First Recipient of the Dr. Julianne Kirkham Award

The first recipient of the new Dr. Julianne Kirkham Award has been chosen: Infection Preventionist Amy Kilroy, MPH, CIC.

The Dr. Julianne Kirkham Award is a new quarterly award at UP Health System — Marquette. The award recognizes exemplary employees of the support and ancillary departments of the hospital who clearly see their purpose and importance in supporting the care of our patients and our community. Amy Kilroy, MPH, CIC, is the Infection Preventionist at UP Health System — Marquette and was nominated for the award by her fellow employees.

Amy is an exceptional role-model with her unrelenting perseverance and desire to care for others. Amy has been instrumental during the pandemic by ensuring we maintain our supply of fit testing equipment, N-95, and PPE. She volunteers to help fold the blue gowns to ensure we have enough ready. The amount of added work this pandemic has brought to one person is insurmountable and she handles it with professionalism and grace.”

— Excerpt from nomination

Named in honor of Dr. Julianne Kirkham, this award pays tribute to those who, just as Dr. Kirkham did, believe that our own lives become better as we help others’ lives become better. Every individual patient mattered to Dr. Kirkham, and she touched countless lives throughout her career. She was a true educator to patients, families, and fellow medical colleagues. She was intellectually curious and had a deep love for helping others. Her warmth, knowledgeable compassion, sense of justice, and fierce advocacy for her patients during their darkest times gave them hope and direction. Her sense of humor was brilliant, helping to put her patients at ease. Dr. Kirkham lived her life with a greater purpose to help others.

Sadly, Dr. Kirkham passed away unexpectedly in 2020. She was courageous, generous, and inspiring, with an unrelenting desire to create a ripple effect of positive change in the people and the world around us. In honor of Dr. Kirkham’s memory, UP Health System — Marquette created this award to recognize those who follow in her footsteps.

Recipients of this award are chosen by a hospital committee on a quarterly basis. There were so many amazing nominations submitted for Quarter 1 2020, and the committee would like to recognize everyone who was nominated by their teammates for this award.

• Jennifer Kulie, Hematology/Oncology
• Amy Larsen, Food and Nutrition
• Michele Khouli, Growth and Outreach
• Alyson Sundberg, Safety/Risk/Security/Compliance
• Heidi Dickinson, Adult Behavioral Health
• Bonnie Brewer, Nutrition & Wellness/Diabetes Education
• Cori Steede, Specialty Clinic
• Nicole Kehoe, Cardiology
• Derek Gravelle, Information Technology