Taylor Meek, Boston IVF (Providence, Rhode Island)
Tarania Cook, Children's West Surgical Center, Knoxville, Tennessee
Cheryl Dicas, Durango Ambulatory Surgery Center, Las Vegas, NV
Anthony Whitley, Novant Health in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Debra Bell, Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Center, Middlebury, Indiana;
*If you wish, we will donate the same amount to the charity of your choice.
A local celebration will be held for each winner. Details of local events can be shared with the press upon request.
The HeroesFIRST campaign continues to highlight the heartwarming stories of healthcare workers whose quiet acts of kindness and dedication make a lasting difference. “Javen was chosen by our team for his dedication to emergency medicine and his continued pursuit of excellence,” said Darwin Torzek, ImageFIRST linen technician in Weslaco, Texas. Weslaco team candidate Jabén Hinojosa was selected as one of the top eight winners. “Jaben, who has experience as a paramedic, spent five years as an ER nurse at STHS Edinburg, and is currently pursuing a career as an ER nurse, truly embodies the HeroesFIRST spirit: dedicated, compassionate, and always ready to serve those in crisis.”
HeroesFIRST recipient Javen Hinojosa, an ER nurse at Edinburg Regional Medical Center, expressed his great gratitude for the award and said, “I am very grateful to have been nominated for the HeroesFIRST award. I would like to thank all my friends, family and supporters for this award. ”
