NSMC News

May is always one of our favorite but busy months around North Sunflower Medical Center. The North Sunflower Medical Foundation is excited to be gearing up for our 14^th annual Birdies & Backhands. This May 26 event is a crowd-pleaser that allows the community to get together and celebrate this popular fundraiser for the North Sunflower Medical Foundation.

"We try to make it fun for everyone, not just golf and tennis players," says Stacy Davis, associate executive director of the Foundation. "The foundation's work is serious business, but this is an event where we like to get out and have a good time -- especially when it is for a great cause."

Cleveland Country Club will be the headquarters for golfers and tennis players showcasing their skills and supporting the Foundation.

"Having the event at the Cleveland Country Club allows us to bring together the surrounding communities. In addition, it allows us the opportunity to let others know about all the amazing things going on in Ruleville and at North Sunflower Medical Center.   The profits from this fundraiser allow NSMF to continue to support the many needs of our community and hospital," Davis says.

The combined day of golfing and tennis started in 2008 as the primary fundraising event for the Foundation. Birdies & Backhands continues to be one of the "must-play" tournaments for golf and tennis enthusiasts alike. It is a one-day event that benefits the North Sunflower Medical Foundation and its support of the North Sunflower Medical Center; however, it would not be possible without the generous support from our sponsors. Many local businesses and NSMC supporters join together to sponsor this important fundraiser.
 
Last year's event was a huge success. Davis says keeping up the event's previous successes is always a challenge. "Every year, it feels like this event gets bigger. And that keeps us motivated to make the event have the same special family and friends appeal that it had when we started almost 14 years ago."
 
The cost is $100 per player for the 18-hole scramble or $400 for a four-person team. Registration is at 11:30 on the day of the event; the shotgun start is at 1 p.m. Lunch, and snacks are provided.
 
The entry fee for the ladies’ day mixer tennis tournament is $40 per person. Registration is at 3:00 p.m. on May 26, and the first round is at 4 p.m.

Davis says this event would not happen if not for a dedicated group of volunteers. "So many people dedicate their time to allow our Foundation to do the incredible work we do. Without their help, this event would never have been all it has become. Volunteers make up our Foundation – men and women who believe in our community and are willing to spend the time to help make it a little better," she says.
   
"The mission of the Foundation is to help fund the innovative work our health care heroes do to make North Sunflower Medical Center thrive. Donating to the Foundation returns an investment to the North Sunflower Medical Center, but more important than that, it is a return of investment to you," Davis says. "Each new piece of equipment the Foundation can help provide, each new class the Foundation's work allows our employees to take, each new upgrade the Foundation's efforts allow – it all translates to advancement in the care North Sunflower Medical Center can provide."
 
For registration forms, go to North Sunflower Medical Foundation's Facebook page. For event information, contact Davis at (662) 719-4147.

This profile is the fourth in a series about the people helping make our community better by serving as members of the North Sunflower Medical Foundation Board of Directors.

Phil McNeer started his outdoor business by helping put in Mosquito systems and doing some light landscaping.  Over time, that grew into different building specialties, from sprinkler systems to building pools. 
 
"We live in a rural area, so it's hard to get someone to come out for a small job.  We knew if we built someone a pavilion, they would need someone to come out to do the gutters," Phil said.  "Before you knew it, we had built out a home gutter business rain systems for entire homes."
 
It's not the only time something like this has happened to Phil McNeer.  In the early 2000s, Phil had agreed to go on the board of North Sunflower Medical Center. "I joined about the time Billy Marlow did, and I learned more about hospitals than I thought I ever wanted to know," Phil told us.

Helping NSMC Become One of the Best Rural Hospitals in America

"There were things the hospital needed to do to help them serve their patients but didn't have the time, money, or the flexibility."  When the North Sunflower Medical Foundation was created in 2007 as a philanthropic arm of NSMC to help provide that financial flexibility, Phil agreed to serve on the board. 
 
The Foundation has done really, really well," Phil said.  "We just help the hospitals with things they need but can't do on their own.  We have helped them get the money to buy equipment they need or improve the facilities from time to time.  We also give money for education for employees to further their education. They get training to further their careers and better serve their patients."
 
Seeing the hospital's improvements over the past 17 years is the most fulfilling part of the job. "It's the leadership.  Seeing them grow from a small hospital to a state-of-the-art medical center rated as one of the best rural hospitals in America," Phil said.  People come from Cleveland and a lot further than that.  That slogan, 'Take me to Ruleville.' It's everywhere, and it means something to people all over the Delta."

Phil's wife, Morgan, is also a North Sunflower Medical Center nurse. "She's had a calling since she was a child to be a nurse. She likes doing what she does. She wants to help people." It's a feeling that runs in the family.
 
"It's a good little rural hospital that is doing well, and we try to take care of patients. I'm proud to be a part of it".  We're proud Phil is an important part of the North Sunflower family too.

How to Help the North Sunflower Medical Center Foundation

If you are interested in learning more about the North Sunflower Medical Foundation or making a contribution, contact Stacy Davis at stacy.davis@nsmedicalfoundation.org or call (662) 756-4129.

With the ball dropping on New Year’s Eve, 2021 is officially in the books. And in years to come, we will remember these past 12 months for many things. It was a year where we went from hiding from each other to avoid the virus to finally having the tools to fight back against it.
 
Here at North Sunflower Medical Center, we look fondly back at how our community has come together to look after one another during difficult times. We also celebrated shared experiences that make Ruleville a unique part of who we are.

2021 Honors

Any look back on 2021 has to include the honor bestowed on our happy little medical center back in March by Mississippi Blood Services. NSMC was named one of the "Top 10 Best for 2020 - Outstanding Service during the COVID Pandemic.'' As we said at the time, we have always known Zaqua Danielle Ervin was the best dang lab director around. Were just glad the rest of the state is finding out about her team’s excellent work.

Our Sleep Center was proud to make our state-of-the-art sleep center the full-time home of pulmonologist Dr. Aman Munir. As the leader of NSMC's expanded pulmonary practice, he continues to bring much-needed quality care to our region. 
 
"Patients don't have to go far to get treatment now. We are here at their doorstep providing quality care," Dr. Munir says. That is what North Sunflower Medical Center has always been about.

National Home Care Month

November was National Home Care Month. That allowed us to celebrate the innovative work that Hope Clark at Hospice of North Sunflower and Rodger McClain at Sunflower Medical Equipment provide to our patients’ homes across the Delta. After decades of saying "Take me to Ruleville," the passion and compassion they bring to their jobs are a large part of how we are now able to bring Ruleville to you.
 
We were also able to celebrate North Sunflower Medical Foundation Board Members' contributions to our community. North Sunflower Medical Foundation is a large part of what makes this hospital one of the best in Mississippi.
 
And last but not least, 2021 provided us all with the opportunity to gather again and return to some of our favorite local events. That includes North Sunflower Medical Foundations’ fundraiser - Birdies and Backhands, and Ruleville Chamber of Commerce’s festival - The Great Ruleville Roast.

No one is quite sure what surprises 2022 has in store for us. We see a year ahead of promise and perspective. We hope it will give us more and more opportunities to be together as a community and make a brighter future for us all.
 
God bless us all, and have a happy New Year!

This is the third in a series of profiles about the people who are helping make our community better by serving as members of the North Sunflower Medical Foundation’s Board of Directors.

During the holidays, Elise Jenkins is thankful that Ruleville has a small-town hospital with big-city amenities.

"It’s important for people to know what an amazing resource they have here. For such a small rural area, North Sunflower Medical Center has a wide berth of services," Elise says. "We have things you’d find in a large metropolitan area. And we have it right here without having to travel for miles."

She is celebrating the success of the North Sunflower Medical Center by finding ways for the North Sunflower Medical Foundation to give back to hospital staff, like holiday gift cards and events.

Elise is a bit of an expert on this. She’s a founding member of the North Sunflower Medical Foundation, which helps the nonprofit hospital raise money for equipment, educational grants, and programs.

"Billy Marlow came to me. He was looking for something to ensure the long-term success of North Sunflower Medical Center. He had me at go." Elise says. "Billy had a vision that had not been seen here - in putting together people and resources. He was pivotal in seeing that we turned it into the amazing place it is. Our hospital had been through some trying times. We didn’t ever want to see that happen again," she says.

And the foundation is fortunate to have Elise’s leadership. She retired after a 28-year teaching career at Delta State University. The skills that she used in higher education are now used as she leads the foundation’s main yearly fundraiser, the Birdies and Backhands golf and tennis tournament, and other events.

"I’m deeply rooted in voluntarism. To have a strong viable community, you need community effort and participation,"
Elise tells us.

Elise has seen the benefits of the hospital’s services, through care for her late mother, her husband, and herself. Elise and her husband, Butch, have taken advantage of the wellness center, which she says is a gamechanger for the region.
 
"People look at a hospital and think you only need it when you are sick," she says. "We were just thrilled when the Beacon Wellness Center was built. It’s an asset. We’re seeing people living longer. There’s so much proof that even in the workplace encouraging wellness saves businesses money."
 
When Elise is not donating her time in the community, you’ll find her helping Butch at Mississippi Police Supply Company. Her husband of 24 years, Butch is a lifelong Ruleville resident, and Elise also grew up in the Delta.

You may also know her as a celebrity expert in barbecue. She serves on the Memphis Barbecue Network Board of Directors and has been involved in BBQ competitions for several decades.

She says Ruleville is fortunate to have a caring team at all levels at North Sunflower Medical Center. Many employees of the hospital are also donors to the foundation – because they see the benefits of equipment and educational grants for training for staff, Elise says.  “The Foundation is very attentive to making sure we are investing money properly. We are good stewards of every dime donated,’’ she says.

She hopes you consider supporting that work as we head into 2022.

If you are interested in learning more about the North Sunflower Medical Foundation or to make a contribution, contact Stacy Davis at stacy.davis@nsmedicalfoundation.org or call (662) 756-4129.

Hope Clark is offering a behind-the-scenes look at how Hospice of North Sunflower can be essential for your family. She aspires to fix the misconception some have about hospice.
 
"It doesn’t mean a death sentence. We help people who want to live out their life comfortably," Hope says. "When you get hospice, you are gaining another family. You have someone to come in and help mentally, spiritually, and physically."
 
Hope has been a nurse for nine years, and her passion is helping people facing serious or life-ending illnesses. The community is fortunate to have her as director of nursing for Hospice of North Sunflower.
 
She says her team has decades of experience and approaches problems from every angle.

Hospice Can Be Affordable

Some people worry that they cannot afford hospice. That worry is unnecessary.
 
Most people who need it qualify for hospice under Medicare or Medicaid, which pays for equipment and medicines. You can ask your doctor or call Hope’s team to get more information.
 
Once hospice arrives, Hope says people realize how much help they need. The team includes nursing staff, a social worker, and a chaplain.
 
"We take care of the whole family, not just the patient," Hope says.  "When the end of life is approaching, there are signs we know. For someone who has not witnessed that, it can be traumatic. We hold hands. Our chaplain comes out and prays – whatever religion the patient practices," she says. "We take off some of the burdens and take care of pretty much whatever they need."
 
Hospice nurses guide and educate families. And a misconception, Hope says, is that it is a negative time.
 
"Most of the patients have lived a full life. It’s a celebration for them to go home," she says. "You get close because you work with the family every day. We spend time in their homes. They have our personal cell phone numbers. Even the ones that have gone on, we still stay in touch."

November is National Home Care Month

We celebrate Hope’s work as part of November’s National Home Care month.
 
According to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, 1.61 million Medicare beneficiaries living with life-limiting illness and their families received care from hospice programs in communities across America in 2019. Hospice provides services like caregiver training, respite care, and bereavement support.
 
"Hospice organizations are some of the best providers of community-based palliative care. In an increasingly fragmented and broken health care system, hospice is one of the few sectors that demonstrates how health care can – and should – work at its best for the people it serves," according to the resolution for the 2021 hospice month.

Hospice of North Sunflower is Ready to Help

Hospice of North Sunflower goes to private homes and also serves residents of assisted living and nursing homes.
 
The registered nurses and licensed practical nurses at Hospice of North Sunflower share a trait, Hope says, they are compassionate and dedicated to patients.
 
"Compassion and empathy are the main requirements. Patience is important too," she says. "We have a close-knit team. We all work together. It’s not just one person’s patient. It’s everyone’s patient."
 
She said in traditional nursing, the goal is to do everything possible to save someone’s life. "In this field, we are here to comfort to the end. We provide all the comfort and needs necessary. We want patients to be pain-free with the limited time left."
 
Hope and her team are ready to help you.
 
"We’re a small team but give really great care. We go above and beyond."
 
To reach Hospice of North Sunflower, call 662-756-1700, or go to:
https://northsunflower.com/services/hospice-of-north-sunflower

November is National Home Care Month, and so it makes sense that home care is having a moment right now.  You can think of this as just another way if you can’t make it to Ruleville, we are bringing Ruleville to you.

Over the past few years, the home care industry has been experiencing rapid growth.  It started when insurance companies -- as well as Medicare and Medicaid – altered the way they pay for home visits.  That’s where Rodger McClain comes in.

Rodger had been working as a farmer when he found an ad for a position as a service tech for a medical supply company.  That started out as a good, regular job checking on equipment for Rodger.  “I found it was a way to help people. They were mostly older patients and I like being of service to them.”

If a patient has a stroke or a heart attack, they are now able to get much of their treatment at home instead of having to stay in the hospital,” Rodger said.  “Or even simple things like having an unstable gate.  That increases the risk of falling and the patient might not feel safe at home. We can help them with a walker or a wheelchair that allows them to live comfortably at home longer. That makes you feel like you’re really helping people.”

Home care even extends into end-of-life care.  “We have brought in some Home Hospice equipment as we have seen a need for people who want to spend their last months at home.” With a licensed respiratory therapist on staff, Rodger’s team works with the wonderful people at Hospice of North Sunflower, who provide hospice care in the patient’s home.

“It just feels good to feel like you’re helping people.”