2025 My SoCal Hospital Heroes Awards Gala
COSTON CHARLES
KAISER PERMANENTE ORANGE COUNTY — IRVINE MEDICAL CENTER Nursing Operations Chaplain
just when requested, but preemptively. He ensures that no one—whether staff member, patient or family—feels isolated or overlooked. His rounding isn’t a task to be completed—it’s a ministry of presence. He pauses with nurses in break rooms, offers a calming word to a technician after a difficult shift and visits family members who sit anxiously at a bedside. Through these small but sacred acts, Coston creates a culture of emotional safety and connection.
In health care, there are individuals who transcend their job titles and quietly become the soul of their organization—those who uplift others not through clinical care, but through compassion, presence and profound humanity. At Kaiser Permanente Irvine Medical Center, Chaplain Coston Charles is one such individual. A spiritual leader, steadfast supporter and unwavering source of comfort, Coston has become an essential part of our healing environment—serving patients, families and staff with humility, grace and unconditional kindness.
The care team knows they can count on him in the moments that matter most. One ICU nurse shared, “We have been blessed with an angel whom we refer to as Chaplain Coston, and I would not have survived without him.” That statement captures the essence of who Coston is—a source of peace amid chaos, a steadying hand when emotions run high.
Coston’s work as a chaplain is far more than a job— it is a calling that he lives out with quiet dedication and remarkable depth. While the clinical teams deliver physical healing, Coston offers the emotional and spiritual healing that is just as vital, particularly during moments of fear, grief or vulnerability. What makes his presence so unique is the intentional way he shows up—for everyone.
Supporting the Staff Who Support Everyone Else: Health care providers often carry emotional burdens silently. In environments where showing vulnerability can feel unsafe or counterproductive, Coston offers a different path—one rooted in empathy and trust. He facilitates debriefings following difficult cases, holding space for teams to process, reflect and heal. These gatherings often
A Constant and Comforting Presence: Every day, Coston makes it a point to round across all units of the hospital, offering spiritual care not 20