On December 1, Independence Blue Cross Vice President of Marketing Koleen Cavanaugh joined Philadelphia magazine’s Be Well Philly editor Gina Tomaine to celebrate the 2020 Be Well Health Hero Challenge. The all-virtual event honored three finalists and awarded the top prize to the 2020 Health Hero Champion.
The Health Hero Challenge honors people from throughout our region who are working to make their communities healthier. Independence is the presenting sponsor of the award.
The editors at Be Well Philly received hundreds of nominations, which they narrowed down to 10 semi-finalists, then three finalists. In the final round of voting, the winner was chosen by the general public.
2020 Health Hero
Christy Silva won the top honor of 2020 Be Well Health Hero. Silva took home $15,000 for the charity she co-founded, Aidan’s Heart Foundation. Founded after her son Aidan died without warning from sudden cardiac arrest, Aidan’s Heart Foundation is committed to providing awareness, education, and support to communities in southeastern Pennsylvania. The nonprofit does this by helping to create heart-safe communities for youth based on the prevention of, or response to, tragic instances of sudden cardiac arrest.
Two other finalists received $2,500 donations to their charities:
- Victoria Borgia, a local doctor who specializes in reproductive health, LGBTQIA health and integrative medicine. Her nonprofit of choice is Women’s Medical Fund.
- Asasiya Muhammad, women’s health advocate and midwife at Inner Circle Midwifery, a private home birth practice based in Germantown. Her nonprofit of choice is Maternity Care Coalition.