UNC Health Lenoir reaches out to help sister hospitals in WNC
Western North Carolina hospitals have faced challenges of all sorts since Hurricane Helene hit on September 26. Everything from an influx of sick and injured patients to a lack of electricity, phone service, connectivity, and even drinking water. And one of the most troubling issues has been manpower. Many hospital employees have been unable to work due to facing the loss of their homes, transportation, and even their loved ones.
UNC Health has four hospitals and many outpatient clinics that have been hard hit and UNC Health Lenoir is stepping in to help their partners. Last week after Hurricane Helene came ashore, ten dedicated nurses and respiratory therapists left the safety of their own homes to work in our sister facilities and many others have volunteered to go as needed. Kristin Grady, RN, Director of Surgical Services has this to say about her experience, “It’s very humbling to see and hear the local people just trying to continue living. They are not giving up. They are not just sitting and dwelling in their sorrows. They are out trying to clean up their properties and salvage what is left of their lives. I hope when I leave this week, that this is not my last week here. I would do this again and again until every person is back to living pre Helene.”
In addition, UNC Health Lenoir employees are collecting critical supplies to be delivered in the coming days and donating their own PTO so that hospital employees in the west can take time off to rebuild their lives.
UNC Health Lenoir has also donated six pallets of hospital linens, over 2000 sets of sheets, to be used across the UNC health western sites.
Dr. Crystal Hayden, president and CEO at UNC Health Lenoir remarked, “I am so thankful for all the work being done to support the victims of Hurricane Helene. As part of the UNC health system, we support each other and we know that we will always be supported as well. The compassion and generosity that my team has shown since the storm have been just remarkable.”
About UNC Health Lenoir
UNC Health Lenoir, licensed for 199 beds, is a nonprofit hospital serving the Lenoir County area with acute, outpatient, and community health services. The hospital has a 118-year history of providing excellent care to the community. In addition to general medical, surgical, obstetrical, and gynecological care, UNC Lenoir offers specialized services, including cardiology, pulmonology, oncology, radiology, and urology. Surgical specialties include general surgery, vascular, orthopedic, and bariatrics. UNC Health Lenoir affiliated with the UNC Health Care System in 2017. For more information or to find a physician, visit unclenoir.org.
