Popcorn, pizza and purpose

At Beacon, making personal connections with our patients, their families and each other helps create “Moments that Matter.” And sometimes, our moments get rolled into even bigger, better moments.

Here is one special story we’d like to share.

A small but mighty team from the Memorial Interdepartmental Congress (think of them as our year-around ambassadors of good cheer) recently delivered popcorn as a midnight snack to associates working the evening and night shifts in units across Memorial Hospital.

During their journey, the group encountered some people who needed just a little extra care.

One person, someone waiting outside a procedure room, was alone and visibly upset. The group stopped to make sure the patient was OK. But Sherry Kienitz, Office Coordinator at the Memorial Regional Breast Care Center and Memorial Radiology, took the time to stroke the patient’s arm, reassure her and stay with her until she was called for her procedure.

A little later, Sherry found a patient’s family member alone and worried in another unit. The woman wanted to stay near her relative overnight — Sherry helped her get a pillow and a blanket. Since she came to the hospital in a rush, the woman didn’t have any money and was hungry. The Interdepartmental Congress team had ordered pizza for themselves and had plenty left — they offered it to the woman. She felt so grateful.

Derek Taylor, Executive Director of Radiology Services, was a part of the group traveling through the hospital that night. “It’s so humbling to me to work with people who are so dedicated to making a difference to the people we serve.”

Special thanks to all of the Interdepartmental Congress members who took the time to Be Present, Be Caring and Be Exceptional to their Beacon team members and our patients: Glenda Pastryk, Beacon Marketing (retired); Alice Hightshoe, Ambassador Services; Sean Niven, Emergency Care Center; Eliana Ramos, HealthWorks! Kids’ Museum; and Nelda Echoles-Stewart, Parking Services.

If you have a “Moments that Matter” story to share that happened at Beacon, please send us an email at TheBeam@BeaconHealthSystem.org and your moment could appear here.