Fibroid Fighters honors Bronx health leaders with 2026 Flora Award

Fibroid Fighters Foundation recognized Urban Health Plan CEO Paloma Izquierdo-Hernandez and Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson at its July 30 Your Health in Full Bloom event in New York City. The award highlights leaders expanding healthcare access and health equity in underserved communities, especially in the Bronx.

Why it matters: - The Flora Award is Fibroid Fighters Foundation’s top honor. - The award spotlights leaders working to expand access to quality care and improve health equity for underserved communities. - The recognition comes as access to healthcare, food, housing and other social drivers of health remains a major issue in New York City neighborhoods.

What happened: - Fibroid Fighters Foundation honored Paloma Izquierdo-Hernandez and Vanessa L. Gibson with the 2026 Flora Award on July 30 in New York City. - The presentation took place during the Foundation’s annual Your Health in Full Bloom event. - Izquierdo-Hernandez is president and chief executive officer of Urban Health Plan. - Gibson serves as the 14th Bronx Borough President.

The details: - The Flora Award is in its third year. - Fibroid Fighters Foundation established the award in 2024 in memory of Dr. Flora Katsnelson. - The award recognizes visionary leaders whose work advances health equity, expands access to healthcare and strengthens underserved communities. - Dr. Yan Katsnelson co-founded Fibroid Fighters Foundation with Dr. Flora Katsnelson. - Izquierdo-Hernandez has led Urban Health Plan from a single South Bronx health center into one of New York State’s largest federally qualified community health center networks. - Urban Health Plan now serves more than 89,000 patients annually across the Bronx, Harlem and Queens. - Her work has included programs focused on food security, housing, workforce development, education and community wellness. - Gibson has focused on improving quality of life for more than 1.4 million Bronx residents. - Gibson is the first woman and first African American elected to the Bronx Borough President office. - Her agenda has included expanded access to nutritious food, affordable housing, workforce development, education, public safety and economic opportunity. - The Foundation said the award reflects Dr. Flora Katsnelson’s legacy of compassionate, equitable care. - Dr. Flora Katsnelson was a physician, healthcare executive, entrepreneur, philanthropist and co-founder of Fibroid Fighters Foundation. - Dr. Flora Katsnelson also co-founded USA Clinics Group, which grew into a multispecialty outpatient healthcare organization focused on expanding access to specialized care. - Fibroid Fighters Foundation is a national nonprofit focused on women affected by uterine fibroids through education, advocacy, research and community engagement. - The organization also promotes research, public education and patient advocacy around fibroid symptoms, diagnosis, treatment options and healthcare equity. - More information - More information - More information - More information - More information - More information

Between the lines: - The award ties two kinds of leadership together: clinical access through Urban Health Plan and civic policy through Bronx Borough Hall. - The honorees’ work points to a broader public health message that community health outcomes depend on more than medical visits alone. - Fibroid Fighters Foundation is using the award to connect its fibroid advocacy mission with wider health equity efforts.

What’s next: - Fibroid Fighters Foundation is likely to continue using the Flora Award and its annual event to elevate health equity leaders. - The organization said it will keep pushing education, awareness campaigns and patient advocacy to improve timely diagnosis and informed treatment decisions.

The bottom line: - The 2026 Flora Award turned a local honor into a statement about who shapes health outcomes in underserved communities: healthcare providers, public officials and the partnerships between them.