Buffalo Common Council Proclaims 'Health Professions Hub and Nik Wallenda Day'

Buffalo Common Council Proclaims 'Health Professions Hub and Nik Wallenda Day'

Buffalo, New York – June 8, 2021

D’Youville’s new Health Professions Hub was honored by the Buffalo Common Council as they proclaimed June 17 to be “Health Professions Hub and Nik Wallenda Day” in recognition of the facility’s Grand Opening and Wallenda’s high-wire walk to celebrate it.

The proclamation noted D’Youville’s “bold and visionary step to address healthcare needs on Buffalo’s West Side and to train new healthcare workers by opening a new Health Professions Hub, a high-tech facility integrating education, healthcare, and community partnerships.”

“We are thrilled and gratified that the Buffalo Common Council has recognized the new Health Professions Hub and our friend Nik Wallenda with this proclamation,” says Lorrie A. Clemo, PhD, D’Youville President. “The support from City officials for the development of the Hub was absolutely unwavering and we are forever thankful. We know the Hub will be a tremendous asset to City of Buffalo and beyond, and we look forward to developing new healthcare professionals while we serve our neighbors on the West Side.”

The Hub is a nearly-59,000-square-foot facility featuring Sisters Health Center-D’Youville, a primary healthcare center operated by Catholic Health, Vital Pharmacy, Thrive Rehabilitation and Wellness Center, D’Lish Demonstration Kitchen, an Interprofessional Simulation Center, and the Center for Health Equity and Innovation, which houses the Pathways healthcare workforce training program.

In addition to providing much-need healthcare and related services to Buffalo’s West Side community, the Hub also will provide clinical training opportunities for students in D’Youville’s nursing, physician assistant, pharmacy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, chiropractic, and nutrition and dietetic programs.

To celebrate the Grand Opening on June 17, world-famous aerialist Nik Wallenda performed the longest high-wire walk in the City of Buffalo, as he traversed a 5/8-inch wire across 320 feet from the roof of D’Youville’s Montante Family Library to the roof of the Health Professions Hub.

D’Youville honored Wallenda with the first-ever St. Marguerite d’Youville Faith in Action Award in recognition of the faith in God that fuels his work and allows him to break boundaries, conquer fears, and share his gifts with the world.