Deer Park woman honored for crocheting for cancer patients
Cheryl Otero, of Deer Park, has been named the 2026 Healthcare Hero for Suffolk County's 17th Legislative District, represented by Legis. Tom Donnelly (D-Deer Park). Credit: The Office of Suffolk County Legislature
Cheryl Otero has spent much of her career helping doctors care for their patients. Two years ago, she found another way to help — one stitch at a time.
The Deer Park resident helped coordinate about a dozen volunteers who crocheted caps and scarves for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy at Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip. The group also used their crochet hooks to make hundreds of caps for infants at St. Charles Hospital in Port Jefferson.
“Anyone who crafts knows you put your heart and soul into every project, no matter how small," Otero, 50, said. "In this case, the reward was so much greater than the time it took, because they benefited a baby or a patient who was struggling."
Otero, director of physician onboarding for Catholic Health, was recently recognized for her personal and professional efforts as a 2026 Healthcare Hero by the Suffolk County Legislature. She was honored for her "compassion, leadership and unwavering commitment to healthcare excellence," according to the legislature.
Otero began her career nearly 35 years ago, training as a medic in the U.S. Army Reserves and serving at the now-decommissioned medical battalion at Fort Totten in Queens.
Today, she and her team provide support to hundreds of physicians across Catholic Health's six hospitals by handling needs ranging from providing necessary technology to ensuring employees have easy access to doctors’ schedules, she said.
“We're like the backstage crew; the physicians are the performers," Otero said. “Physicians really do all the hard work, but my team helps to coordinate."
Her work with the crocheting group gave Otero a chance to provide a different kind of support. The volunteers crocheted items for cancer patients and infants two years ago to help keep them warm during their hospital stays. Chemotherapy treatment can cause cold sensitivity, Otero said.
Good Samaritan officials praised Otero for using her creativity to provide "comfort during stressful times."
“Time and again, Cheryl has gone the extra mile for our patients," said Ashish Sangal, the hospital's chief of medical oncology and hematology and the director of clinical research and thoracic oncology for Catholic Health. "It’s that level of compassion and dedication to excellence that define our work ... and Cheryl is a shining example of our mission in action.”
Suffolk County Legis. Tom Donnelly (D-Deer Park) also commended Otero for her "commitment to supporting both patients and healthcare providers."
“Cheryl is a superb example of compassion, professionalism and service in healthcare, all qualities of a hero,” Donnelly said in a statement.
Michael R. Ebert is an education researcher and has worked for Newsday in various capacities since 2003. He was part of an 11-person team named as 2008 Pulitzer Prize finalists for investigative coverage of the LIRR's platform safety issues.
