Ceca proudly announces Roberta Kuhl as a recipient of a 2024 National Ceca Award! Roberta is a Hospice Social Worker at WV Caring, one of the oldest and largest nonprofit hospices in the state serving people living with life limiting illnesses. The National Ceca Award, now in its 11th year, is a prestigious honor that celebrates extraordinary caregivers from across the country for demonstrating exceptional acts of care that promote well-being and quality of life for those in their care.
Roberta initially received WV Caring’s 4th Quarter Ceca Award, making her eligible for the National Ceca Award. She was then selected out of hundreds of nominees and through a competitive process to receive one of the national awards for 2024. Roberta is more than just a professional, and she was recognized for the way she treats her patients like family, ensuring they feel seen, valued, and cared for, even in their most vulnerable moments. On Thanksgiving of this past year, she took time away from her own family to personally deliver meals to patients who would have otherwise spent the holiday alone. More than just food, she provides companionship, warmth, and kindness not only on holidays, but throughout the year. Her actions on Thanksgiving are one example of the countless ways she goes above and beyond every day, walking alongside patients and their families through their hardest times. Roberta’s work embodies the true essence of hospice care, reminding everyone that social work extends far beyond paperwork—it’s about making a meaningful difference, one heart at a time.
Colleagues that work with Roberta at WV Caring have wonderful things to say about Roberta:
- Ginny U. said: “I had the pleasure to spend Christmas with Roberta at the Hospice Center. She helped serve our wonderful Christmas dinner to our patients and their families. She is always willing to lend an extra hand and a smile when our clouds are getting a little gray. She is truly a ray of sunshine and I could have not done Christmas on the unit without her. She was such a huge inspiration and even went out of her way to several places to find special desserts that patients wanted. Little Debbie Christmas Tree cakes for the win!”
- Mason M. said: “When you work with someone like Roberta, you quickly learn that the title ‘social worker’ doesn’t even begin to cover it. It’s more than a job to her; it’s a calling. She doesn’t just show up for work; she shows up for people—and not just in the professional sense. Roberta is one of the most compassionate and dedicated social workers I’ve ever had the privilege of knowing. She has this rare ability to get personally involved in her patients’ lives, all while maintaining the highest level of professionalism. Her heart is so big, and she never hesitates to make her patients feel loved, cared for and seen—even when they feel isolated, abandoned or forgotten. I could share countless stories about Roberta.”
An award celebration took take place on March 3 at Glenville State University where Roberta was recognized by her team members, client families and other esteemed community members for her exceptional compassion and dedication to her hospice patients. As a National Ceca Award Honoree, Roberta received a cash award of $2,500, along with an engraved commemorative trophy. Ceca President Nate Hamme presented the award to Roberta along with WV Caring’s Founding President Malene Davis. Additional remarks from Dr. Mark Manchin, President of GSU, staff and healthcare community leaders rounded out the celebration.
“To Roberta, these small acts of love are just a part of what she does every day. But for those patients, it meant the world. This is just one example of the countless ways Roberta goes above and beyond for her patients. She doesn’t just work for them; she works with them, walking alongside them through their hardest moments, always offering a kind word or a hand to hold.”
“The Ceca Award program represents what we need more of—grateful spirits. I am so pleased and humbled to lead an organization dedicated to God and to lifting the human spirit through compassion and love for this vulnerable population,” said Malene Davis, Founding President & Chief Visionary Officer of WV Caring. “Our team members go above and beyond daily and help families have quality of life. Recognizing a team member who spends her day selflessly thinking of how to improve another person’s life is a calling.”
Nate Hamme, President of Ceca, commented, “Every year our team is inspired reading the amazing stories of caregivers around the country. Roberta stands out for her unyielding personal dedication to those in her care, making time on holidays to spend time and provide companionship to those feeling alone during one of the most consequential moments of their lives. She is an exemplary person and dedicated professional who impacts people’s lives in a transformative way. We are humbled to honor her with this award for the compassion, care and skill she exhibits.”
Hamme added, “It is incredibly rewarding to see how meaningful acknowledgements—from team members, their patients, and the community at large—can reconnect people with the work they do each day. Ceca’s partners, like WV Caring, have made a commitment to a culture of gratitude that celebrates individuals and their efforts. We’re so proud to play a role in supporting and celebrating care workers who make a real difference in people’s lives.”
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The 2024 National Ceca Awards are sponsored by MemoryFox, Ohio Health Care Association, and RB Health Partners, Inc.