The end of the year means it's time to vote for who becomes the Healthcare Hero of the Year.
Everyone who comes in contact with our happy hospital here in Ruleville becomes part of the North Sunflower family in one way or another. And, like in every family, each person plays a vital role in making us who we are.
Once a month, we select two people who exemplify this spirit and name them Healthcare Hero of the month – one who works in a clinical role and one who works in a non-clinical position.
Kind of like picking your favorite child; it is a difficult choice every month. This year, another 22 exceptional people were selected from over 500 truly remarkable family members (11 clinical and 11 non-clinical).
In 2021, our clinical Healthcare Hero of the year was Sharon Davis. We talked with both Sharon last week now that their reign as Healthcare Hero is coming to an end.
Sharon said she was proud to be honored, but she was ready for the honor to go to someone else. "Being Healthcare Hero of the Year Made me feel very appreciated. It made me feel like my work was noticed. But I want everybody to have a chance to feel like that."
Sharon told us the secret to being Healthcare Hero of the year is in two words: Patience and Patients.
"You have to have a lot of patience to do this job, or this is not the place for you. We are here to take care of our patients, whatever their needs. This is their home, and we are here to care for them.
Ballots will be emailed to all employees with email addresses. You can get a paper ballot through your department if you don't have an email address. All ballots must be turned in by the 16th of December.
Earlier this month, Sunflower Diagnostic Center teamed up with the Delta Cotton Belles and Delta State University to do a free breast screening as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Sunflower Rural Clinic’s Certified Family Nurse Practitioner, Hanna Farmer, teamed up with the Belles to host a breast screening at Delta State University.
According to Terri Burrell, they screened 18 women during the event, “It was a big day. They kept Hannah busy.” The event was part of the Delta Cotton Belles Pink Checkup program – which provides clinical breast exams at no cost to the patient.
“Breast cancer is among the leading causes of death among women,” Terri told us. “Especially in the Delta. It is mind-blowing if you look at the statistics.” In 2007 Beth McKnight was diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer, and it was during the time following her diagnosis that she was made aware of the high incidence of later-staged breast cancer in the Delta and the complete lack of resources available.
Beth recognized the need and immediately reacted with a vision that would come to fruition as Delta Cotton Belles. She initially secured a grant from Delta Health Alliance and, with the help of a small group of friends, began providing education, breast health awareness, and mammograms under the umbrella of the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Two years later, Delta Cotton Belles was recognized as an independent non-profit organization so that all of the funding could remain in the Delta to serve those whose needs were the greatest.
In addition to the Pink Checkups, The Belles also have a “Wrapped in Pink” program that provides services to women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer; those services include emotional support, a Beth’s Blessing Bag for newly diagnosed women, transportation assistance, mastectomy supplies, wigs, and professional counseling. “The bag, which is named in honor of our founder, contains many comfort items suggested by our “Thrivers”…who know the needs based on their own experiences. In addition to love and prayers, each bag includes a pink pashmina, an insulated DCB tumbler, a daily devotional book, a hot & cold neck wrap, soothing lotion, and even note cards handmade by a DCB “Thriver.”
The Pink Promise program provides free mammograms for working women who are uninsured or underinsured. “Many insurance companies will not cover a mammogram for women under 40. We fill the gap,” Terri told us.
The Belles also host a monthly “Thrivers” group.
The word ‘thriver’ is also kind of important to the Belles. “They don‘t like to be called ‘survivors,’” Terri told us. “We want them to come through the experience stronger than ever. So, they are not just surviving their bout with breast cancer. They are thriving.”
If you need breast cancer resources or know someone who is, please email Terri at Deltacottonbelles@gmail.com.
The Belles have a database of over 600 women diagnosed with breast cancer that they have assisted – and are continuing to help. Terri tells us, “Once you are a Delta Cotton Belle, you are always a Belle. It is a never-ending need.”
North Sunflower Medical Center Pink Walk for Breast Cancer Awareness
Later this month, on October 27th, North Sunflower Medical Center is hosting a Pink Walk in Ruleville with a Pink Balloon Release for breast cancer awareness. If you would like more information, contact Alice Pyles at Alice.Pyles@northsunflower.com.
And if you need a mammogram or know someone who does, contact the Sunflower Diagnostic Center by calling (662)756-2100.
Dr. Erica Bass went through four years of college, four years of medical school, five years of surgical training, and three years of specialized training in surgery before she began her six years in practice as one of the best cosmetic surgeons in Mississippi.
But that is just part of her lifelong training growing up in a medical family that makes Dr. Bass one of the most qualified surgeons currently working in the Delta across any field. "Growing up, my dad was a cardiologist, so I knew I wanted to be a physician. I liked fixing things with my hands, and that made me want to be a surgeon," Dr. Bass told us.
Dr. Bass is the daughter of cardiologist Dr. Gene Hutcheson. "Dr. Hutch", as most people around North Sunflower Medical Center call him, was part of an innovative program to bring highly qualified specialists to Ruleville a few days a month to provide top-quality specialized care closer to home. He was featured as part of CNN's online magazine's profile of our hospital back in 2017.
Dr. Erica Bass
The program was so successful that Dr. Bass decided to follow in her father's footsteps a little further. "Through him, I came up to North Sunflower, met the people, and loved them."
Dr. Bass works monthly at the Sunflower Med Spa in Ruleville, providing a wide range of cosmetic surgical services, including Botox, Juvederm, hydrafacials, and others.
"More than anything, it's having her expertise available to us right here in Ruleville," said Alice Pyles, director of Sunflower Med Spa here at NSMC. "In the Delta, we don't have a plastic surgeon. So having her come once a month is a huge plus. She has done complex excision with reconstruction on cancerous lesions here at NSMC, which saves a trip to Jackson. This is a big help for our patients."
"Plastic surgery appeals to the problem-solving part of my brain," Dr. Bass said. "Using those principles and knowledge of anatomy allows me to find a solution."
"She's very sweet and very nice, "Alice told us. "She is a very caring surgeon. She listens to her patients very well and provides them with some options. She is very good at finding out from her patients what they are looking for and providing with the best options."
"People want to feel good about themselves as they age," Dr. Bass said. "When you feel like you are the best version of yourself, it gives you more opportunities because you feel good in your own skin."
If you want to meet with Dr. Bass, contact the Sunflower Med Spa at (662) 756-4000 to make an appointment.
Last year our friend Robyn Marlow wrote this about the Great Ruleville roast:
"There are a lot of things that make Ruleville special. We love the special feeling you get when you walk up to people you know downtown. We take pride in neighbor helping neighbor and rallying around friends in good times and bad. We love that feeling when the hot summer gives way to crisp, cooler fall.
All of these things make Ruleville special to us. But what makes Ruleville truly one of a kind is our annual fall festival – The Great Ruleville Roast. Just like our town, The Great Ruleville Roast that started in 2005 keeps growing every year."
The Great Ruleville Roast 2022
This year's Great Ruleville Roast 2022 will begin Friday, Sept 23 at 6 pm in downtown Rule Park with the MBN-sanctioned Barbecue Competition, followed at 6:30 pm by a free concert with Lovin' Ledbetter. The firework show starts at 9:45 pm.
The Festival will continue Saturday, Sept 24, in downtown Rule Park beginning at 9 am with Championship smokers, basters, tasters, and everyday eaters being serenaded by the live entertainment throughout the day, starting again this year with Boundless Love Gospel Group from 9 am – 10 am. Joe Garcia will perform at 10:00 am, followed by Blaze Elite Tumble and Cheer at 10:30 am. The Bayou Band plays at 11:00 am, and last but not least, Mississippi Marshall plays at 2 pm. Saturday will also feature MBN BBQ Competitions and the World Junior BBQ League Competition. We will have arts, crafts, food vendors, and more filling up the park for a family fun day. Come ready for a full day of entertainment.
The Great Ruleville Roast 2022 is the 2nd step for those entering the Delta BBQ Battle. MBN Championship and Patio Division BBQ awards will be handed out around 5 pm Saturday. We hope families from across the delta will join us to celebrate the town we proudly call home. We are "Ruleville & Proud". For details, visit our Facebook page, "The Great Ruleville Roast" www.facebook.com/thegreatrulevilleroast, call (662) 719-6655 or email rulevillechamber@gmail.com.
Great Ruleville Roast 2022 Sponsors
Event Sponsors
Planters Bank & Trust Company – North Sunflower Medical Center – Two Brooks Farm -- RCI Delta -- Cleveland Trophy & Awards – Southern Bancorp – Whitfield Media -- Delta Radio Network
Platinum Sponsors
Cannon Ford Lincoln, LLC – Coopwood Communications – Enterprise Tocsin – Haire Drug Center – Mad Cow Cutlery – Mexico Grill Ruleville – Mosquito Mist Control – Scott Petroleum – The Pharm
Gold Sponsors
Advance Physical Therapy - Arant Acres – AsurePrint - Carver Brothers Partnership - City of Ruleville - Cleveland Rent All Outdoors - Delta Staffing – J&J Refrigeration - Katherine Carver - Mississippi Police Supply & Sales LLC - Sonny's, Inc. - Taylor's Air Conditioning & Heating, Inc
Silver Sponsors
Andrews Dental Clinic - Barfield, Salley & Associates, PLLC - Becky Tollison - Bill's Body Shop, Inc. - Bill's Tire & Alignment, LLC - Brandon Cummins/Ruleville Farm Bureau - Brooks Rizzo, FNP-BC - Chandler Planting - Cleveland Funeral Hime - Delta Thunder Motorsports Delta Sky - Denton's Dairy Products, Inc. - Fleming Lumber Co., Inc. - Garland Moody Painting - Henly & Sons Motors, LLC - Horizon Ag, LLC - Lamar Outdoor Advertising - Lampard's Wholesale Meats, Inc. - Lovett Auto & Tractor Parts - Mike Myers, Constable - Moody's Plumbing - Robinson Electric - Race Addict - Ray's Funeral Home - Ruleville Cash & Pay - Ruleville Manufacturing Co. Inc. - Sassy Jones Sauce & Spice Co. - Sullivan's Grocery - Sunflower County Board of Supervisors – Sunflower Med Spa - Sunflower Diagnostic Clinic - Superior Heat & Air - The Imagine Specialist - Total Lawn Services - Townsend, McWilliams & Holladay, LLP - Victoria's - Williams & Lord Funeral Home - Woodard Eubanks & Sons, LLP.
This profile is the fifth in a series about the people helping make our community better by serving as members of the North Sunflower Medical Foundation Board of Directors.
Garrett Carver's commitment to North Sunflower Medical Foundation started with his mother, Katherine, a longtime board member and community leader.
We lost Katherine to cancer in 2019, but Garrett now serves on the board and thinks of his mom, who cared deeply about the hospital and its role, as the heart of the Delta.
Garrett recently talked to us about his mom, the positive things happening at North Sunflower Medical Center, and the impact of the pandemic.
"I have seen the transformation. What was once a small town, struggling little hospital has grown into a modern medical center," Garrett tells us. "I believe this wouldn't have happened without Billy Marlow and the leadership team. Somebody had to take the reins, and they did."
He said the COVID-19 pandemic showcased the hospital's importance to Delta residents – and the dedication of the staff.
"They were at the front in having testing and then the vaccinations. They were on top of the regulations and the best research," he says.
Garrett said his entire family got their vaccinations at North Sunflower Medical Center. He saw the compassion and dedication of the center staff.
"Everyone is invested and happy with what they do. They care about their jobs and this place," he says.
Garrett is a fourth-generation farmer growing corn and soybeans on the family farm that straddles Leflore and Sunflower counties.
When Stacy Davis asked him to join the board, he had several reasons to say yes. First, he says, he wanted to get involved in service and be part of something important to everyone.
"Everybody I know has been complimentary of North Sunflower Medical Center," he says. "When you live in a rural area, one of the poorest areas in the country, it's great to know you don't have to go to Jackson or Memphis to have critical care. It's right here in Ruleville, Mississippi. It's a jewel.
A second reason for Garrett to say yes is to maintain the critical resource that keeps people in the region and helps unify the community.
"When you go to North Sunflower Medical Center, there's a family-type atmosphere. They know you. That's very comforting," he said.
Garrett has a final, more sentimental reason to serve.
"My mother and I were very close. She served on the board early on for many years until she got sick with cancer. She enjoyed it. I wanted to experience what she was doing. I wanted to get involved in the community, to make a difference. My mother left some big shoes to fill," he says. "I think she'd be happy that I took up the mantle."
A certified pediatric nurse practitioner at the Sunflower Rural Health Clinic Pediatrics, Ms. Summers had a lot of patients in the run-up to school starting last week. "Lots of kids were getting wellness checks before school starts," she told us. "We had lots of 4-year-olds and seventh graders getting shots and vaccinations that are required here in Mississippi."
Back to school is a good time to have young patients come in for their annual wellness checks. "It's important to schedule a wellness check once per year, either at back to school or around their birthday," Ms. Summers said. "That makes it easy for busy parents to remember. At least once a year, we like to see that they are developing and growing bigger and stronger as they should."
The steady rush of young patients has trailed off this week now that schools in the Delta are back in session after the summer break. But Ms. Summers expects those numbers to tick up again "once they get back spreading germs with all their friends." She said the last couple of years taught us the importance of washing hands and using hand sanitizers, especially before eating. "Taking Germ-X to school and washing up before eating will decrease their risk of spreading germs and getting sick," she pointed out.
And if our kids are feeling sick, they must stay home, especially if they have a fever of over 100.4 degrees. "A fever could be a sign of a number of things, from COVID to strep throat, but it is a clear indicator of general infection," Ms. Summers said. "They need to stay home or come see us until they feel better."
Ms. Summers is originally from Birmingham, Alabama, and moved to the Delta to be closer to her husband’s family. Dr. Lisa Huddleston, a Sunflower Rural Health Clinic pediatrician, told us, “Katie is the sweetest. She is very knowledgeable about pediatrics and really cares about her patients and their families. She has worked at other children’s hospitals and has a lot of experience caring for children in our area.”
Ms. Summers also told us about the importance of getting kids back in their routines as soon as school resumes. “We stress the need to get at least eight hours of sleep to allow their brain to fully function,” she said. “This whole past week, we have been encouraging parents to set a good bedtime and get their kids back on track with their routines. Bedtime and breakfast are important, even if it's just a small thing to eat to get the day started.”
If a member of your family has been trading germs with friends or just needs their back-to-school wellness check, you can reach Sunflower Rural Health Clinic Pediatrics by calling the referral line at (662) 756-1788.
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 14th 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.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i83NPw8tmDk
"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
