Joseph’s/Candler
SJ/C Ready To Paint the Town Pink For 18th Year
It’s time
for a fresh coat of pink.
The Paint the Town Pink breast cancer awareness campaign is returning for its 18th year. Once again, St. Joseph’s/Candler is partnering with the Savannah Morning News for a month-long initiative to spread the word about early detection of breast cancer and the accessibility of the Telfair Mammography Fund for uninsured or underinsured women. This year, WSAV News 3 is also joining us as a partner, opening up even more channels of communication throughout the month of October.
“To have done this campaign for nearly two decades and see it revitalize and grow even bigger each year is tremendously exciting,” said SJ/C President & CEO Paul P. Hinchey at the campaign kickoff event at the Nancy N. and J.C. Lewis Cancer & Research Pavilion. “When we say we’re going to Paint the Town Pink, we really do mean the whole town. We want everyone in this city, and really in this entire region, to know that early detection of breast cancer through mammography screening is life-changing, life-saving, and accessible to anyone, even if they are uninsured or underinsured.”
What truly makes Paint The Town Pink a citywide phenomenon is the participation of local schools, businesses and civic organizations, all of whom host unique events and special promotions to raise money for the Telfair Mammography Fund. You can see the full list at www.sjchs.org/PTTP, but here are just a few:
October 4 | Healing Heroes Fashion Show: Join WSAV News Anchor Tina Tyus-Shaw for a celebration and tribute to breast cancer survivors with a fashion show featuring local survivors. The event will be held Saturday, October 4 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Nancy N. and J.C. Lewis Cancer & Research Pavilion. Tickets are $20, benefiting the Telfair Mammography Fund. Tickets are available online at: sjchs.org/healing-heroes.
October 12 | Rhythm & Ribbons Bingo Night at Plant Riverside: This is one of several events planned at Plant Riverside in downtown Savannah. CJ the DJ will host the Rhythm & Ribbons Bingo Night at the hotel’s District Live venue from 2-6 p.m. on Sunday, October 12. Tickets are $25. Plant Riverside will also be featuring cocktail and dessert specials all month long, and will light their iconic smokestacks pink each night.
October 27 | Pink Ribbon Tea Party: Join us in the Marsh Auditorium from 3-4 p.m. for an afternoon tea with stories of strength and hope from breast cancer survivors and important information on the latest in breast cancer detection and prevention from Dr. Miles Love, moderator. Donations will be accepted for the Telfair Mammography Fund. Space for this event is limited, so if you are interested in attending, please RSVP to 912-819-5499.
As in previous years, SJ/C’s biggest event of Paint the Town Pink is Mammography Day. Each year, we challenge the women of the Coastal Empire and Low Country to have a screening mammogram, setting aside one special day to see just how many women SJ/C can serve with this life-saving screening. If you or your loved ones are due for a mammogram in October, sign up for the location most convenient for you:
October 27 | Mammography Day: Several imaging locations throughout the area will be available on Monday, October 27. These include St. Joseph’s Hospital, the Telfair Pavilion at Candler Hospital, the Telfair Breast Imaging CenterEisenhower Drive, the SJ/C Imaging Center – Bluffton campus, the SJ/C Imaging Center – Pooler campus and the SJ/C Mobile Mammography Unit at the Chatham County Courthouse. If you know a family member or friend who would like to participate, ask them to register by calling 912-819-PINK.
more chances to contain the flu bug
October is here and that means the flu bug is around here somewhere, too. The best way to protect yourself is to get the flu shot. Buzz over to the Fly By Flu Shot Clinics this month:
• Thursday, October 16 • Friday, October 17
• Weekdays, October 20–31 nest_clock_farsight_analog 7 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. & 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. | location_on Occupational Health office at both hospitals
Remember, all co-workers must complete their Seasonal Flu Immunization Survey on ReadySet regardless of vaccination status. Visit the Occupational Health: 2025-2026 Flu Campaign webpage on The Hub for the link to the Flu Survey.
mission critical
Good Samaritan Receives Donated Toys For Patients’ Children
Sr. Mary-Anne Plaskon will sometimes find herself surrounded by stuffed animals at work. No, she doesn’t work at a toy store, but at SJ/C’s Good Samaritan. The stuffed animals are a regular donation by Hugaroo, Inc., a non-profit organization with a mission of providing new stuffed animals to children who are facing difficult circumstances, such as having a serious illness in their family or surviving a traumatic event.
As a Patient Resource Navigator, Sr. Plaskon often meets the children of Good Samaritan patients who are going through a tough time.
“Our staff, including the nurse practitioner, pharmacist and pharmacy students, and medical assistants will naturally have conversations with patients as they are being treated,” Sr. Plaskon says. “They may learn through these discussions that the parents’ illness or financial struggle is causing stress for the children at home. Or they may learn that the child is being bullied or dealing with stress at school. The staff will let me know about it so I can approach the parents or grandparents and offer them a new stuffed animal to give to their child.”
Sr. Plaskon has seen this small gesture of extra care make a huge difference in a child’s day.
“I can’t tell you how wonderful it is when the children are here and they pick something out,” Sr. Plaskon says. “They immediately hug their animal, and then the smile comes.”
Hugaroo, Inc., makes sure the stuffed animals are safe and hygienic before delivering them to Sr. Plaskon.
“We even had a teenager in here once and I said, ‘I know you’re too old for this,’” Sr. Plaskon recalls. “But he picked one out and it immediately lightened the mood. It brings them a moment of joy and comfort.”
Ninety Days Of Mercy
This summer, kindness took center stage at St. Joseph’s/Candler. In July, SJ/C launched the Ninety Days Of Mercy initiative, in which co-workers who witnessed a fellow co-worker performing an act of mercy or kindness could recognize that person through a nomination form on The Hub. The act of mercy didn’t need to be a grand gesture—co-workers could recognize others for something as simple as securing a wheelchair for a patient or guest who is struggling, or letting a co-worker jump ahead of you in line when they are in a hurry to get back to their unit.
Ninety Days of Mercy was named in honor of a special moment in the history of St. Joseph’s Hospital. Back in August of 1963, the medical and dental staff of St. Joseph’s formally passed a resolution endorsing the master plan of the Sisters of Mercy and the Board of Trustees for the construction of the new hospital on the Southside of Savannah. The campaign drive for the project was called Ninety Men for Ninety Days for Ninety Years of Mercy. Their fundraising goal was $600,000, which is almost $6 million in today’s dollars. As it turned out, due to the robust generosity of the residents of Savannah, they reached that goal in only 30 days. Ninety Days Of Mercy honors that 1963 slogan but its focus was on kindness rather than fundraising.
On September 24, Mercy Day, all co-workers who were nominated were invited to a special reception. They each received cards with the words of the person who nominated them. Some co-workers received multiple nominations. The initiative easily proved that kindness is overflowing among the co-workers at SJ/C.
sneak preview of an exciting future
State and university leaders visited St. Joseph’s/Candler to discuss the plans and goals for our new medical residency program, and they even got a sneak preview of the program’s future home.
Though there is plenty of work ahead, a palpable excitement and shared vision are fueling progress toward a July 1, 2027, start date. The leaders shown here were part of the team that made it happen, especially Chairman Butch Parrish, Rep. Ron Stephens and Senator Ben Watson They along with our partners with the Medical College of Georgia toured the location with SJ/C President & CEO Paul P. Hinchey. Also in attendance was Augusta University President Dr. Russell T. Keen and Medical College of Georgia Dean, Dr. David Hess , and Dean of the MCG Savannah Campus, Dr. Elizabeth Gray
moving forward
Both Campuses Awarded For Stroke Care
St. Joseph’s/Candler has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke GoldPlus quality achievement award for its commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately leading to more lives saved and reduced disability.
Both St. Joseph’s Hospital and Candler Hospital achieved the award by demonstrating how the stroke program at each campus has committed to providing quality care. In addition to following treatment guidelines, Get With The Guidelines participants also educate patients to help them manage their health and recovery at home.
St. Joseph’s Hospital also received the American Heart Association’s Target: Stroke Honor Roll award. To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet specific criteria that reduce the time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with thrombolytic therapy.
“St. Joseph’s/Candler is committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines,” said SJ/C’s Stroke Program Coordinator Cristen Wood. “Get With The Guidelines makes it easier for our teams to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis, which studies show can help patients recover better. The end goal is to ensure more people in Savannah and the surrounding region can experience longer, healthier lives.”
New Cohort Of LCRP Customer Service Champions
The third group of Customer Service Champions have completed their training as part of the Outpatient Oncology Customer Experience Project at the Nancy N. and J.C. Lewis Cancer & Research Pavilion. These LCRP co-workers and Guest Service Agents were trained in bestpractice principles for infusing empathy into every aspect of a patient’s cancer care journey. Pictured here from left to right are: Maria Sanders, Kaylee Bedgood, Kerri Youngblood, Lori Casanova, Toni Tella, Cementhia Bennett, Kandace West, Judy Newell, and Lindsey Fye
rn mnit (magnet nurses in touch)
By Alicia Motley, DNP, MBA, RN, NE-BC Director, Professional Practice, Specialty Services & Infection Control, Magnet Program Director
Last month was an incredibly fulfilling time to be a member of the SJ/C family of co-workers. It gave us the chance to recognize so many extraordinary people. We presented a DAISY Team award to the CCU/CVICU units at St. Joseph’s Hospital. This is the second time we’ve given the team award, which includes not only the nurses in a unit but every caregiver such as PCTs, unit clerks, and others. Congratulations to these special teams!
There was another wonderful display of teamwork in the Center for Digestive Diseases at Candler Hospital. Three nurses, each doing separate tasks, had a cumulative effect on a nervous patient’s experience. In the nomination, the patient wrote:
“Tammie had called me the day before to do my early check-in for a colonoscopy I had scheduled the following day. We had a good rapport on the phone, and I asked her if she was going to be my nurse the following day. She said she wasn't sure, but would look for me. I told her I was afraid of needles, especially IV needles. She said if she wasn't available to ask for Melissa. On the day I checked in, Tammie found me soon after they checked me into prep and held my hand while Melissa inserted my IV with tender-loving care. The attention and love I got from Tammie and Melissa was so comforting and over the top. I also want to recognize Maggie, my recovery nurse. She had me smiling and laughing after the procedure. All in all, I had a great experience with this staff and would like to recommend all three for a DAISY Award. Best loving care I've had in a while.” From the first moment of this patient’s experience to the last, the teamwork and compassion of these nurses made all the difference. Congratulations!
St. Joseph’s Hospital’s CCU/CVICU teams
(L to R): Maggie McKinney, Tammie Curtis, and Melissa Michael.
welcome to St. Joseph’s/Candler!
Please join us in welcoming the following new co-workers to the St. Joseph’s/Candler family:
Destiny Allen | OR, Candler
Connor Atkins | Pharmacy, St. Joseph’s
Nikiki Black | 6 North, Candler
Mary Boisky | ED, Candler
Angela Bowers | 6 North, Candler
Lucy Bradley | Telfair BirthPlace
Lucy Bradshaw | ENT
Macy Brantley | 6 North, Candler
Morghan Broughton | PCU, St. Joseph’s
Samiyah Brown | 2 North, Candler
Neely Brownlow | ED, St. Joseph’s
Elizabeth Bruce | ICU, Candler
Haley Burgett | ED, Candler
Haley Burns | Amb. Surg. Svcs., St. Joseph’s
Aliejah Castle | ED, Candler
Christine Chandler | Primary Care in Heartwood
Jessica Chapman | Pharmacy, Candler
Kelsey Coakley | 7 North, St. Joseph’s
Rebecca Collins | ED, St. Joseph’s
Camryn Cothran | ED, Candler
Justine Daduya | 6 North, Candler
Samanthia Dalsan | Surgical Oncology
Jamiyah Davis | Envr. Svcs., Candler
Sharon Everson | PCU, St. Joseph’s
Melinda Fabin | OR, Candler
Nikia Fairchild | Telfair BirthPlace
Toniece Fields-Edwards | 6 North, Candler
Anzley Freeman | Amb. Surg. Svcs., St. Joseph’s
Ashley Gamble | Ins./Pymt. Verif.
Katie Gay | OB/GYN
Michelle Glanville | System Quality Performance
Emily Graves | ICU, Candler
Stephon Green | Float Team
Shaniyah Harden | Surgical Oncology
Shell Harrison | ED, Candler
Camilla Hopkins | Telfair BirthPlace
Martraneyce James | Surgical Oncology
Annette Jensen | Lactation Services
Amanda Johnson | PCU, St. Joseph’s
Anja Johnson | PCU, St. Joseph’s
Jamie Johnson | Speech Ther., St. Joseph’s
Sharon Jones | OR, St. Joseph’s
Zoe Jones | 6 South, Candler
Patience Kemboi | ED, Candler
Ashley Lewis | Physician Network
Floyd Luke | Physician Network
Dakera Lyons | St. Joseph's Cardiology
Kenja Martin-Bryant | Specialty Phys. Rev. Cycle
Abigail Martinez | Primary Care on Eisenhower
Shakeira Maxwell | OR, St. Joseph’s
Caseta Mayers | Oncology Laboratory
Nicole Maynard | 2 North, Candler
Zacaria Mccord | Ins./Pymt. Verif.
Natalie Mcdonald | ICU, Candler
Jordan Mcnear | Specialty Phys. Rev. Cycle
Charlena Mcrae | OR, St. Joseph’s
Christian Meister | ED, St. Joseph’s
Andrea Miller | OR, Candler
Aidan Moon | ED, St. Joseph’s
Hailey Moore | ED, Candler
Shermakia Mungin | 5 South, St. Joseph’s
Jessica Murph | 2 North, Candler
Bridget Murphy | Ins./Pymt. Verif.
Kerry O'Brien | Purch. & Dist., St. Joseph’s
Tania Ornelas | OR, St. Joseph’s
Sydney Orr | CCU, St. Joseph’s
Trevor Owens | Sports Medicine
Natt Patimavirujh | Pharmacy, Candler
october birthdays
1 Myesha Brown
Amber Burk
Michelle Farr
Randesha Greenfield Priscilla Ivery Catherine Lamb
Omillea Lee-Shue
Amanda Meek
Adasha Smith
Anita Smith
Jessica Trentacosta
Rayael Wilson
Ashley Wood
2 Pierre Bias
Tayana Blue
Robert Butkus
Karen Dowd-Hansen
Wesley Johnson
Steven Kerbel
Sandra Levdahl
Judith Newell
Daniel Rodriguez
Mary Ann Schlernitzauer
Tamara Stenfors
3
Victoria Anderson
Jennifer Bruker
Anne Gladden
Sean Henry
Misty
Morgan Slappy Christopher Southerland
Daphne Tassier
Sarah Corn
Nefra-Tamil Payne | OR, Candler
Apryl Peterson | Laundry & Linen, St. Joseph’s
Ajla Porobic | Surgical Oncology
Elise Porter | Inf. Oncology – Bluffton Campus
Julie Powell | Revenue Integrity
Mylika Pratt | Neurology
Jasmine Price | Lab. Outreach Svcs., St. Joseph’s
Sophia Price | Amb. Surg. Svcs., St. Joseph’s
Amar Reci | Path. Lab, Candler
Kelsey Ries | OR, St. Joseph’s
Thomasena Russell | 2 North, Candler
Lilyan Saliba | CCU, St. Joseph’s
Addison Scarbrough | Telfair BirthPlace
Mackenzie Schultz | ED, Candler
DeLaney Scott | ED, St. Joseph’s
Sabrina Session | ATOC
Eric Shearer | Path. Lab, Candler
Amy Smith | OR, Candler
Cortney Smith | OB/GYN
Nadia Sneed | OR, St. Joseph’s
Nyshika | Staley | Surgical Oncology
Ka-Presha Stevenson | ED, Candler
Brennen Teders | Human Resources
Rachel Thomas | OR, St. Joseph’s
Megan Thompson | OR, St. Joseph’s
Annika Trotter | ED, Candler
Amanda Turner | Ins./Pymt. Verif.
Janisha Tyson | Sterile Processing, St. Joseph’s
Claudette Valley | Bone, Joint & Muscle Care
Jill Walther | Home Health – Savannah
Sade Williams | Ins./Pymt. Verif.
Courtney Yabut | Diagn. Radiology, Candler
Laura Yarberry | Clin. Care Coord.
Lani Yearicks | Human Resources
Renata Housey
Kiera Knope
Deborah Kraft
Michelle Mitchell
Tynisa Smart
Leah Southerland
Cierra Wiggins
Jennifer Willcoxon 5
Kiauna Allen
Melissa Coursey
Margaret Crider
Lara Holden Felicia Lewton
Ronelle Maxwell
Patricia Nelson
Mila Pham
Kennedy Rhoad
Stroman
Youmans 8 Judith Bedillion
Sheena Cashier Sarah Copeland
Coxon Katerina Devoe
Lessie Dukes
Cara Sanders Meghan Schwoob
Lacanilao
London,
Spivey
Conley