The 2025 winners were recognized at the 21st annual Champions of Health awards for their efforts to improve the health of Oklahomans.
2025 Champions of Health Winners
Dr. Rodney L. Huey Memorial Champion of Oklahoma Health
Winner: Paws for Purpose OU Health, (OKC)
Paws for Purpose Paws for Purpose's main goal is to utilize facility therapy dogs at Oklahoma Children’s Hospital. Through Animal Assisted Thearpy, Paws for Purpose promotes positive coping in pediatric patients, along with their families, through therapeutic interventions; including using facility dogs to decrease stress, comfort patients during procedures, support them while learning to walk again as a motivation after surgery, or even making a patient comfortable enough to talk about death, among many other interactions and interventions. The program will launch the first facility therapy dog for adult services in the fall of 2025.
Champion of Children's Health
Winner: The Demand Project, (Tulsa)
For 12 years, The Demand Project (TDP) has dedicated itself to rebuilding the lives of underage human trafficking survivors. As the only organization in the state dedicated to protecting and restoring the lives of the most vulnerable among us–young girls who have survived sexual exploitation–The Demand Project is championing children’s health like none other. Their courage and unwavering commitment to combating the heinous crime of human trafficking through both prevention and restoration sets them apart in this critical fight. The residential, restorative Journey to Freedom program is housed at Mount Arukah, a rescue campus for girls ages 11-17 exiting trafficking. Mount Arukah stands as the sole restorative, specialized resource for girls in Oklahoma who have experienced unspeakable trauma in trafficking.
Community Health Champion
Winner: Lindsey House, (Tulsa)
According to AmericasHealthRankings.org, Oklahoma ranks 47th among states for women’s and children’s health outcomes. Lindsey House is working every day to improve the future for women and children in the state by offering a safe, stable home with an on-site food pantry and supportive wrap-around services for families facing situational homelessness. We understand that when a woman has a supportive network and safe shelter, she can begin to rebuild her life with confidence and purpose. This program not only changes individual lives – it strengthens families, revitalizes communities and breaks cycles of poverty for future generations.
Champion of Senior Health
Winner: NEWVIEW OKLAHOMA, (STATEWIDE)
NewView Oklahoma is the state’s only nonprofit dedicated to empowering seniors with vision loss to live independently, safely, and with dignity. NewView’s comprehensive rehabilitation program is the only one in the state that combines specialized optometry with occupational and other therapies to help visually impaired seniors maximize their remaining eyesight for independence and to age safely in place. NewView operates two low-vision clinics in Tulsa and OKC, and our staff travels over 60,000 miles each year to visit low-vision clients throughout the state. In 2024, our staff served 2,210 low-vision patients - 68% of whom are aged 65 – and all had access to essential care regardless of their income or insurance status.
Champion of the Uninsured
Winner: Project TCMS (Tulsa Charitable Medical Services), (Tulsa)
Project TCMS (Tulsa Charitable Medical Services) bridges the gap in specialty healthcare for uninsured, low-income Tulsa County residents. In response to data showing over 102,000 adults without insurance, Project TCMS connects patients from safety net clinics to volunteer specialty physicians at no cost. Streamlining referrals eases clinic burdens and ensures timely, coordinated care. Eligible patients earn below 250% of the federal poverty level and don’t qualify for Medicaid or Medicare. Project TCMS fosters collaboration among health systems and physicians, offering a compassionate, efficient solution for the uninsured. Project TCMS exemplifies what it means to be a Champion of the Uninsured.
The Champions of Health Awards is presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma, in partnership with Care Providers Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Association of Optometric Physicians, the Oklahoma Dental Association, the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, the Oklahoma Foundation for Medical Quality, the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, the Oklahoma Hospital Association, the Oklahoma Osteopathic Association, the Oklahoma Primary Care Association, the Oklahoma State Department of Health and the Oklahoma State Medical Association.