Franciscan Health: Michelle Resendez Honored as ‘Inspirational Leader’

Michelle-ResendezFranciscan Health’s Michelle Resendez, coordinator of the Northern Division’s Center of Hope Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner program, has been honored as an Inspirational Leader in Sexual Assault Prevention and Response by the Indiana Coalition to End Sexual Assault. Resendez has run the program at the five area hospitals, since June 2012.

“I was surprised when I received notification; there are so many individuals in our state who work so hard for sexual assault victims, whether it be advocacy, SANE’s testifying for legislative purposes, law enforcement, prosecutors - it truly is a collaborative and team effort to make a difference in a community or region,” she said. April is national Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

Resendez urges support of the SANE program.

“We all know that sexual assault does not discriminate and knows no boundaries. In honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, I ask for each of you to be an activist. I ask for you to promote our mission program, The Center of Hope. We have specially trained forensic nurses who can provide victim-centered care to victims of sexual violence and collect forensic evidence. This past year, we provided services to 138 victims of sexual assault, ranging from pediatrics on up through the life span,” she said.