Category: News Events

March 17, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WITH PHOTO

CONTACT:                  DEBORAH ROBERTS PUGH

                                    (662) 377-3712

 

Project Stay Close Donates $5,000 to NICU Patient Assistance Fund

TUPELO, Miss.—Project Stay Close recently donated $5,000 to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Patient Assistance Fund at the North Mississippi Medical Center Women’s Hospital.

Project Stay Close, which was the brainchild of Keri McMillin and Brian Rigby, was launched several years ago with plans to build a facility where families could stay while their newborn was in the NICU. When Brian and Misty Rigby’s son Briggs spent five weeks in the NICU, visiting hours were limited and families had nowhere to stay overnight. “It was disheartening to see families who live an hour or two away drive in for a short visit,” Brian said. “We wanted to do something to bring parents closer to their kids.” Project Stay Close board members solicited donations from individuals and businesses, and Kerri held several fundraisers in memory of her daughter, Molly Kate.

In 2009, Women’s Hospital opened a new NICU with room for families to stay with their newborn, so the mission of Project Stay Close changed slightly, but caring for NICU families remained at its core. “When you’re expecting and you think you still have two months or more to prepare and then you’re suddenly thrown into that position as a parent, it’s the unknowns that are so scary,” Brian Rigby said. “Even though we were so scared, we realize it was a blessing because of the people we met here. I think God lets us experience these situations so that we can help reduce stress and anxiety for others who are going through the same thing we did.”

Administered by the Health Care Foundation of North Mississippi, the NICU Patient Assistance Fund helps meet the immediate needs of disadvantaged families who have a baby in the NICU. After other resources are exhausted, the NICU Patient Assistance Fund helps with meals for families, assistance with medications and medical equipment, emergent needs for clothing, funeral costs and other expenses. The fund also helps stock the Wee Care Pantry, which provides food and hygiene items for families while they stay with their baby in the NICU.

Health Care Foundation of North Mississippi is the charitable support and philanthropic entity for the North Mississippi Health Services.

-30-

Cutline:

Project Stay Close representatives Brad Stevens of Community Bank, Greg Burks of Renasant Bank, Keri McMillin of Effectv and Brian Rigby of SERVPRO recently presented a $5,000 donation to the NICU Patient Assistance Fund at the NMMC Women’s Hospital. Pictured receiving the donation are Jessica Fears, NICU nurse manager; Renee Nichols, NICU educator; Glenda Patterson, respiratory therapist; Ellen Friloux, vice president for NMMC Women and Children’s Services; and Steven Blaylock, HCF president.

 

TUPELO, Miss.—Lee County School District now offers the security of having automated external defibrillators (AEDs)—a device used to shock the heart back into normal rhythm–available at all its schools.

A $7,500 donation from the Health Care Foundation of North Mississippi, made on behalf of North Mississippi Medical Center’s Heart and Vascular Institute and Orthopaedic Institute of North Mississippi, is providing seven new automated external defibrillators (AEDs). Three units are going to Shannon High School, two units to Mooreville High School, one unit to Plantersville Middle School and one unit to Guntown Middle School. AEDs are already in place at the Saltillo schools.

“Coke Magee, Lee County Schools superintendent, reached out and shared the need for AEDs at several schools in their district,” said Steven Blaylock, HCF executive director of philanthropy. “This led to discussions with leadership at NMMC’s Heart and Vascular Institute and Orthopaedic Institute.”

“We appreciate this generous gift to Lee County Schools from the Health Care Foundation of North Mississippi,” Magee said. “Having AEDs available on more of our campuses means more coverage for our athletes or anyone who may have a medical emergency.”

“We saw this as an opportunity to further serve these schools by providing the tools needed for an unexpected cardiac event,” said T.J. Adams, NMMC vice president of heart and surgical services.

“The Orthopaedic Institute works diligently to support our local school athletic programs at no cost.  We believe in giving back to our communities,” said orthopaedic surgeon Bryan Fagan, M.D. “The ability to support not only the students at these county schools, but also any community members who may be on the school campus, is a privilege.”

High schools in Saltillo, Shannon and Mooreville have athletic trainer coverage provided by NMMC. “The Lee County School District has a longstanding relationship with NMMC’s Sports Medicine Program, which provides invaluable services to our athletes and sports programs across the district,” Magee said.

The NMMC Heart and Vascular Institute is one of the most experienced programs in the region with a team including not only cardiologists, cardiothoracic and vascular surgeons, but also cardiac nurses, technicians, therapists and others.

Orthopaedic Institute’s staff includes seven board-certified orthopedic surgeons, Barry Clark, D.0.; Bryan Fagan, M.D.; Eric Lewis, M.D.; William Pillow, M.D.; Gabriel Rulewicz, M.D.; Stephen Southworth, M.D.; and Nels Thorderson, M.D.

For more information on giving opportunities to the Health Care Foundation of North Mississippi, call (662) 377-3613 or visit  www.nmhsfoundation.org.

TUPELO, Miss.—Dream Riders Biking for Children Chapter C is sponsoring a Boo Bash Dash 5K and Tug of War on Oct. 12 at Ballard Park to benefit North Mississippi Medical Center’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Pediatrics Fund through the Health Care Foundation of North Mississippi.

The Boo Dash 5K starts at 8 a.m. Registration by Sept. 25 is $30 and guarantees a T-shirt. After that date, registration is $40.

Tug of War, “pulling for the kids,” starts at 10 a.m. Registration is $30 per six-person team and due by Oct. 9.

Register for both events at www.itsallaboutthekidschc.org.

TUPELO, Miss.—Jackie Soden (back, from left), director of non-invasive cardiology for North Mississippi Medical Center’s Heart and Vascular Institute, presents an automated external defibrillator (AED) to Robby Parman, executive director of Regional Rehabilitation Center. The AED was provided through the Heart and Vascular Institute’s Patient Assistance Fund, which is administered by the Health Care Foundation of North Mississippi. Regional Rehabilitation Center clients like (front row, from left) Titus Harden, Luke Prather, Ridge Hutcheson, (back row) Raiden Davis and Addison Lawson showed their appreciation by drawing “thank you” signs for NMMC. Regional Rehabilitation Center provides speech therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, audiology services, early intervention and dyslexia therapy at no cost to area individuals.

An AED delivers an electric shock through the chest to the heart to potentially stop an irregular heart beat and allow the return of a normal rhythm following sudden cardiac arrest. If not treated within minutes, sudden cardiac arrest quickly leads to death. For more information about the Health Care Foundation of North Mississippi, visit www.nmhsfoundation.org.

TUPELO, Miss.—Dean Hancock (left), president of the Health Care Foundation of North Mississippi, recently presented $600 scholarships to Haley Sandlin of Baldwyn and Allen Bramlett of Pontotoc in memory of Paul Hamblin, who served as director of North Mississippi Medical Center’s Pathology Department from 1961-1970. In August, Sandlin will graduate from Mississippi State University and Bramlett will graduate from the University of Mississippi. Upon successful completion of NMMC’s medical laboratory science program, the students will be eligible for national certification. Working closely with them are Toni Presley, administrative director of the NMMC Pathology Department and Lee Montgomery, director of NMMC’s Medical Laboratory Science Program. The Paul Hamblin Memorial Scholarship has been given annually since 1972. For more information on the NMMC Medical Laboratory Science Program, contact Montgomery at (662) 377-3066 or 1-800-THE DESK (1-800-843-3375), or visit www.nmhs.net/medical-laboratory-science.

TUPELO, Miss.—Family and friends recently presented the second annual Jim Spruiell Memorial Scholarship to Timothy Harris of Union County, a nursing student at Itawamba Community College.

The Jim Spruiell Memorial Scholarship is awarded to individuals who are pursuing a career in an emergency health care-related field. Spruiell was one of three people who died Nov. 19, 2017, in a medical helicopter crash in rural Arkansas. The helicopter, which was operated by Pafford EMS and Air Methods, was en route from Pine Bluff, Ark., to DeWitt, Ark., when the crash occurred.

Spruiell joined the North Mississippi Medical Center family in 1992 as a paramedic and later transferred to CareFlight as a flight paramedic. He earned an associate degree in nursing and transitioned into the role of flight nurse in 2000. He was promoted to chief flight nurse in 2015. Spruiell acquired many professional accreditations and graciously shared his knowledge and passion with others.

Harris, 35, has plans to become a flight nurse like Spruiell. “My passion for EMS and emergency medicine was planted years ago when my grandfather suffered a heart attack and later a stroke and was airlifted to Memphis,” Harris said. “This incident planted a seed in my young mind that was further cultivated by my uncle’s untimely death from an acute heart attack.”

His own first experience with emergency medicine came several years later when he was struck by a car while working a road construction job. “The paramedics arrived on the scene and transported me to the Med in Memphis, and by God’s grace I am here today,” Harris said. After recovering from the near-fatal accident, he left construction and joined his church’s staff as a minister.

“A few years ago my wife and I decided to reevaluate our careers, and I began to seek an occupation that would merge my compassion to help others in need with the ability to provide for my family, become educated and skillful, and use that to help someone,” Harris said. He loves aviation and had taken flight lessons as a young man, but discontinued them to save money for a church mission trip. After researching what a flight nurse does, Harris called NMMC and was connected with Spruiell, who was serving as NMMC’s chief flight nurse. “Mr. Spruiell was a God-send,” he said. “He talked to me for what seemed like forever. He answered all my questions and gave me some of his background in being a paramedic and obtaining his RN license. I still have the piece of paper in my Bible with his name and notes on it and his step-by-step guides to reach this goal.”

Harris has followed Spruiell’s guidance, becoming an Emergency Medical Technician and now entering his second year of nursing school. He also serves with his local volunteer fire department and is active with his church, The Sycamore, where he teaches Sunday School, assists the pastor with projects, is a musician and small group leader.

“I chose to be an emergency health care professional because that’s when people need you the most,” Harris said. “I know firsthand that these experiences can positively impact your life and I hope to do that in becoming a flight nurse and be one of the same “angels” that I have experienced from great men such as Mr. Spruiell. I strive to be one of the team of men and women who have medical knowledge, a passion for compassion and the bravery to go save, stabilize and transport patients in their greatest hour of need.”

Scholarship recipients can include those pursuing a career as a trauma surgeon, emergency medicine physician, registered nurse, paramedic or emergency medical technician (EMT). Recipients can be high school seniors preparing to enter college or individuals currently in the workforce about to embark on a second career. The Jim Spruiell Memorial Scholarship is founded in memory of his impressive work ethic and passion to help others, whether in the field or in the classroom. His wife Lisa will serve on the selection committee each year. To learn more or to donate to the Jim Spruiell Memorial Scholarship, visit www.nmhsfoundation.org.

Kitty Bryan Dill’s family was on hand for the dedication of a breast care suite in her honor at NMMC-West Point.

On May 6, North Mississippi Medical Center-West Point dedicated the Kitty Bryan Dill Breast Care Suite, which features new Hologic 3D Mammography™ technology that produces exceptionally sharp images to help find breast cancers earlier, see lesions more clearly and reduce the number of unnecessary biopsies.

“This is the most incredible and exciting news for West Point, the Golden Triangle and North Mississippi!” says Mary Margaret Case of Oxford, daughter of Kitty Bryan Dill. “My mother was 42 years old when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and she died on October 11, 1990, at the young age of 48.  Early detection might have played a vital role in her living a longer life.” She was 21 years old when her mother died—her brother Ken was 19, and sisters Sarah Catherine and Caroline were 16 and 14, respectively. Their father, Kenny Dill, was serving as mayor of West Point at the time.

This new technology is proven to detect an average of 41% more invasive breast cancers compared to two-dimensional images alone. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved it as superior for women with dense breasts compared to 2D alone. The technology also allows physicians to recall prior breast imaging studies so that they can be compared to the new images side-by-side, making it easier to look for changes from study to study.

“I welcome the opportunity for the women of our community to have convenient access to the most up-to-date technology offered for breast imaging,” said Phyllis Mason, M.D., medical director of NMMC-West Point Radiology Department. “The exam is not significantly more involved than the previous mammogram exams, only about three seconds longer, and no additional compression is required to obtain the more detailed three-dimensional breast images.”

According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer is the most common cancer in American women, except for skin cancers. Currently, the average risk of a woman in the United States developing breast cancer sometime in her life is about 12%, which means there is a one in eight chance she will develop breast cancer. “Improved screening tests and treatment techniques are saving lives, and the women in West Point and surrounding areas are going to benefit greatly from this amazing new machine,” Case said.

The new equipment’s rapid scan time makes the process comfortable for the patient while also limiting radiation exposure. The suite also includes ultrasound equipment so that it is more convenient for patients who require additional testing.

The new Breast Care Suite is being funded in part through donations to the Health Care Foundation’s Kitty Bryan Dill Fund and NMMC-West Point employee donors.

Dill’s younger brother, George Bryan, said his sister remained active in her community throughout her valiant battle against breast cancer. “She fought it really hard,” Bryan said. “She was a very special person—she got a lot of her traits from our mother. She was an inspiration to all of us.”

The Kitty Bryan Dill Fund was established by her family several years ago as part of the Take a Swing at Cancer golf tournament. Both Case and Bryan have served on the Health Care Foundation board for many years and are heavily involved with planning the golf tournament, proceeds of which benefit the foundation’s Cancer Care Fund. “Even when Marcia and I were living in Memphis, we came several times for the Take a Swing at Cancer tournament,” Bryan said. “Nobody had any idea it would grow to the size it is now. It’s an event we look forward to every year.”

“In 2015 we added a Corks and Canvas event on the Sunday of the tournament for golfers or their spouses. It quickly became very popular,” Case said. “We did an event on Sunday for several years, and all the proceeds went into the Kitty Bryan Dill Fund. Our donation for the Breast Care Suite is a result of all those fundraisers. This is a great memory of her for our family.”

“I would like to thank the Health Care Foundation of North Mississippi and the board of directors of NMMC-West Point for helping us acquire this equipment,” said Helen Copeland, director of Radiology. “This technology allows the breast tissue to be seen in more detail and has been shown to detect irregularities that were obscured in the previous two-dimensional mammograms.”

Dill’s family knows she would be grateful for the Breast Care Suite named in her honor. “My mother was a very curious educator who loved science and science experiments. When she was diagnosed with cancer and during the five years that she lived with cancer, she was passionate about searching for the newest and best treatments to prolong her life,” Case said. “She wanted to live!  How thrilled she would be to know that her beloved hometown of West Point is home to this most incredible machine that could save so many lives.”

To schedule a mammogram, call (662) 377-6655 or 1-800-THE DESK (1-800-843-3375).