"I always appreciate every opportunity to let our citizens know just how special the men and women of Emergency Medical Services are and how hard they work to take care of all of us," said Dr. Sharon Malone, Grayson County's EMS Medical Director.
Last week, Malone received the EMS Medical Director Award from the Texas Department of State Health Services for the work she does with these agencies.
Malone is also an emergency room physician at Wilson N. Jones Medical Center and the Medical Director with the Grayson County College medical courses offered.
She said she doesn't know how many other doctors were nominated, or even that she had been among them, but did know there were numerous others. Nominations come from her peers, she said, and that makes it so much more special.
"It was an award I never expected to be nominated for, much less earn," Malone said. "What can you say about an award that comes from people going out of their way to initiate a nomination like that?"
She was part of a group that went to last week's convention in Fort Worth, and even that was new to her. Sherman Fire Department Captains Brad Iams and Chad Martin, and GCC staff members Debbie Thompson and Louie Lefevers, invited her along.
Malone said that the first award went to a friend she admires, Jodie Harbert of Flower Mound who was presented with the EMS Educator Award. Then, a man whom she also admires, Dr. Ed Racht, who she said is the head of the Governor's Emergency and Trauma Committee and who had been EMS medical director for Austin and Travis County in the past, began reading from nomination forms for EMS Medical Director Award. It wasn't until he was well into the recitation that she realized it was she who was being recognized.
"I think I stopped breathing," she laughed.
The next day, Malone said, she believed would be just like any other day, busy and routine. But, during it, she found herself going to all but two medical agencies to visit with the staffs and thank them for their support.
Now that she's won this prestigious award, Malone said, she feels like she needs to earn it.
"It's very touching to be a part of the brotherhood that is medical service," Malone said. "I have such a respect I have for these men and women who put their lives on the line, and they don't ever get the real credit they deserve. I appreciate them and I am so grateful to be given something like this, and now I want to continue to measure up in their eyes."