La Red Health Center honors chief pediatrician upon retirement
La Red Health Center Director of Pediatrics Marisel Santiago, MD, is retiring from the organization after several years of providing care to thousands of children throughout Sussex County.
Santiago is best known in the community for making sure her pediatric patients had warm coats in the winter, toys during the holidays and food if they were hungry.
For years, Santiago personally shopped for holiday gifts for her patients and organized a holiday party for them and their families that included a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus and the Grinch, along with games, treats and gifts.
Santiago also helped launch La Red’s Produce Prescription program, partnering with a local farm to provide fresh produce to pediatric patients. The initiative helped introduce kids to healthy eating and also helped food-insecure patients access food.
“Dr. Santiago embodies what it means to care for the community,” said Rachel Hersh, La Red CEO. “Her concern for the well-being of her patients helped set the tone for how important it is to treat the whole person and not just patients’ medical symptoms. We wish Dr. Santiago well in retirement. She will very much be missed at La Red by both her patients and our staff.”
Santiago’s patients are able to see La Red’s four other pediatric providers at its offices in Milford, Seaford and Georgetown. Nieves Zaldivar, MD, is a pediatrician at the Milford office, 21 West Clarke Ave., Milford. Maribel Woodward, MD, is a pediatrician in the Seaford office at 300 High St., Seaford. Cinarda Hamilton, C-NP, and Anastacia Keenan, C-NP, are pediatric nurse practitioners at the Georgetown office, 21444 Carmean Way, Georgetown.
La Red Health Center is a federally qualified health center in Sussex County that has provided quality healthcare for individuals and families since 2001. La Red is committed to ensuring the highest level of care for all individuals and families. La Red offers primary healthcare, pediatrics, women’s health services and behavioral health services at its three locations in Milford, Seaford and Georgetown. La Red also offers dental services at its Milford and Georgetown locations. For more information, go to laredhealthcenter.org.
