Esther Colliflower, who was honored during a special halftime on-court ceremony on May 30th, co-founded VITAS, the nation’s leading provider of care for the terminally ill, and she has played a vital role in the growth of the hospice movement nationwide.

Armed with a nursing degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree with a focus on adult education, Colliflower structured VITAS’ patient-centered approach to compassionate hospice care, and she helped create the first hospice team in the nation dedicated solely to the care of AIDS patients. In addition, she has trained countless volunteers for the United Way, the Greater Miami Coalition and other civic and religious groups. Prior to founding VITAS, Colliflower also served as an associate dean at Miami-Dade Community College.