BLUE & YOU-SUMMER 2019 (WEB)

Member’s courage earns posthumous
Faces of Fearless ® award
James Robert
“Bob” McIntosh
The courageous spirit of James Robert
“Bob” McIntosh of Hot Springs was
posthumously recognized recently with
a prestigious national honor at the Blue
Cross Blue Shield Association’s 2019
National Summit in Grapevine, Texas.
McIntosh (or “Coach Mac” as he was
known to many) faced a dire diagnosis
of stage 4 bladder cancer in June 2018
with a brave and resilient attitude through
chemotherapy and surgery that resulted
in his being declared cancer-free just six
months later. The prognosis appeared
promising, but sadly, just days after
receiving the news he had been chosen
as one of only two Faces of Fearless ®
honorees for 2019, he passed away,
following a brief illness. But his fearless
example lives on.
The annual Faces of Fearless ® Award
celebrates members of Blue Cross Blue
Shield Association-affiliated health plans
who overcome challenges in order to live a
healthier life. Each year, two honorees are
chosen from a national field of entries.
McIntosh, who was an educator and coach
at Lake Hamilton School for 34 years,
was guided through his cancer-treatment
journey by an Arkansas Blue Cross case
manager, Samantha Costello, B.S.N, R.N.,
whom he highly commended in his entry
to be considered as a Faces of Fearless
honoree. Costello attended the National
Summit and accepted the award on
McIntosh’s behalf.
In a future issue of Blue & You, you’ll be
able to learn more about McIntosh’s story
of incredible positivity and courage in the
face of a daunting diagnosis.
20
Blue & You SUMMER 2019