DALY CITY MAYOR NAMES 2008 MAYOR’S CITIZEN OF THE YEAR:
SR. WILLIAM EILEEN DUNN OF SETON MEDICAL CENTER/SETON COASTSIDE
DALY CITY, CA., December 12, 2008 – Sr. William Eileen Dunn, DC, vice president of Mission Integration at Seton Medical Center and Seton Coastside, is Daly City’s Citizen of the Year for 2008. The honor was presented by Daly City Mayor Carol Klatt at a meeting of the City Council on December 1.
“We selected Sister William Eileen as Citizen of the Year to recognize her many contributions to the Daly City community,” Mayor Klatt said. “She has been an advocate for the poor and uninsured in need of healthcare and strives to make Seton Medical Center accessible to all patients. She is a hardworking, caring individual who quietly works behind the scenes to improve the quality of life of the poorest members of our community.”
Vice Mayor Maggie Gomez, who is also manager of Patient Relations at Seton, stated: “Sister is supportive, gracious and positive, and I’ve never seen anyone work so hard toward the improvement of this community. I can’t think of a more deserving person to receive this award. I’m honored to know her and to work with her.”
Since 1968, Sr. William Eileen has served at Seton Medical Center in various capacities. In her current position, she leads efforts to ensure that the Mission and Values of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, the hospital’s sponsoring order, are integrated into every service throughout the hospital and incorporated into the daily work of every associate and physician at Seton, located in Daly City and Seton Coastside, which is located in Moss Beach. Sr. William Eileen was chair of Seton Medical Center’s Board of Directors in 2002 and 2003.
“We are proud that Sr. William Eileen was chosen as the Mayor’s 2008 Citizen of the Year for Daly City. Those who have known and worked with her for many years understand that this is a well-deserved honor,” said Lorraine P. Auerbach, FACHE, president and CEO of Seton Medical Center and Seton Coastside. “She is tireless in her efforts to ensure that the less fortunate of our community receive the health care they need. Sr. William Eileen is the embodiment of our Vincentian Values of Compassionate Service and Advocacy for the Poor.”
As the hospital’s supervisor of Emergency Services from 1968 to 1975, Sr. William Eileen was a member of the San Mateo County Task Force of Emergency Room Directors that planned, developed and implemented the paramedic program of the County’s EMS system. During the 1970s, she created Seton’s Patient Advocacy department and initiated the planning, development and implementation of free hospital-based clinics for the poor at Seton Medical Center in Daly City. She also helped lead the establishment of the hospital’s St. Elizabeth Ann Seton New Life Center, a comprehensive perinatal service for low income women and families. Sr. William Eileen was part of the development of the hospital’s first Community Advisory Committee. The members of this committee provide input that helps the hospital develop programs and services that address the needs and concerns of the community. Sr. William Eileen was born and raised in San Francisco. Her father was a firefighter and captain with the San Francisco Fire Department. She entered the Community of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul in 1961.
About Seton Medical Center
Seton Medical Center is a member of the Daughters of Charity Health System. The Medical Center supports the Daughters of Charity’s Mission to serve the community including the sick and the poor, providing comprehensive, excellent healthcare that is compassionate and attentive to the whole person - body, mind and spirit. Seton, with more than 600 physicians, offers the most advanced surgical procedures, treatment options, and comprehensive health care services available. Seton Medical Center’s Centers of Excellence, each with nationally acclaimed clinical outcomes, include The San Francisco Heart & Vascular Institute; The San Francisco SpineCare Institute and the Joint Replacement Center at Seton Medical Center. Additionally, Seton provides a full range of healthcare services and programs to meet the needs of the community. It also provides many programs and services aimed at creating a healthier community, such as the Northern California Diabetes Institute and the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton New Life Center. For more information, visit their website at www.setonmedicalcenter.org.
About the Daughters of Charity Health System:
The Daughters of Charity Health System (DCHS) is a regional healthcare system of six hospitals and medical centers spanning the California coast from the Bay Area to Los Angeles. Our healthcare ministry exists to support the mission of our sponsors, the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, by providing holistic, spiritually centered care to the sick and the poor. The Daughters of Charity has been serving Northern California for over 150 years. Hospitals within DCHS include: Seton Medical Center, Daly City; Seton Coastside, Moss Beach; O’Connor Hospital, San Jose; Saint Louise Regional Hospital, Gilroy; St. Vincent Medical Center, Los Angeles; and St. Francis Medical Center, Lynwood. www.dochs.org