Olean General Hospital and the family of the late Dr. Dinesh K. Lahoti awarded the first education scholarship in his memory to Sarah C. Prymak, nurse manager in the hospital’s intensive care unit.
The Dr. Dinesh Lahoti Nurse Education Scholarship for $1,000, to be awarded annually, is for nurses who are continuing their educations. Lahoti practiced internal medicine in Olean for more than 30 years and passed away unexpectedly in August 2022.
Lahoti’s son, Dr. Mayank Lahoti, and his wife, Manju Lahoti, presented the award Friday.
Prymak, a registered nurse, grew up in Portville and graduated from Olean High School, where she participated in theater and musical productions. She was also immersed in Olean Theater Workshop productions. She went to Jamestown Community College, earning her associate’s degree in social services. She completed her degree at JCC while expecting twin daughters during her last semester — with the babies arriving prematurely.
Her career aspirations changed after her twins developed a viral infection and were admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Prymak spent the majority of her time caring, nurturing, and nursing them back to health. She knew then that she wanted to pursue a career in health care, so she re-enrolled at JCC into the nursing program and became an RN.
“Florence Nightingale once said, ‘Let us never consider ourselves finished nurses. We must be learning all of our lives,’” said Tenisha Murphy, director of nursing at OGH. “Although this quote is true for every nurse, it particularly makes me think of Sarah. ... Sarah has been a vital part of Upper Allegany Health System since she started her career in nursing.”
Prymak spent the last decade in various nursing positions throughout UAHS. She started at Bradford (Pa.) Regional Medical Center on the medical-surgery unit and later transferred to the critical care unit. The next move was to OGH to work as a nurse in the ICU, where she became the nurse manager in 2021.
“Obtaining my bachelor’s degree will help me exponentially in my position as a nurse manager,” Sarah stated. “Being a single mom of twin daughters with multiple healthcare needs and an ever-busy son has come with many challenges and hardships. ... I’m so grateful to be the first-ever recipient of the Dr. Lahoti Scholarship, the financial support is appreciated beyond what I could ever express.”
Prymak will continue her nursing education at St. Bonaventure University this fall, working towards her bachelor’s degree (BSN) in nursing.
“We at OGH are extremely proud of Sarah and are honored to have her as part of our team,” said Jennifer Ruggles, chief nursing officer of UAHS. “We couldn’t think of someone more deserving than her.”