Baxter Health

12/23/2025

Congratulations to Dr. George Lawrence! He was presented a Heroes with Halos Award by Rachel Gilbert, VP/Chief Nursing Officer; Sarah Edwards, Executive Director, Baxter Health Foundation; Brian Barnett, VP/Physician Enterprise & Business Development; Shalane Lemons; Ashley Duthu; Kalyn Hannaford; Kinley Ludwig; and Lora Stone.

A donor wrote:
"I would like to recognize Dr. George Lawrence because I truly believe he saved my husband Mike’s life. During a routine appointment, he mentioned Mike needed a colonoscopy. Mike brushed it off, but Dr. Lawrence cared enough to take action and reached out to another office to help get it scheduled. That call let to finding cancer early and saving his life. Thank you, Dr. Lawrence, for guiding us toward the colonoscopy – you are our HERO."

For more information about Heroes with Halos and how you can honor a Baxter Health provider, employee, volunteer or department, visit www.baxterhealth.org/heroes.

12/22/2025

Congratulations to Nathan Clay, Facilities Management, and Devon Dycus, Engineering! They were presented Heroes with Halos Awards by Anthony Reed, VP/Ancillary Services; Brandon Ellison, Director; Rob Rogers, Manager; and Staff.

A donor wrote:
"Laundry had numerous issues with their large folding machine. Devon and Nathan arrived within 30 minutes to repair the machine and get it up and running. While fixing the machine, they also found other problems - they took care of those as well!
Devon and Nathan have done a fantastic job fixing our equipment, getting everything back up and running in a timely manner. When even one of the machines is down, it slows us down significantly and if it is not fixed as soon as possible, it could bring us to a stop. Our laundry department is very grateful to Devon and Nathan. On behalf of our entire department, we thank you both!!"

For more information about Heroes with Halos and how you can honor a Baxter Health provider, employee, volunteer or department, visit www.baxterhealth.org/heroes.

12/19/2025

Congratulations to Cassidee Simons, LPN, 5 South! She was presented a Heroes with Halos Award by members of the 5 South Staff.

A patient's spouse wrote:
Cassidee gave us thorough explanations of home care for my husband after having back surgery. She gave him super care while he was in the hospital. We could not have asked for anyone better! Thank you!"

For more information about Heroes with Halos and how you can honor a Baxter Health provider, employee, volunteer or department, visit www.baxterhealth.org/heroes.

12/18/2025

Every Christmas season, Baxter Health is honored to give back to the incredible people who make our mission possible. As part of our 25 Days of Christmas Blessings, 50 employees receive $150 Walmart gift cards, drawn at random by the Baxter Health Elves, Baxter & Holly!

Featured here is Diangelique Martinez from our Lab team. We are so thankful for our employees and all they do for our patients and our community. ❤️🎄

12/18/2025

A rainbow over our hospital today, a quiet reminder that hope is always present, even after the storm!

📷 Photo by Stan Little

12/18/2025

Congratulations to Mikayla Loddy, Interventional Pain Clinic! She was presented a Heroes with Halos Award by Anthony Reed, VP/Ancillary Services; Angie Eagle Bear, Office Manager; Paige Holley, Charge Nurse for Procedure Center; and members of the Interventional Pain Clinic Staff.

A patient wrote:
"Mikayla’s job is extremely tough in that she only deals with people in extreme pain, who can often, unintentionally, be difficult to deal with. I know, because I was one of those people. Regardless, Mikayla has always gone above and beyond what her job even requires. She took her time to help me when I ran into issues. She always has a smile on her face and shows true concern about her patients’ pain. Baxter Health is fortunate to have her!"

For more information about Heroes with Halos and how you can honor a Baxter Health provider, employee, volunteer or department, visit www.baxterhealth.org/heroes.

12/18/2025

We presented the Hospital Foundation with the Giving Tuesday Match of $50,000! For a Grand Total of $100,000 raised in one day for our hospital! What a wonderful, philanthropic community we live in! Making sure everyone has has access to quality healthcare right at home! Thank You!

12/17/2025

Congratulations to Stephanie Smith, APRN, Interventional Pain Management Clinic! She was presented a Heroes with Halos Award by Anthony Reed, VP/Ancillary Services; Angie Eagle Bear, Office Manager; and members of the Interventional Pain Management Staff.

A donor wrote:
"Stephanie is my APRN and goes above and beyond to help me. I love her like a sister!!"

For more information about Heroes with Halos and how you can honor a Baxter Health provider, employee, volunteer or department, visit www.baxterhealth.org/heroes.

12/17/2025

12/16/2025

Thank you Allison Dunn, CF-SLP, for leading a workshop on Cognitive Communication at the Mruk Family Center on Aging! Attendees learned strategies to better understand the difference between normal age-related thinking changes, and more serious mental concerns that may require medical attention.

Although speech therapy and cognition may not be typically thought of as being linked together, it's actually an important part of what speech therapists do, as thinking skills are closely tied with communication skills such as understanding and expressing your thoughts.

Allison can help and is accepting new patients. Ask your doctor today about a speech therapy referral to help your cognition or a loved one.

12/16/2025

Congratulations to DAISY Award recipient Tasha Parnell, RN, 4 South! 🌼 This award is proudly sponsored by FNBC!

A patient's family member wrote:
"Our mother has faced an overwhelming number of health challenges over the past four years, and her most recent crisis—including a UTI, acute kidney injury, and pneumonia—has brought us to the hospital countless times.

We arrived at Baxter on June 28, 2025, just one day before her birthday on June 29. It was a bittersweet occasion, as we couldn’t shake the feeling that it might be her last. The day was filled with tension and heartache, yet through it all, Mom continued to hang on.

Today, however, we had the privilege of having Tasha as our nurse. It’s hard to put into words just how wonderful she has been during this challenging time. Tasha is truly one of the kindest and most approachable individuals we have ever encountered in a hospital. Her genuine care and compassion shine through in every interaction, and her ability to communicate complex medical information in simple terms has been incredibly reassuring in such a fraught time.

Our family felt a tremendous sense of relief with Tasha by our side. Her support was like a breath of fresh air, and we could see it bringing comfort not just to us, but to Mom as well. Thankfully, she is showing small but meaningful signs of improvement, and I am certain that Tasha’s gentle kindness has played a significant role in that progress.

As much as we wish Mom could have Tasha with her for the remainder of her stay, we know that isn’t possible. We want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to Tasha for all she does—not just for patients but also for the families who love and support them. Your compassion, intelligence, and warm smile have made a profound difference in our lives during this difficult time, and for that, we are sincerely grateful. Thank you, Tasha, for being there for us and for taking such wonderful care of our mom."

Thank you, Tasha, for providing compassionate care for your patients!

12/16/2025

Heart disease does not always come with warning signs. 🫀 A cardiac calcium screening at Baxter Health can help identify risk early so you can take action with confidence. Find out if this screening is right for you at baxterhealth.org/CardiacCalciumScreening.