BOSTON – On Wednesday, June 20, Angela Ortiz of Woburn was honored as a member of the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women’s (MCSW) 2018 class of Unsung Heroines. Senator Cindy Friedman (D-Arlington) nominated Angela for this recognition because of her tireless efforts advocating on behalf of children with complex medical needs in the Commonwealth. Angela was honored with 130 other Unsung Heroines for her outstanding contributions to her community in a ceremony at the State House.
Angela is an exemplary “citizen advocate” with a passion for helping others in her community. Founder of the Massachusetts Pediatric Home Nursing Care Campaign, Angela is a staunch advocate for improved access to care for medically fragile children in the Commonwealth. For the past several years, Angela has fiercely lobbied state legislative offices and testified at numerous public hearings on behalf of her daughter, Ayla, and hundreds of children across the state with complex medical conditions and special in-home healthcare needs.
“It was such an empowering day to be honored with so many amazing women, who inspire through action, lead with heart, and make a difference in their communities. I’m grateful to Senator Friedman for the nomination, but even more so for her strong leadership and unwavering support to help bring resolve to a longstanding crisis affecting our state’s most medically fragile children and their families,” said Angela Ortiz.
Through her valuable work on the Campaign, Angela hopes to ensure that all Massachusetts residents with complex medical needs receive the care that they need, when they need it, that there is a skilled nursing workforce available, and that there is accountability measures in regards to MassHealth and the provider community. Her strong advocacy as well as her passion and enthusiasm for improving the lives of children and parents across the state make Angela a well-deserved recipient of the Unsung Heroine Award.
“I have had the pleasure of working with Angela to move important legislation forward in the State House to protect medically vulnerable children in the Commonwealth who require specialized in-home care to manage their complex medical conditions,” said Senator Friedman. “Time and time again, Angela has demonstrated her ability to fight for what is right and never back down on the issues she cares about. I’m so proud to represent such a caring and dedicated individual in the state Senate.”
The Unsung Heroine Award is traditionally given to women who don’t necessarily make news headlines, but make a big difference to those around them. They are the women who use their time, talent and enthusiasm to enrich the lives of others. They are mentors, volunteers and innovators who do what needs to be done without expectations of recognition or gratitude. =Every community is better because of the contributions of these women.
The ceremony included a program emceed by MCSW Chair Margot Parrot, acknowledging each of the 2018 Unsung Heroines, along with remarks from Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito, Senate President Harriette L. Chandler, Speaker of the House Robert A. DeLeo, and Representative Colleen M. Garry, Co-Chair of the Massachusetts Caucus of Women Legislators. The ceremony was followed by a group photograph and a “Just Desserts” reception.
A complete list of this year’s honorees is available by contacting the Commission; to request this list or for additional information please contact the MCSW at 617-626-6520 or mcsw@state.ma.us.
About the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women
The Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women is an independent state agency that was legislatively created in 1998 to advance women of the Commonwealth to full equality in all areas of life and to promote their rights and opportunities. The MCSW provides a permanent, effective voice for the women of Massachusetts.
About the Massachusetts Pediatric Home Nursing Care Campaign
Launched in April 2016, the Massachusetts Pediatric Home Nursing Care Campaign is led by parents across the state who struggle to find and retain Continued Skilled Nursing to properly care for their loved ones with complex medical needs at home. Its goal is to ensure that all eligible families have access to skilled care, to expand and sustain a high-quality workforce in the community, to improve financing for community-based long-term supports, to ensure that system-wide quality improvement processes exist and future long-term support delivery systems are implemented, to ensure agency oversight and accountability, and to assure ongoing training of nurses caring for the roughly 900 medically fragile children and adults across the Commonwealth.
Senator Friedman represents the 4th Middlesex district, which includes Arlington, Billerica, Burlington, Woburn, and precincts 1-2 and 4-7 in Lexington.