One Runner’s Race to Recovery Cancer Survivor Does Mardi Gras
Abigail Carr, writer
Gregg Carson, designer
Sean Couch, executive director
Beth Downs, director
Erin Gibson, editor
Marie Krueger, writer
Courtney Randolph, writer
Layne Saliba, writer
Lauren Tumlin, writer Jayden Fletcher is feeling like himself again after a
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OUR MISSION
“Improving the health of our community in all we do”
OUR THANKS TO BOARD CHAIRS
Martha Randolph
Hospital Authority of Hall County & City of Gainesville
Spence Price
Northeast Georgia Health System Auxiliary
Phillippa Lewis Moss
Northeast Georgia Medical Center
Pepper Brown, MD
Northeast Georgia Health System Foundation
Diane Stephens
Northeast Georgia Health System Auxiliary
Bedri Yusuf, MD
Northeast Georgia Physicians Group
Antonio Rios, MD
Northeast Georgia Health Partners Network
This organization does not discriminate against any patient because of race, creed, color, national origin, religion, age, sex, disability or because a patient is covered by a program such as Medicare or Medicaid.
by the Public Relations department for the community to support the organization’s mission.
from our president
You may have seen a recent report naming Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS) one of the top 20 most trusted healthcare brands in the nation. The list includes recognizable names like Emory Healthcare, Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins Medicine and Duke Health, to name a few. We are immensely proud of this achievement, in part because it puts NGHS alongside the most respected names in U.S. healthcare – but most importantly because it means our patients truly trust us to take care of them.
The needs of our patient population are always growing and changing, challenging us to grow and change with them. Innovation is the way forward; whether through technology, collaboration or sheer inventiveness, we are constantly working to meet our patients where they are. This issue of Communicare reflects that spirit.
On pages 3-6, you’ll learn how NGHS’ new Care Traffic Control center is streamlining the patient experience through collaboration and technology. When Jayden Fletcher suffered a stroke at the young age of 20, Care Traffic Control was able to coordinate immediate care – preventing brain loss and getting him home faster.
On pages 7-9, you’ll read about how a couple’s first date in 2016 ultimately made robotic heart surgery a reality for patients across the regions, decreasing recovery time and improving outcomes.
Thanks to the vision of a group of Family Medicine residents in collaboration with Northeast Georgia Physicians Group Family Medicine in Gainesville, pregnant women have access to prenatal classes to better equip them for becoming mothers. Read about this unique opportunity on page 17.
And on page 19, read how creativity meets generosity for NGHS volunteer Sandra Coley, who creates mementos for family members from the clothes of their departed loved ones. The keepsake bears she makes give comfort to those left behind.
I hope you enjoy the stories you are about to read. Thank you for trusting us with your health.
Carol H. Burrell, President & CEO
All hands on deck
Like any other 20-year-old, Jayden Fletcher was excited to plan his 21st birthday. He was dreaming of what it would be like, thinking up the guest list and confirming plans with his girlfriend. He was standing in the kitchen going over it all with his mom, Debbie, on January 31, 2023, when suddenly, something didn’t feel right.
“He was so excited about his birthday in just a few days,” said Debbie. “About five or 10 minutes into the conversation, he lost his balance, like he was walking crooked.”
Eventually, he fell and almost hit his head, which is when Debbie called 911. It was only about 15 minutes from the time Jayden started showing symptoms to the time emergency medical technicians (EMT) showed up to their Buford home, but it felt like an eternity for Debbie.
It’s a little fuzzy for Jayden, but he remembers bits and pieces of it all.
“I remember falling,” said Jayden. “And it was like everything I was trying to say, I couldn't say. I was trying to tell her I felt like I couldn’t breathe. I finally gave up trying to speak. All I knew was the EMTs told me I was going to be OK.”
A few minutes later, Jayden was loaded into an ambulance and rushed to Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) Braselton, the closest hospital that could provide immediate stroke care.
The first thing Jayden received was a clot-busting medicine to dissolve blood clots that block blood flow to the brain. When given quickly after the onset of stroke symptoms, it can reduce the risk of damage.
“They were asking all these medical questions back to back,” said Debbie. “It was going so fast I couldn’t even keep up. I didn’t even know what was going on.”
Jayden needed to transfer to NGMC Gainesville, a comprehensive stroke treatment center, to get the care he needed — and time was ticking.
And that’s where some behind-the-scenes work had to take place at Northeast Georgia Health System’s (NGHS’) new Care Traffic Control center.
CARE TRAFFIC CONTROL
Care Traffic Control, like Air Traffic Control at an airport, controls the flow of patients through each of NGMC’s five hospital campuses. Bed assignments for all patients are tracked on more than a dozen televisions across the front of the room.
Staff members hear calls coming in with patients on ambulances or being flown in from surrounding areas. Armed with a headset and four computer screens on the desk in front of them, they make sure incoming patients get to the right place when they arrive. That might mean someone else needs to move floors or be transferred to another hospital.
Care Traffic Control houses a handful of different departments which were previously spread out — in different rooms or even in different buildings — making communication difficult. The same jobs would get done before this existed, but it might take a little longer. Now, at Care Traffic Control, they’re all in the same room and can more quickly ensure patients get the right care at the right time in the right place.
When the emergency medical services (EMS) dispatcher saw there were no hospital ambulances available to transfer Jayden from Braselton to Gainesville, they told the emergency department to call 911— which is standard practice in these situations — so the closest fire station could send an available ambulance. But when the dispatcher hung up, they started talking to the transfer center representative, who was sitting right there beside them. Together they realized there was an ambulance that had just arrived at Braselton to drop off a patient. From there, they got in touch with the emergency department and the EMTs on that ambulance to make sure they picked up Jayden and rushed him to Gainesville.
Without the implementation of Care Traffic Control, Jayden would have lost precious time while he waited and the stroke continued to do damage to his brain.
ROAD TO RECOVERY
Debbie left Braselton, headed north on State Route 211 and made the almost 30-minute drive to NGMC Gainesville. When she got there around 7 p.m., Jayden was already in
the Neurointerventional Lab being treated by Sung Lee, MD, a neurointerventional surgeon with Northeast Georgia Physicians Group.
“Our tests confirmed Jayden had suffered a stroke,” said Dr. Lee. “We needed to perform a procedure to physically remove the clot from his artery.”
The procedure is done by placing small wires, or catheters, through the groin and using x-ray to guide them through the blood vessels that supply blood to the brain in order to remove the clot completely.
“Dr. Lee showed us the blood clots in his brain,” said Debbie. “Once they finished the surgery, they said he was going to be OK.”
SHE COULD BREATHE
Dr. Lee and the care team worked to determine what caused the the stroke.
"It all started with an abscessed tooth, which is actually pretty common," said Dr. Lee. "The infection that caused the abscess got into Jayden's blood stream, which eventually sent a huge clot into his brain."
Jayden was transferred to the Neurology Intensive Care Unit (Neuro ICU) to recover. He knew it would take time for his brain to heal, and he was doing his best – although he was still a little frustrated.
“They kept asking me, ‘What's your name? How old are you,’” said Jayden. “I didn’t know. I was so mad because I didn’t know what my own name was.”
Slowly but surely, he began to remember. And he began to communicate. He would later learn he still had 95% of his brain working as it did before the stroke, and only about 3-5% was damaged.
After spending a week in the Neuro ICU, Jayden was transferred to a patient room where he continued recovering with the help of rehabilitation.
Inpatient rehabilitation doesn’t often see patients as young as Jayden recovering from a stroke.
“I could tell immediately he was someone I would enjoy working with,” said Jennifer Zonts, a speech therapist with NGMC. “He was a breath of fresh air. “His personality,
his positivity in relation to dealing with his situation, was just amazing. He was very motivated to do all of his therapy.”
He worked tirelessly with his therapists — speech, physical and occupational — attending extra sessions as much as possible, and even doing work on the weekends when he could.
Jayden finally got to go home and is feeling like himself again. He still has to search for a word or two every now and again, and his hand strength is still improving, thanks to the continued outpatient rehabilitation he’s going through. He’s back to doing most of what he loves – hanging out with friends, dreaming of the Camaro he’s going to buy one day and simply enjoying life.
Learn more about the signs of stroke by visiting nghs.com/stroke
EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON
GAINESVILLE NATIVES DON AND DOT PIRKLE HAD NO IDEA THEIR FIRST DATE TO A CHRISTMAS SERVICE IN 2016 WOULD LEAD TO A LIFE-SAVING ROBOTIC HEART SURGERY FOR A STRANGER SEVEN YEARS LATER.
TIMING IS EVERYTHING
Don and Dot Pirkle, who both lost spouses in 2015, attended a church program during the holiday season for people who are grieving. This date was the start of a beautiful relationship and unintentionally, the beginning of new possibilities for Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS).
“That first night, we prayed together, cried together and lit a candle together,” said Dot. “After it was over, we shared a meal that lasted more than three hours – we just had so much in common and really enjoyed each other’s company. We’ve been inseparable ever since.”
Don, 86, and Dot, 85, were married the next year. Their dedication to and love for each other is palpable and can be seen in how they enjoy doing activities together. Part of what they love doing together is volunteering with
NGHS. Over the years, Dot has served as a greeter, president of the NGHS Auxiliary and now she and Don are co-chairs of the NGHS Window Shops. Their closeness extends to philanthropy and led to the campaign that made robotic heart surgery at NGHS a reality for patients across the region.
The Pirkles have a history of championing projects at NGHS. Shortly after their wedding in 2017, Don donated to the NGHS Foundation in honor of Dot’s volunteer leadership at the hospital for her to designate after his passing. Their most recent gift came after a dinner in 2022 hosted by the NGHS Foundation with leaders from NGHS and Georgia Heart Institute.
“During the dinner, I was chatting with one of our heart surgeons and I just knew,” said Don. “Our hospital has the facilities now and the experienced providers – and I knew it was the perfect time to make another gift.”
RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME
Bill Mayfield and his wife were visiting their son in Georgia when Bill started to feel ill. He visited Northeast Georgia Physicians Group (NGPG) Urgent Care in Dahlonega, where the care team discovered a heart murmur he would later learn was caused by mitral valve regurgitation – the valve between the two chambers on the left side of his heart wasn’t closing properly. They quickly referred him to T. Sloane Guy, MD, a robotic heart surgeon and the director of Minimally Invasive and Robotic Heart Surgery at NGPG.
Dr. Guy explained Bill needed heart surgery, but a traditional surgical approach would result in significant scarring and several months of recovery. Luckily, Dr. Guy, a nationally renowned robotic heart surgeon, had just joined NGPG only two months prior. As the first-ever robotic heart surgeon to perform surgeries at Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville, he believed Bill was an ideal candidate for the less-invasive option, making Bill the first patient to receive robotic heart surgery at the hospital.
“I read that Dr. Guy was one of the best robotic heart surgeons in the country,” said Bill. “It made the most sense for us to receive treatment in Georgia, and it was definitely worth it. I can’t believe what the team was able to do through these tiny incisions. I remember when my brother had open heart surgery, and this is a totally different experience.”
Just two days after the procedure, Bill was leaving the hospital and feeling great.
“Robotic surgery patients can have a significantly shorter recovery period,” said Dr. Guy. “This means they can get back to their normal activities sooner than open heart surgery patients. Bill’s surgery went so well that he was able to fly home to Minnesota the following week.”
NGPG Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery is an integral part of Georgia Heart Institute, Northeast Georgia Health System’s (NGHS) comprehensive heart and vascular service line. These teams work together to provide heart care that patients locally, and nationally, can count on.
“Whether the surgery is done using a minimally invasive approach or an open approach, our primary goal is providing the best possible treatment plan and outcome for each individual patient,” said Clifton Hastings, MD, medical director of NGPG Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery.
“We’re collaborating with the cardiologists of Georgia Heart Institute to coordinate care across specialties, providing patients a seamless patient experience.”
IT ALL COMES AROUND
Together, Don and Dot decided to redirect the 2017 gift along with a $250,000 cash gift — totaling $500,000 — to Georgia Heart Institute in support of the robotic heart surgery program. At the same time, they’ve challenged the community to match their $500,000 gift to raise a total of $1 million in support of robotic heart surgery.
“The timing of the dinner with system leaders could not have been more perfect,” said Chris Bray, chief development officer at NGHS and president of the NGHS Foundation. “We work to provide our donors opportunities to meet with physicians and thought leaders to inspire collaborative problem solving. NGHS identified a need – and the Pirkles rose to the occasion while encouraging others to join them.”
“To whom much is given, much will be required,” said Don, quoting Luke 12:48 from the Bible. “We believe in giving back because we have been so blessed.”
Schedule an appointment with NGPG Cardiovascular & Thoracic surgery by calling 770-501-6742, or with one of Georgia Heart Institute's cardiologists by calling 770-746-7729
Join Don and Dot in supporting Georgia Heart Institute at nghs.com/robotic-heart-story
You’ve got a lot of reasons to be there. That’s why we’re here at Georgia Heart Institute. Where minimally invasive robotic heart surgery is replacing many open heart surgeries. For less pain, smaller scars and much faster recovery times. Because you have places to be. The future of heart care. We’re leading Georgia there.
A RACE TO THE FINISH LINE
“My daughter wasn’t herself anymore,” said Dalton, Macy’s father. “She started hallucinating – seeing people watching her through the TV, listening to her through the radio, among other things. She even broke up with her boyfriend, Francis, for no reason. We were scared that she would harm herself or worse.”
It was a normal morning run for Macy Sirmans, when she felt sick and stopped to take a breath.
“It felt like I was coming down with the flu,” said Macy. “But after a few minutes and a quick phone chat with my boyfriend, I started to feel a little better.”
Macy had recently moved from Manhattan to be home in Clarkesville, Georgia, with her family during the COVID-19 pandemic. While at home, Macy worked to stay active, continuing her daily 10-mile run.
“Running was my favorite way to relax,” said Macy. “My life had changed much like many others due to COVID-19, but I could still go outside and spend valuable time with family.”
After her run, Macy celebrated an early Fourth of July weekend with relatives and close friends.
On the night of July 3, Macy sat on her bed talking with her mother when she suffered a massive seizure.
“It was the scariest moment of my life,” said Margie, Macy’s mom. “At the end of the attack, she went limp. I thought my daughter had died.”
A family member immediately called 911 and Macy was taken by ambulance to Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) Habersham, which at the time was Habersham Medical Center.
Because of strict visitation restrictions due to COVID-19, Macy’s parents had to wait outside in the parking lot, talking and texting with her by phone.
Macy was kept overnight for observation and released the following morning. She was prescribed an anti-seizure medication and referred for a follow-up appointment with Rhett Weaver, MD, at Longstreet Clinic.
After returning home, Macy made an appointment with Dr. Weaver. He immediately referred her to a neurologist at NGMC Gainesville.
The day after her appointment with Dr. Weaver, Macy started acting strange, something her family attributed to side effects of the new medication.
“She was not acting like herself and I could tell something was wrong,” said Margie. “When you’re a parent, all you want is for your child to be okay. I didn’t know how to help her. We needed all the help we could get.”
As a next step, bloodwork and an MRI were ordered. While she was being prepped at NGMC Gainesville, Macy suffered her second seizure and was immediately rushed to the emergency department.
“Macy was delirious and started hallucinating and yelling strange things,” said Margie. “I was the only person allowed to be with her in the Emergency Department to help restrain her.”
Macy underwent a second MRI and a psychiatric evaluation. Soon after, she suffered a third seizure.
“My daughter wasn’t herself anymore,” said Dalton, Macy’s father. “She started hallucinating – seeing people watching her through the TV, listening to her through the radio, among other things. She even broke up with her boyfriend, Francis, for no reason. We were scared that she would harm herself or worse.”
COMPREHENSIVE NEUROLOGICAL CARE AT HOME
The neurology team at NGMC Gainesville ran test after test on Macy, but it was only after a lumbar puncture — a diagnostic test where a needle is inserted into the space between two vertebrae to remove cerebrospinal fluid — when Macy was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease called Anti-NMDAR Encephalitis. The disease is caused by the brain creating antibodies against NMDA receptors in the central nervous system.
“Anti-NMDAR encephalitis is an extremely rare condition which affects one out of 1.5 million people a year,” said Vijayamala Bondugula, MD, a Northeast Georgia Physicians Group neurologist at NGMC Gainesville. “In Macy’s case, she was exhibiting all the symptoms including paranoia, hallucinations, loss of consciousness, seizures and memory loss. Her success depended on the right treatment and a world-class team of nurses, neurologists and rehabilitation team – which we have here at NGMC.”
TURNING A CORNER
After a week of steroid treatment, Macy's neurology team agreed that she could be cared for from home. Once at home, her treatment involved a series of intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) antibodies administered by a home-health nurse.
“I required constant care, attention and medication,” said Macy. “But with the IVIG treatments, I started to feel more and more like myself again.”
REHABILITATION AND RECOVERY
During the first few weeks of recovery at home, Macy struggled with paying attention and communication. After more testing, she was diagnosed with mild-moderate receptive and expressive aphasia — difficulty understanding and forming sentences.
“I didn’t want my parents to have to take care of me – I wanted to go back to the independent person I was before my diagnosis,” said Macy. “That’s when Rebecca Sabo, my speech therapist, stepped in. She became my lifeline.”
Macy underwent four months of cognitive and speech therapy. Her plan started with the alphabet, then keyboard exercises, reading the Wall Street Journal and simple physical exercises. In the early days of recovery, Macy’s parents would shadow her in a golf cart as she jogged.
Just three months after her first seizure, Macy was finally deemed fit to travel and reunite with Francis.
“Although our daughter’s personality was unrecognizable, we could still sense that iron will of hers,” said Dalton. “Sometimes it worked against us when the disease was in control of Macy’s words and actions. But as she recovered, Macy pressed forward.”
“Macy values her relationships,” said Francis. “Her strength and perseverance are two traits that make Macy the woman she is. I knew our story wasn’t over.”
At the end of only four short months, Macy recovered her speech and motor skills and started running 10 miles a day in her north Georgia mountain neighborhood.
“Rebecca and the team of neurologists encouraged me to find my voice and my footing and finish strong,” said Macy.
GRATEFUL TO BE ALIVE
Macy completed her personal goals of running the New York City Marathon in November 2021 and the London Marathon in October 2022. In late 2021, Macy landed her dream job as the Marketing Director at Conde Nast, a global media company headquartered in London and New York. Macy moved to London in 2023 to begin married life with Francis.
“Going through this experience helped me have a deeper appreciation for my life and the amazing things my body is capable of,” said Macy. “I’m grateful to be alive, thanks to pro-activeness and care of the neurology, imaging and rehabilitation team at Northeast Georgia Medical Center. The patience they showed me and encouragement I received raised my spirits on the bad days and enabled me to get back to living a full life.”
Learn more about our rehabilitation services at nghs.com/rehab
spread you go LITTLE a sparkle wher ever
Cheryl Edmondson, a hospice nurse for over 40 years, is no stranger to death, but when she received a cancer diagnosis in 2022, she thought death had come knocking at her own door.
“I was only 66 years old when I received my diagnosis,” said Cheryl. “I was still enjoying my career as a nurse, traveling with friends and spending time with my grandchildren. My husband and I had even recently renewed our wedding vows. I was shocked.”
Like in previous years, Cheryl made her annual appointment in August with her internal medicine physician. The appointment consisted of a routine exam, but when asked if she had anything else to discuss, Cheryl remembered she had experienced some spotting the month before her visit. Her doctor decided to run some additional tests and referred her to Holt Harrison, MD, with Northeast Georgia Physicians Group Obstetrics and Gynecology (NGPG OB/GYN). Dr. Harrison performed a procedure to diagnose her abnormal bleeding.
“I felt like these were routine procedures for someone of my age and headed to New Orleans — where my son, daughterin-law and two grandchildren live — for some fun the very next day,” said Cheryl. “While on vacation, Dr. Harrison’s office called me with the pathology results. I missed the call because of the time change but looked at my results in MyChart. They seemed wrong. I even briefly thought they had the wrong person!”
Cheryl scheduled a flight home right away and Dr. Harrison arranged for her to see Andrew Green, MD, a physician with NGPG specializing in gynecological cancers.
Dr. Green diagnosed Cheryl with an aggressive form of endometrial cancer and together they came up with a treatment plan.
“I appreciated Dr. Green taking time to walk me and my family through everything,” said Cheryl. “I had considered going to MD Anderson and did go to Emory for a second opinion, but the protocols were exactly the same and I hit it off with Dr. Green, so I decided to stay close to home. I’m happy I did.”
On the day of Cheryl’s surgery, she went in at 10 a.m. and was home by 2 p.m. Her surgery and recovery went well. She underwent three weeks of radiation and was able to ring the bell to signify the end of her cancer treatment on January 10, 2023. Shortly after, she even made it back to New Orleans for Mardi Gras.
“I will never forget him telling me that I was not going to need hospice,” said Cheryl. “After my years of work with hospice patients, I thought this type of diagnosis was a death sentence, but he reassured me that I was going to get through this.”
“I admire Cheryl,” said Dr. Green. “She stayed positive during a difficult time and continued to be a rock for her family. We are grateful to be a part of her wonderful outcome.”
Cheryl returned to nursing in May.
“I am grateful to be back at work with a renewed passion for helping people,” said Cheryl. “Because of my experience, I can better relate to my patients and provide the same positive support to them that Dr. Green gave me. As they say in New Orleans, spread a little sparkle wherever you go – and that is exactly what I’m doing.”
Pink and blue balloons, a cake, adorable babies and lots of smiles! This was the welcoming scene one chilly Thursday evening in January as physicians and staff of the Northeast Georgia Physicians Group (NGPG) Family Medicine office in Gainesville hosted a get-together to celebrate the first group of parents who completed Group Prenatal Care classes. This unique offering is the result of a vision cast by the third-year Family Medicine residents.
“We saw an exciting opportunity to offer moms an unhurried time to ask questions and interact with others in the same stage of life,” said Adrianna Kordek, MD, a recent Family Medicine Residency program graduate. “With the help of our practices, we created an educational group for parents that is both nurturing and convenient.”
Thanks to a grant from the Georgia Healthy Family Alliance, the Group Prenatal Care class was formed. The group is a maximum of 10 women who are all expecting around the same time. They come together once a month for their exam, then gather in a classroom in the Family Medicine practice afterwards.
“It’s during this time that the fun starts,” said Michele Kelly, CNM, midwife at NGPG Family Medicine. "We educate and experience everything from pregnancy yoga, healthy cooking classes, diapering and more – we even hold classes about post-partum depression. We welcome our dads as well, who have told us they are grateful to practice how to diaper and swaddle! We really wanted to provide education over time and build a community to connect and support them. It’s been a great experience.”
In partnership with NGPG OB/GYN, this practice inside Medical Park 2 has a team of dedicated family medicine OB/GYNs that
walk with women through pregnancy, labor and delivery — and all the Group Prenatal Care classes in between.
“Since this was my first baby, I was so excited to receive all the information I could,” said Jennifer Ledford, a patient and graduate of the program, who was happily showing off her son, Riley, to the group. “Michele and all the residents who cared for me made me feel so comfortable and well cared for.”
The care team also includes attending physicians Tembele Yangandawele, MD, and Brittany Parker, MD, to care for momsto-be at the practice and deliver their babies at Northest Georgia Medical Center Gainesville.
“It was such a joy to be able to follow Jennifer through the end of her pregnancy,” said Jasbir Kaur, MD a second-year Family Medicine resident. “I happened to be on call the day she went into labor. When I went to admit her to labor and delivery, she said something along the lines of ‘I’m so glad it’s you!’ That was one of the proudest moments in my training, to hear that phrase. It felt like we truly had built a trusting relationship, one in which I learned as much — or even more — from her than she did from me.”
“I felt super prepared, even when my water broke at 3 a.m.,” said Jennifer. “I knew I was equipped with all the information to handle it. Now, they can take care of me and my newborn son and the best part is we already have a relationship! I would highly recommend this approach to pre-natal care to any mom.”
Learn more or make an appointment today at ngpg.org/family-medicine/obgyn
Volunteering, Stitch By Stitch
Sandra Coley’s first encounter with Hospice of Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) was in 2012 when her son passed away in a motorcycle accident. Now she sews memory bears to give back to Hospice of NGMC families who have experienced similar losses.
After her son passed, she participated in the grief support program offered to hospice family members. When she brought a homemade t-shirt quilt to one of her counseling appointments, it sparked a conversation.
“My counselor, Jenn, noticed my quilting skills and asked if I would be interested in making teddy bears for other hospice families,” said Sandra. “I hadn’t made a teddy bear before, but I found a template and decided to give it a try. I grew up sewing, so I knew I could figure it out. I’ve made hundreds of bears since then.”
Memory bears are made from a loved one’s clothing and sewn into a teddy bear shape — complete with stuffing and button eyes. Two bears are provided to each hospice family at no cost to them.
“I don’t know what I’d be doing with my time if I didn’t have memory bears to make for all these years since losing my son,” said Sandra. “It takes me about eight hours from
start to finish to make each bear, so it’s a lengthy process. My children say that I’m too particular with them – but that’s because I want each one to be just right.”
Memory bears can be created from a wide variety of fabrics, like shirts, pants, jackets, hospital gowns or blankets, and each one is unique. Sandra’s husband, Jack, has supported her volunteering over the years and often helps her stuff the bears before she puts on the finishing touches.
“Each bear I make has its own little personality,” said Sandra. “Some look sweet and dainty and are made with lace and silk — and others look firm and distinguished and are made from a suit jacket. I love to think about the special people whom these bears represent and the memories they bring back.”
When she’s not making bears, Sandra enjoys spending time with her family, including seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. She also finds time to knit and sew quilts for her loved ones.
“For me, this isn’t just a hobby; this is my mission,” said Sandra. “I would love for other people to volunteer and start making bears, too. It gives me joy to be able to bless others — and it blesses me just the same.”
For more information about volunteering with Hospice of NGMC, visit www.nghs.com/volunteer-hospice
NORTHEAST GEORGIA HEALTH SYSTEM BUILDING INITIATIVES
Northeast Georgia Health System’s (NGHS’) mission of improving the health of our community drives the commitment to provide more and better healthcare resources to everyone across the region. NGHS refers to its expansion projects and initiatives as Growing the Greater Good, because the buildings are more than just bricks and mortar. Our focus is on the people who will inhabit these spaces – our patients, visitors, employees, physicians and community.
Here’s a quick summary of new locations and expansions that will bring more high-quality care and advanced technology close to home.
GAINESVILLE
HOSPITAL CAMPUS EXPANSION
Construction on a new tower and infrastructure is underway at Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) Gainesville. The 927,000-square-foot expansion will eventually make NGMC Gainesville the third-largest hospital in the state based on bed count. The new patient tower is set to open in early 2025 and will offer:
• an enhanced Emergency Department including flex spaces, zero pressure rooms and dedicated pediatric areas
• one convenient location for heart and vascular services provided by Georgia Heart Institute — including diagnostic testing, cardiac catheterization and heart surgery
• more operating rooms to treat complex stroke and neurosurgery cases
• a rooftop helipad for faster access to life-saving trauma, heart and stroke care
150 new beds for inpatient care
• a parking deck with hundreds of new parking spaces for patients and visitors
NEW MULTISPECIALTY MEDICAL PARK
The first development in what will be called Thompson Bridge Medical Park will be a 14,000-square-foot building, called Medical Plaza 1, at the corner of Thompson Bridge Road and Southers Road. Medical Plaza 1 is tentatively planned to open in 2024 as the new home of the current Northeast Georgia Physicians Group Thompson Bridge practice, which will move from its current location, but still provide the same primary care and weight loss services that patients know and love. The future location will also offer gynecology services.
NEW REHABILITATION HOSPITAL
NGHS and Lifepoint Rehabilitation have entered a joint venture partnership to start construction on a new inpatient rehabilitation hospital along Limestone Parkway later this year, with plans to open in 2025. The 61,000-square-foot facility will include 40 private rooms, nearly doubling the capacity of the existing 24-bed inpatient rehabilitation unit at NGMC Gainesville. The new building will feature a designated wing on the second floor for brain injury and stroke patients, as well as a large therapy suite including a gym, private therapy rooms, a cooking therapy room, an Activities of Daily Living therapy apartment and a variety of innovative rehabilitation equipment.
BRASELTON
HOSPITAL
CAMPUS EXPANSION
You’ll also see construction in progress at NGMC Braselton, which is expanding to keep pace with the needs of the community growing around it. The plans include: 235,000 square feet of new clinical space, including two new patient care floors and 150 licensed acute care beds – bringing the hospital’s total licensed bed count to 284
• Doubling the number of treatment rooms in the Emergency Department from 23 to 46 to care for more people quickly and efficiently
• Adding four new operating rooms to expand available surgeries and procedures
• Creating a new helipad, which will mean faster, more efficient access to life-saving heart, stroke and surgical care
• Adding more than 200 new parking spaces for patients and visitors
• Expanding the pharmacy, laboratory, kitchen and other support spaces
Services in the new spaces will include a critical care unit, expanded emergency department, operating rooms, supporting areas, renovated laboratory, expanded pharmacy, kitchen renovations and new surface parking.
The first phase is expected to be completed in summer 2025, with the second phase completed in 2026.
BRASELTON SURGERY CENTER IN MEDICAL PLAZA 2
A new medical office building, called Medical Plaza 2, is scheduled to open on the NGMC Braselton campus this fall. The plaza’s first floor will be home to the Braselton Surgery Center’s four operating rooms, two procedure rooms, and prep/recovery areas for fast and convenient surgeries that don’t need to be done in the hospital. The second and third floors will offer physician offices representing different specialties.
CANCER CENTER NOW OPEN FIVE DAYS A WEEK
The Braselton Cancer Center recently added a second linear accelerator – a machine used to deliver radiation to destroy cancer cells and shrink tumors – and added expanded physician coverage to provide care. Radiation therapy services are also provided, which means people can receive all the treatments they may need in one place, so they can truly beat their cancer in Braselton.
LUMPKIN COUNTY
NEW HOSPITAL CAMPUS
In less than a year, NGMC Lumpkin will move the existing hospital near downtown Dahlonega to a new campus along Georgia 400. The new building will continue to provide 24/7 Emergency Services, plus inpatient care, and will add outpatient surgery to support services like imaging, lab and pharmacy.
HABERSHAM COUNTY
HOSPITAL JOINS NGHS
Habersham Medical Center (HMC) officially joined NGHS on July 1, 2023, with a new name: Northeast Georgia Medical Center Habersham. Hospital services include: Emergency Care Inpatient Care
• Labor and Delivery
• Orthopedic Surgery
• Outpatient Surgery
• Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation
• Outpatient Rehabilitation
• Pharmacy
• Lab
• Infusion
Three physician practices in Demorest are also joining NGPG, so patients in the community will now have seamless care for:
• Internal Medicine
• OB/GYN
• Orthopedic Surgery & Sports Medicine
Plus, Georgia Heart Institute is expanding to provide cardiology care five days a week in Habersham.
BARROW COUNTY
NEW MEDICAL PLAZA IN BETHLEHEM
The two-story, 34,000-square-foot building – which is convenient to Georgia 316 – is expected to see more than 100,000 visits per year after it opens this fall. It will be home to:
A new Northeast Georgia Physicians Group (NGPG) Urgent Care location – open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week
• Cardiology services provided by Georgia Heart Institute
• NGPG Family Health Associates, which has cared for the Winder community for 75 years
• NGPG specialty services including OB/GYN, sports medicine, orthopedic surgery and general surgery
• Digital x-ray services and an on-site lab
DAWSON COUNTY
NEW MEDICAL PLAZA IN DAWSONVILLE
This three-story, 35,800-square-foot building will sit along Georgia 400, right next to the existing Medical Plaza 400. Medical Plaza 400 will be renamed Medical Plaza 1 as the new Medical Plaza 2 opens in Spring 2024. The building will be home to:
• A new, larger NGPG Urgent Care – open every day, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
• Cardiology services provided by Georgia Heart Institute
• NGPG specialty services including OB/GYN, sports medicine, orthopedic surgery and urology
Join our mission of Growing the Greater Good by donating at nghs.com/give-today
For updates on all the Growing the Greater Good initiatives, visit nghs.com/gtgg
DISCRIMINATION IS AGAINST THE LAW
DISCRIMINATION IS AGAINST THE LAW
DISCRIMINATION IS AGAINST THE LAW
DISCRIMINATION IS AGAINST THE LAW
Northeast Georgia Health System, Inc. (NGHS) complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. NGHS does not exclude people or treat them differently because of race, color, national origin, age, disability or sex.
Northeast Georgia Health System, Inc. (NGHS) complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. NGHS does not exclude people or treat them differently because of race, color, national origin, age, disability or sex.
NGHS:
NGHS:
•Provides free aids and services to people with disabilities to communicate effectively with us, such as:
•Provides free aids and services to people with disabilities to communicate effectively with us, such as:
• Qualified sign language interpreters
• Qualified sign language interpreters
•Written information in other formats (large print, audio, accessible electronic formats, other formats)
•Written information in other formats (large print, audio, accessible electronic formats, other formats)
•Provides free language services to people whose primary language is not English, such as:
•Provides free language services to people whose primary language is not English, such as:
• Qualified interpreters
• Qualified interpreters
•Information written in other languages
•Information written in other languages
If you need these services, contact:
If you need these services, contact:
NGHS Patient Experience Department
NGHS’ Customer Care Resource Center
Telephone Number: 770-219-2998.
Telephone Number: 770-219-1689.
If you believe that NGHS has failed to provide these services or discriminated in another way on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex, you can file a grievance with:
If you believe that NGHS has failed to provide these services or discriminated in another way on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex, you can file a grievance with:
Fax: 770-219-1895, or Email: patient.experience@nghs.com.
Fax: 770-219-2910, or Email: corporate.compliance@nghs.com.
You can file a grievance in person or by mail, fax or email. If you need help filing a grievance, NGHS Corporate Compliance is available to help you.
You can file a grievance in person or by mail, fax or email. If you need help filing a grievance, NGHS Corporate Compliance is available to help you.
You can also file a civil rights complaint with the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights electronically through the Office for Civil Rights Complaint Portal, available at https://ocrportal.hhs.gov/ocr/portal/lobby.jsf, or by mail or phone at:
You can also file a civil rights complaint with the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights electronically through the Office for Civil Rights Complaint Portal, available at https://ocrportal.hhs.gov/ocr/portal/lobby.jsf, or by mail or phone at:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, SW
200 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20201
Washington, D.C. 20201
Phone: 1-800-368-1019
Phone: 1-800-868-1019
TDD: 1-800-537-7697
TDD: 1-800-537-7697
Complaint forms are available at http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/office/file/index.html.
Complaint forms are available at http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/office/file/index.html.
ATENCIÓN: si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 770-219-1689 (TTY: 1-800-255-0135) (VRS: 1-888-888-1116).
ATENCIÓN: si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 770-219-1689 (TTY: 1-800-255-0135) (VRS: 1-888-888-1116).
CHÚ Ý: Nếu bạn nói Tiếng Việt, có các dịch vụ hỗ trợ ngôn ngữ miễn phí dành cho bạn. Gọi số
ATENÇÃO: Se fala português, encontram-se disponíveis serviços linguísticos, grátis. Ligue para हैं। 770-219-1689 (TTY: 1-800-255-0135) (VRS: 1-888-888-1116).
ACHTUNG: Wenn Sie Deutsch sprechen, stehen Ihnen kostenlos sprachliche Hilfsdienstleistungen zur Verfügung. Rufnummer: । 770-219-1689 (TTY: 1-800-255-0135) (VRS: 1-888-888-1116).
ACHTUNG: Wenn Sie Deutsch sprechen, stehenIhnen kostenlos sprachliche Hilfsdienstleistungen zur Verfügung. Rufnummer: । 770-219-1689 (TTY: 1-800-255-0135) (VRS: 1-888-888-1116).
You can now visit with a trusted Northeast Georgia Physicians Group provider on your phone, tablet or computer right when you need them with On-demand Urgent Care Video Visits. With this new virtual service — available Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. — our board-certified Urgent Care providers are available to address your immediate care needs right away. No need to schedule an appointment — just get in line!
