The UAB Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery will host the 3rd annual Heroes and Healers event on Friday, May 1, 2026 at the UAB Alys Stephens Center.
The event celebrates survivors of traumatic injury, as well as the medical care teams and first responders who saved their lives and helped them on the road to recovery.
Proceeds from the Heroes and Healers event benefit the UAB chapter of the Trauma Survivors Network, which supports programs for trauma survivors and their families like peer mentoring and support groups.
Heroes and Healers is known for the short documentary-style films about each honoree, which are shown for the first time publicly at the event. This year, the event is inspired by a movie premiere, complete with red carpet photos, hors d’oeuvres from Tre Luna, and the exclusive first viewing of the three films.
The 2026 Heroes and Healers honorees are burn survivor Carmen Knight and trauma survivor Jacob Smith. The event will be emceed by 2024 honoree KD Hill, who is a trauma survivor, author, and public speaker.
This year will also feature a short film showing a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to keep the UAB trauma center running 24/7/365 – or as the center’s motto states, “Always Here, Always Ready.” To show the expertise and dedication required to meet this mission, the event will also highlight three trauma care team members: Reese Cameron, RN, BSN, a trauma nursing team lead; Jeff Richey, PA-C, a Trauma Burn ICU advanced practice provider; and Felicia Sanders, COTA/L, an acute care occupational therapist assistant.
The UAB trauma center sees over 7,000 patients annually (over one-third of all trauma patients in the state of Alabama), caring for a daily average of 85 trauma patients from multiple areas throughout the hospital, and evaluating about 20 new trauma cases daily. Medical professionals provide specialized care throughout UAB, including the emergency department, the trauma/burn intensive care unit, the neurosurgical intensive care unit, the trauma/burn nursing unit, and the acute trauma care unit.
As an American College of Surgeons-verified Level I trauma center, UAB Hospital has robust and extensive resources to care for the most severely injured patients across the state. These resources include 24-hour in-house coverage with at least two trauma surgeons on-site at all times, a team of 23 trauma surgeons, more than 40 advanced practice providers, access to specialties such as burn care, wound care, emergency medicine, the UAB blood bank, neurosurgery, radiology, anesthesia, physical medicine and rehabilitation, social work, chaplains, and orthopedic, vascular, thoracic, plastic, and oral and maxillofacial surgery.
Division Director Jeffrey Kerby, M.D., Ph.D., says the event is a moving experience that highlights the resilience of patients, the commitment of UAB healthcare teams, and the bravery of first responders across the state.
“The Heroes and Healers event gives us a moment to recognize the entire system of care that is crucial to meet the needs of our patients,” Kerby said. “Seeing our former patients thriving after injury is powerful, and a reminder of why we do what we do.”
Tickets are on sale now. To learn more and purchase tickets, visit the UAB Center for the Arts website.