Cherokee Indian Hospital Foundation

12/23/2025

We had another incredible year partnering with EBCI Tribal Option serving as Santa’s special elves responding to the sweetest letters dropped in the mailbox at Cherokee Indian Hospital!

12/05/2025

Our resident Elf visited the Cherokee Indian Hospital Foundation Gala Kick-off meeting this week. Save the date for June 27, 2026 for the 15th Annual Cherokee Indian Hospital Foundation Gala!

12/02/2025

The Cherokee Indian Hospital Foundation and EBCI Tribal Option are excited to announce the return of Santa’s special mailbox on Monday, December 1, spreading holiday cheer and magic throughout the community.

From December 1 through December 19, Santa’s mailbox will be stationed in front of Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority’s Primary Care entrance, conveniently located near the outdoor children’s play area. The mailbox will be accessible Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., providing a perfect opportunity for families and children to share their holiday wishes with Santa Claus.

The Foundation warmly invites children of all ages—and those young at heart—to write letters to Santa and drop them into the festive mailbox. To ensure each letter receives a personalized response from Santa, don’t forget to include a return address.

“We’re thrilled to bring this tradition back to the community,” said Brittney Lofthouse, Director of Development & Community Relations at CIHA. “Santa’s mailbox is a magical way for families to connect, celebrate, and create lasting holiday memories.”

For those unable to visit the hospital but eager to participate, the Foundation offers an alternative option. Letters can be mailed directly to the Cherokee Indian Hospital Foundation at: 1 Hospital Drive, Cherokee, NC 28719

“We want to make sure everyone has a chance to join in this festive experience, whether they can visit the hospital or not,” added Lofthouse. “Thanks to the help of Santa’s elves at the Cherokee Indian Hospital Foundation and EBCI Tribal Option, every letter with a return address will receive a personal reply from Santa himself!”

CIHA looks forward to celebrating the season of joy, giving, and community spirit with all who participate. For more information or inquiries, please contact Brittney Lofthouse at Brittney.lofthouse@cherokeehospital.org.

12/02/2025

On this Giving Tuesday, the Cherokee Indian Hospital Foundation is proud to highlight the Carmaleta Monteith Endowment Fund. This fund carries the name and spirit of a woman who dedicated her life to service, education, and the strength of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

The Carmaleta Monteith Endowment Fund provides scholarships and grants to Cherokee Indian Hospital employees who are pursuing opportunities to grow as professionals and as leaders. Investing in this fund means investing directly in the people who care for our community every day. It helps remove financial barriers, supports educational advancement, and strengthens our workforce from within.

Every contribution—no matter the size—supports the future of Cherokee healthcare by giving our team members the chance to learn, grow, and continue serving with excellence.

On this day of giving, we invite our community to help us continue this important work. Together, we can lift up the next generation of caregivers, practitioners, and leaders who make CIHA the place our community trusts.

11/27/2025

10/31/2025

Congrats to the winners!

10/25/2025

This Make a Difference Day, the Cherokee Indian Hospital Foundation celebrates the power of giving back and the impact that kindness creates in our community.

Every act of generosity—whether it’s a donation, volunteering your time, or supporting one of our Foundation initiatives—helps us enhance care, expand services, and support programs that improve the health and well-being of our people.

Learn more or get involved:

The Cherokee Indian Hospital Foundation (CIHF) has a mission within a mission, you might say: Primarily, it is to assist the well-being of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, enriching their lives through better health and healthcare outcomes. We do that by strengthening the Cherokee Indian Hospit...

10/16/2025

Indigenous Pink Day 💗

Today we wear pink in honor of Indigenous Pink Day — a day dedicated to raising awareness about breast cancer in Indigenous communities.

We stand together to honor those we’ve lost, support those still fighting, and celebrate the survivors whose strength and stories inspire us all.

Breast cancer affects Native women at higher rates than many other groups, making early detection and education essential. Talk to your healthcare provider about regular screenings and share the message: Awareness saves lives.

*We want to give a special thank you to Diamond 'Wahlalah' Brown who worked with her sister Dakota to design and create the beautiful earrings gifted to Trudy Crowe in the photo below. The design of the earrings was inspired by a beadwork sampler created by students of the Cherokee Female Seminary (Park Hill, OK) in the1840s. The original beadwork sampler is held by the Oklahoma History Center (OHC) and is posted in the comments below.

10/14/2025

A new week means new career opportunities at the Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority! Visit https://cherokeehospital.org/careers/ to see all openings and full job details!

10/13/2025

On Indigenous Peoples' Day, we honor Dr. Carmaleta Monteith, a Beloved Woman of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians who has dedicated her life to education, health care, and the Cherokee people.

At 90, she continues to shape the future through the Carmaleta Monteith Endowment for Cherokee Hospital Foundation, administered by the North Carolina Community Foundation, which supports continuing education for hospital staff.

📖 Learn more about her lifelong dedication and vision for the endowment in our Q&A: https://ow.ly/Wtkt50WUb3G
🎥 Watch Dr. Monteith discuss how the fund will help Tribal members advance their careers and strengthen health care services: https://ow.ly/Wtkt50WUb3G
💛 Support continuing education for Cherokee Indian Hospital staff by donating to the endowment: https://ow.ly/HsPW50WUb3B

10/08/2025

This year’s 113th Cherokee Indian Fair Parade might have been the best one yet!