Bay Pines VA Announces Spring 2024 Honorees for Women Veteran Wall

The theme for the new honorees is The Courage to Keep Fighting which acknowledges each Veteran’s service and their ongoing fight against cancer. 

“Our support for women Veterans has never been stronger, and we are proud to celebrate these heroes during Women’s History Month,” said Bay Pines VA Director/CEO Paul M. Russo. “We salute these women for their service, commitment, and leadership in uniform and for showing us all what it means to have the Courage to Keep Fighting.”

Last September, the healthcare system unveiled the inaugural class of women Veterans with displays at the C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center, Lee County Health Care Center, and the organization’s seven community-based VA Clinics. 

Honorees for the spring 2024 class comprise the following Veterans:

• Ms. Roseanne Corey – U.S. Navy
• Ms. Tamera DePew-Henderson – U.S. Army
• Dr. Marianne Mathewson-Chapman – U.S. Navy and Florida Army National Guard
• Ms. Julie McLaughlin– U.S. Marine Corps Veteran
• Ms. Beverly Smith – U.S. Air Force
• Ms. Shannon Waters – U.S. Navy

As previously announced, Bay Pines VA will recognize new honorees twice, annually. Spring honorees will be featured in March as part of Women’s History Month, and fall honorees will be featured each September which commemorates the September 2023 anniversary of 100 years of VA healthcare to women Veterans.  

Nearly 10,000 women Veterans are registered as part of the Bay Pines VA Women Veteran Program. Women who are interested in nominating themselves or other women Veterans for consideration can reach out to the Women Veteran Program email group at VHABAYWVP@va.gov. 

 For additional information on this release or future coverage opportunities: Contact Bay Pines VA Healthcare System’s Public Affairs Officer Rob Frazier at Robert.Frazier1@va.gov or 727-317-8120. See the latest news, stories, and Veteran health care information available on our official website or Facebook.

About Bay Pines VA Healthcare System
Bay Pines VA Healthcare System (BPVAHCS) is one of the nation’s largest 1a tertiary healthcare facilities, caring for Veterans residing across ten counties in the Southwest region of Florida. We served more than 105,000 Veterans in 2023, across our 10-county catchment area. Our healthcare system includes nine facilities: C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center, located in Bay Pines, Lee County Healthcare Center, located in Cape Coral, and seven outpatient clinics located in Bradenton, Naples, North Pinellas, Port Charlotte, Sarasota, St. Petersburg, and Sebring. We employ more than 4,500 health care professionals, and we are accredited by The Joint Commission and more than 10 additional accreditation and certification organizations. 

Robert Frazier, Public Affairs Officer

Medina Ayala-Lo, Public Affairs Officer