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Medals4Mettle (M4M) will present 85 medals to Ascension St. John health care workers during two ceremonies at Ascension St. John Jane Phillips in Bartlesville and Ascension St. John Medical Center in Tulsa on Wednesday, January 13th, 2021.

This is to honor their commitment, sacrifice and essential role in the COVID-19 Pandemic. The medals will be given along with the “Extra Mile” Award for Extraordinary Pandemic Service. The award recipients were nominated by their peers.

M4M will present medals on the helipad at Ascension St. John Jane Phillips at 7:00 a.m. and circle drive at Ascension St. John Medical Center at 5:30 p.m. In between the ceremonies, Wyatt Hockmeyer, DM, Ascension St. John, Director of Performance Improvement will run the 46 miles stretch between the two facilities with a police escort as a representation of the “marathon” health care workers have endured for the last ten months, and will likely continue to experience into 2021.

“It is an honor for the Medals4Mettle Tulsa Chapter to participate in honoring our Frontline Heroes at Ascension Saint John” said Karl Ahlgren, Medals4Mettle, Tulsa Chapter Coordinator. “Each of the health care workers recognized today have made untold sacrifices and have truly gone the extra mile during the COVID-19 Pandemic.”

“I am excited to spend a day recognizing our frontline heroes,” said Wyatt Hockmeyer, Ascension St. John, Director of Performance Improvement. “Running 46 miles is tough, and I will definitely be sore and tired, but unlike our frontline health care workers, my shift stops at the end of the day. Our caregivers run the equivalent of a marathon each day, only to wake up and do it again the next. They don’t ask for thanks or praise, and they put their lives on the line because we can’t get through this unprecedented time without them. I am truly honored to be part of this initiative and fortunate to call many of these brave individuals my friends and family.”

“Ascension St. John is honored to partner with the local chapter of Medals4Mettle to honor our front line heroes, said Lucky Lamons, Ascension St. John, Chief Advocacy Officer and Foundation President. “We also have great appreciation for the Bartlesville Police Department, the Washington County Sheriff's Office, the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office and the Tulsa Police Department for their support on Wyatt's route today.”

Medals4Mettle (M4M) is a national 501c3 organization. Its mission is to "unite endurance athletes with all compassionate human beings to create a new internal network of compassion: kindness without borders."

Finishers’ medals from marathons, triathlons, half marathons and triathlons are donated by endurance athletes and restrung with M4M lanyards to recognize individuals who are running a unique and difficult race, often with an unknown finish line.