After months of nominations, voting, and waiting, the winners for Philadelphia magazine’s Be Well Philly Health Hero Challenge were finally announced! On Tuesday, November 27, 2018, the best and brightest of Philly’s health and wellness industry gathered at the Pyramid Club. There, guests were able to enjoy tasty sips and light bites among friends and colleagues. The audience anxiously awaited this year’s winners of the challenge, presented by Independence Blue Cross. With stunning views of the city behind her, Be Well Philly’s editor Caroline Cunningham took the podium to make the announcement.
2018 Health Hero
Now, without further ado, the 2018 Health Hero winner is… Todd Irwin! Todd is the president of the Board of Directors and a volunteer pilot for Angel Flight East (AFE). Angel Flight East is a nonprofit providing free air transportation for people who travel long distances for medical treatment. Serving the Northeastern region, AFE’s volunteer pilots use their own aircraft to fly patients to their destinations. In addition, they pay for all expenses of each mission. As the winner of the Health Hero challenge, Todd proudly gave Angel Flight East the $10,000 prize.
Of course, the competition was intense this year with such inspiring finalists. The two runner-ups each received $2,500 towards the charity of their choosing. Alanna Gardner donated her winnings to the American Heart Association. Since 1924, AHA is the United States’ oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. Marian Uhlman gave her donation to Healthy NewsWorks. This organization empowers young students to become researchers and writers who support the spread of health information and literacy through publishing and digital media.
VIP: Very Influential Philadelphians
This year, the VIP competition was pretty fierce, too. The public voted for NBC10 Philadelphia morning anchor Tracy Davidson as the recipient of this distinguished title. Tracy donated her $2,500 prize to the Philadelphia Freedom Valley YMCA. Nationally, The Y is a leading nonprofit strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. Throughout the Delaware Valley, they serve more than 160,000 members and 240,000 individuals a year, regardless of age, income, or background.
The two proud VIP runners-up are also making impressive strides to make the Philadelphia area happier and healthier. Christian Crosby is the in-arena host and Content & Integrated Marketing Manager for the Philadelphia 76ers. Plus, he’s the founder and CEO of Live Life Nice, a cause-driven digital media and apparel company. His company is dedicated to inspiring and empowering people to “be nice and do nice.” Wendell Holland is a furniture designer and builder at his company, Beve Unlimited, and winner of Survivor: Ghost Island. Wendell’s local custom furniture company specializes in sustainable pieces made from reclaimed wood. The Ardmore native is motivated by helping Philadelphia be a city that makes it easier for all its residents to have healthier lifestyles.
After the big checks were handed out, heartfelt speeches were made. Then, everyone in the room celebrated, not just the winners. The Health Hero Challenge shines a light on the many people in and around Philadelphia helping others all year long. We consider healthier lives a win for everyone!
For more information about the Be Well Philly Health Hero Challenge, visit the website. Follow along on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook and using the hashtag #BWPHealthHero.
* The Philadelphia magazine Be Well Philly Health Hero Challenge is a Philly PR Girl client.
