The 2026 Be Well Philly Health Hero Challenge Is Officially Underway

We’re thrilled to announce that our annual Be Well Philly Health Hero Challenge, presented by Independence Blue Cross, is back for another round of inspiration!

Now in its 15th year, the Health Hero Challenge recognizes and honors those in our region who are committed to making a difference in people’s health and wellness. We’re talking about the medical professionals, frontline health workers, nonprofit leaders, teachers, coaches, entrepreneurs, and community activists who make life better for us — often without fanfare, but always with profound impact.

Need examples? Just look at a few past winners:

• Katelynn Devinney, founder of Pockets of Hope, a nonprofit that provides mastectomy patients with custom-designed zip-up sweatshirts with sewn-in interior pockets to hold post-surgical drainage tubes.
• Daniel Taylor, a pediatrician at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children and co-director of Reach Out and Read, a nonprofit that promotes early literacy and school readiness by bringing books into pediatric practices.
• Martino Cartier, celebrity stylist and owner of a salon in Sewell, who provides high-end hair replacement to chemotherapy patients through his nonprofit, Wigs and Wishes.

As for this year’s contenders, this is where you come in. Nominations open today, May 1st, and run through May 30th. You can nominate anyone (including yourself!) who is working to make real, lasting health changes in their communities. (Note: Nominees must reside in Pennsylvania, Delaware, or New Jersey, and be at least 21 years old.) The Be Well Philly Health Hero Challenge only works because you tell us who’s out there doing the work that deserves to be seen!

From there, we’ll narrow down to 10 semi-finalists, and then put the ball back in your court to determine who will be named the winner.

Thanks to our amazing sponsor Independence Blue Cross, the winner will receive a $15,000 donation to the charity of their choice; the two runners-up will each receive a $2,500 donation to their selected nonprofits, as well.

So, if you or someone you know is doing the kind of work that actually moves the needle — the everyday hero, the relentless advocate, the person who always shows up when it matters most — nominate them by May 30th for the 2026 Be Well Philly Health Hero award!