11/25/2025
Last week, HealthWorks for Northern Virginia renamed our Imaging Center in memory of longtime employee Dora Carias Monchez, who passed away from breast cancer earlier this year.
“Renaming this space as the Dora Carias Monchez Imaging Center ensures that her light will continue to shine here every day. Dora will never be forgotten,” said Tonya Adkins, MD, HealthWorks Chief Executive Officer, during the dedication event.
Dora was a Medical Assistant at HealthWorks, and she learned of her diagnosis after a routine mammogram. She faced the disease with strength and grace for several years before passing in April 2025.
Colleagues remembered Dora for her warmth, humor, and deep compassion for patients. Physician Assistant Uuganbayar Enebish shared how she loved telling jokes to help children feel comfortable. “When she gave kids fluoride treatments, she would ask, ‘What do you call a bear without any teeth?’ She’d tell them: ‘A gummy bear.’ That was Dora—always finding a way to make someone smile.”
Clinical Access Manager Bijoux Nyakia, LPN, recalled how Dora’s journey with HealthWorks began when she brought her two children in for care. Inspired by the experience, she completed her medical assistant training and returned to apply for a position. “She was hired almost immediately,” Nyakia said. “Only a few months later, she received her diagnosis, shortly after signing up for the employer-sponsored health coverage she was so grateful to have.”
Dr. Adkins noted, “Her name on this center is not only a tribute to her life but also a powerful reminder of why annual mammograms matter, why early detection saves lives, and why the work we do is so important.”
HealthWorks was pleased to have Dora’s husband, children, and extended family join us for this celebration of her enduring impact on our organization and our mission to provide compassionate, accessible care for all.
