Diana Lenis, a registered nurse and clinical instructor at Accredo, has dedicated more than two decades to supporting patients, families and caregivers. This year, The Cigna Group named Lenis its 2026 Volunteer of the Year in recognition of her commitment to patient advocacy and volunteer service.

Lenis’s commitment to helping others was shaped by her own profound loss.

In 2000, Lenis’s son, Anthony, was born with Emanuel syndrome, a rare genetic condition associated with significant medical complexities. She spent 30 days at his side in the NICU, learning firsthand what it meant to navigate the health care system and advocate for a medically fragile child. After Anthony passed away at three months old, Lenis was determined to turn her experience as a caregiver into a career in nursing.

While working as a patient care advocate at Express Scripts, she put herself through nursing school and completed clinical training focused on infants and children. Years later, when she became pregnant again, she raised concerns with her care team based on her prior experience. Her daughter, Angelica, was born with the same condition and lived for seven months. Angelica’s care helped inform pediatric hospice training, and Lenis says her legacy continues to influence care for children and families facing complex medical needs.

Today, she uses her professional and personal experiences to help train nurses, clerks and leaders at Accredo, bringing clinical expertise and firsthand understanding to her work.

Outside of Accredo, Lenis has spent nearly a decade volunteering as a camp nurse with the CHARGE Syndrome Foundation. During conferences, she cares for children with complex medical needs, allowing parents to attend educational sessions and connect with other families.

“Losing Anthony and Angelica changed the course of my life. I couldn’t change what happened to my children, but I could use those experiences to help other families feel less alone,” Lenis said. “Every role I’ve had as a nurse, advocate and volunteer has been rooted in that promise to show up for people during some of the hardest moments of their lives.”

Read the full story to learn more about Lenis’s volunteer work and the impact of volunteerism across The Cigna Group.