Last night, nearly 200 health care professionals gathered with friends and family in the Cape Fear Botanical Garden Ralph and Linda Huff Orangery for GFBJ’s third annual Health Care Heroes Awards. 

This year’s winners are:

Community Achievement - Scott Cameron 

“This award belongs to all the Friendship House team … I’m so honored to get it, but at the same time it was a serious community effort. All of the success we’ve had has really been the result of the culmination of a lot of community spirit,” shared Cameron. 

Innovation - Mark Rose

“It's humbling and an honor, but it's truly a team effort. I may lead the SIM lab, but it's really a team effort and it gives us an opportunity to not only be innovative, but provide the community with exceptional training and care that our physicians, our allied health crew, all receive so it's just an honor,” stated Rose after accepting his award.

Health Care Executive - Nelson T. Morris

“I am truly humbled and honored to receive the 2025 Greater Fayetteville Business Journal Healthcare Heroes—Healthcare Executive Award. This recognition means more than I can express. Any success I’ve had begins with God’s guidance, my family, whose support grounds me every day, and my corporate team, who encourage me, challenge me, and believe in me. Nothing we accomplish is done alone, and this award reflects the dedication of everyone around me.  I am honored to receive this award,” remarked Morris. 

“As I reflect on the meaning of ‘Healthcare Heroes,’ we often think of a single, extraordinary act. But in our field, heroism isn’t a one-time event. Our healthcare heroes perform incredible achievements every single day—quietly, consistently, and with unwavering commitment. This event is a well-deserved recognition of those individuals who carry out heroic work not just once, but throughout every moment of their service. To be mentioned among this group is an honor I do not take lightly. I am humbled to stand alongside people whose dedication and courage define what true heroism looks like in healthcare,” added Morris.

Nurse - Rachel Thurnher

“It sounds cliche, but this was absolutely a huge team effort from the beginning. There's so many individuals that I could name from volunteer services to pastoral care all the way up to Cape Fear Valley administration who were integral in supporting my vision, coming to my monthly meetings and answering all my emails and questions, and it was just it was a powerhouse, and I just couldn't have done it without that. Now to see how NODA has grown, and that we've served 84 and counting patients since February 3, when originally they thought that there might be the need only for maybe one patient a month, and here we're averaging three to four a week. It just fills my heart with so much joy, and I am so grateful for all my volunteers, because they are the absolute heart and soul of the program,” shared Thurnher.

NP/PA - Hope Cole

“This award quite honestly means the world to me. I have been in the Emergency Department for almost 10 years and have tried to consistently show compassion to each and every patient. It represents every long shift, every challenge, and every patient encounter. It reminds me that the hard days matter and the good days make it worth it all. I’m thankful to my team and feel that I couldn’t do it without them,” shared Cole.

Physician - Stephen H. Kouba

“I’m honored. Fayetteville’s my home and always will be my home. I’d like to thank my wife especially…what I learned over all these years, I did so many surgeries, I realized at the end of my career, which is still ongoing, that maybe surgery is not always the answer. The patient should always come first and there are things sometimes other than surgery that'll make a difference,” shared Kouba. 

Unsung Hero - Shelby Yow-Hayes

“I'm so proud and honored to even be nominated tonight, and definitely proud to have won. I love being part of the Hoke and Cumberland County healthcare community. I’ve been doing this for 30 years and just love the community and helping people,” remarked Yow-Hayes.

Volunteer - Tommy Singleton

“I’d like to thank all of the people that vetted. I hear it was pretty tight. I’d like to thank the journal. I turned down the offer and then the lady called me and talked me into it. I didn’t expect to win anything…I’m very honored,” remarked Singleton.  

Lifetime Achievement - Dr. Stuart Shelton

“I feel very honored, very humbled. And I just think all the people that I've worked with over the years, from the staff at my office to the folks at the hospital that supported us, I think the referring physicians that trusted our service and sent their patients to us, and I'm very thankful for all the patients I took care of made a lot of memories,” shared Dr. Shelton.

Thank you to everyone who submitted a nomination for this year’s awards. We look forward to bringing this event to the greater Fayetteville area once again in 2026!