The INSIDE View - EGC Construction

Volume X Issue VII
July 2016
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Caring for you close to home
BCMH CELEBRATES NEW CT SUITE
Including an Emotional Dedication Ceremony
O
n Monday, June 27th, with umbrellas in tow,
approximately sixty individuals arrived at Braxton
County Memorial Hospital’s multi-purpose room in
anticipation of an Open House Celebration involving a new
Computerized Tomography (CT) Suite. Although many in the
state were still recovering from the effects of what has been
referred to as the ‘thousand year flood’, and sympathetic
thoughts remained prevalent; an atmosphere of gratitude and
celebration was also intact. Administrator, Ben Vincent,
welcomed those in attendance and; following
an inspirational prayer by Rev. Jim Malick,
Board Chairperson, Barbara Adams, (pictured
Kim Frazier, Director of Diagnostic Services, had the honor right) addressed the audience. Noting that
of cutting the ribbon to BCMH’s new CT Suite, assisted by
seven years have passed since the BCMH
Skeeter Pletcher (Estate Executor), Julia Fitzwater
Foundation was established, which was in
(Radiology), Bob Thayer (Siemens), Cathy Bruffey
(Imaging Services Leader) and Christy Rhodes (Radiology). conjunction with the initial goal of purchasing
and accommodating a new CT scanner within the facility,
Barbara enthusiastically announced the fruition of this project. On behalf
of the Board of Directors, she expressed sincere appreciation for those
acting upon their vision, in addition to each and every donation that was
made to help realize this goal.
Acknowledging the generous estate bequests of Gladys Butcher and
Georgia Crockett, which ‘put us over the top’, Barbara took a moment to
reflect on their influence on her, and others in attendance, including
Delegate Brent Boggs, as former elementary school students at Davis
Ben Vincent asked Auxiliary Board Member, Grade. She stated, “It takes more than a degree in education to teach
Wilda Sears, to help unveil the beautiful plaque children; and these great ladies were both exceptional teachers and
dedicating the new CT Suite to the memory of special people.” Barbara also noted the personal friendships of Gladys
Gladys Butcher and Georgia Crockett for their
and Georgia with many of those in attendance as well as their dedication
estate bequests to the BCMH Foundation.
to their local hospital where, she said, “We have the absolute best
doctors, nurses, staff and administration.” In closing she added, “I love BCMH,
WHAT’S INSIDE?
and we want to continue providing the best services to our community and
 Employee Recognition
surrounding areas.”
(page 3)
Representing the Medical Staff of BCMH, Dr. Doug Given,
 A Pleasure to Serve as
Chief of Staff, (pictured left) was next to address the audience.
Mentor (page 5)
He also shared memories of his time as a student receiving
 Not If - But When instruction from Gladys, Georgia and their sister, Mary
Disaster Happens (page 5)
Chenoweth. However, Dr. Given’s primary focus during this
 Expressions of Gratitude
portion of the event was to elaborate on the efficiency and
(page 8)
convenience of the new CT Suite.
Continued on page 2…
~2~
….continued from page 1
BCMH CELEBRATES NEW CT SUITE
The IV
Dr. Given stated, “The equipment is wonderful, the techs are great, and the layout of the area allows space on both
sides of the CT scanner to accommodate bariatric patients and those with IVs, etc.” Wilda Sears, BCMH Auxiliary
Board Member, also spoke briefly in honor of her dear friend, Gladys. She said, “I could always count on her to be
there until any project we were working on was complete.”
During the recognition portion of the program, Ben Vincent acknowledged the following individuals for their
dedication to the success of this first capital campaign of the BCMH Foundation: Each and every Foundation
donor, Sally Howard (Board Representative for the Foundation Committee & Project Coordinator), Kris Lacy
(Original Project Coordinator), Judy Davis and Martha Nottingham (Administrative Staff), Gladys Butcher and
Georgia Crockett (Benefactors), Roy Huffman and Skeeter Pletcher (Estate Executors), Bob Thayer (Siemens) and
Chris Steinberg (EGC Construction). Employees (pictured below) received recognition plaques in appreciation for
their ‘dedicated service to the BCMH CT Suite Construction & Installation Project’: Cathy Bruffey (Imaging
Services Leader), Kim Frazier (Director of Diagnostic Services),
and Greg Hedrick (Maintenance Manager).
Wilda Sears and Barbara Adams
unveiled the plaque dedicating the
new CT Suite to the memory of
Gladys Butcher & Georgia Crockett.
A highlight of the festivities
involved the unveiling of a
beautiful plaque dedicating the
new CT Suite to the memory of
Gladys Butcher and Georgia
Crockett for the ‘generosity
and foresight of their estate
bequests to the BCMH Foundation’. The entire group of attendees then relocated
to the entrance of the new CT Suite where a ribbon cutting ceremony was
conducted, followed by tours of the area housing the new equipment.
Beginning with the first meeting of BCMH’s Capital Campaign Committee in
January 2009 and continuing through multiple fundraising events as well as recent renovations completed by EGC
construction; the arrival and installation of the new equipment contracted through Siemens; and ending with this
Open House Celebration of a new CT Suite; each and every individual donation and effort is greatly appreciated.
Ben states, “It is because of the generosity and dedication of so many individuals, hospital employees, civic groups,
and community members that we have been successful in achieving our goal, which better enables us to serve our
patients needing CT scans. I sincerely appreciate each ‘facet’ that has been graciously donated to the BCMH
Foundation, helping us to shine as ‘The Hidden Jewel in the Heart of WV’, and continue Caring for you close
While the crowd continued to gather in the hospital’s multipurpose room, Rev. Jim Malick (pictured right front row)
awaited the opportunity to conduct the invocation for the
Open House Celebration of BCMH’s new CT Suite.
BCMH Board and Auxiliary members, employees and their
families, healthcare providers, and special guests were among
those in attendance and participating in tours provided by
BCMH Radiology Staff. (Pictured below left to right)
Wilda Sears, Skeeter Pletcher, Cynthia Vincent,
Delegate Brent Boggs & his wife, Jean,
Drs. Sally & Russell Stewart, Bryce Monson (CT Product Sales
Executive for Siemens), Bob Thayer (Regional Sales Manager for
Siemens), Sally Howard, Judge Richard Facemire, and
Joyce Duckworth, CMA.
to home.”
The IV
C
EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION
~3~
rystal Allen, Certified Nursing Assistant, was chosen as Artist of the Month for June 2016.
Author and motivational speaker, Mark Sanborn, said, “Faith, family and friends are
not the desserts that follow the big meal of success; they are the success.” Throughout Crystal
Allen’s nomination for this recent Employee Recognition award, ‘family’ was the resounding
theme. Med Surg Nurse Manager, Stacy Fox, wrote, “Patients and family members are made
to feel at home and at ease when Crystal is their CNA. She treats them like family.” Stacy
added, “Other employees love Crystal for her down home friendliness. She treats everyone
like family and like she has known them forever. She doesn’t know a stranger.” Crystal also
admits, “I have been a CNA for 10 years. Since I came to BCMH, I have learned a lot and
made many friends that I can depend on when I need them most. I consider them family.”
As a small community, it is often noted that BCMH patients receive care from many of their own family and
friends. Crystal, however, is from Virginia, having moved to the area only two years ago when her mother passed
away suddenly. She and her two teenage children, Sierra and Cody, along with her fiancé, relocated to help her
father with his farm. Even though Crystal could be considered a stranger to the area, she certainly excels in making
others feel at home and ‘like family’. A patient recently wrote, “Crystal made me feel at home. She was sweet to
me, helped me take a bath and get to the bathroom. She is a great person who takes her job to heart. The world
needs more people like her. Great job, BCMH, for having her as an employee.” Her supervisor, Stacy, obviously
agrees. She says, “Crystal is an outstanding CNA. She puts patient care before everything else, and is an extremely
hard worker. She helps cover call offs, and comes in when needed due to an increased census. She goes above and
beyond for her patients and co-workers. BCMH is very lucky to have someone like Crystal as an employee who is
‘caring for you close to home’.”
Congratulations and special appreciation is extended to Crystal Allen for realizing the importance of treating others
like family. In her spare time, she enjoys riding her horse and spending time with her dogs, Gizmo and Patches; and
of course, her family. She says, “Thank you, BCMH, for giving me the opportunity to work in such a great place.”
A
aron Frazer, Radiologic Technologist, was chosen as Employee of the Quarter for the
2nd quarter of 2016.
According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, one simple definition for ‘magician’ is
‘a person who has amazing skills’. Magicians are often associated with performing vanishing
acts, which astound their mystified audiences as well. Aaron Frazer qualifies on both accounts
with his ‘amazing skills’ and ‘talent for fading away’ when recognition is being distributed.
Kim Frazier, Director of Diagnostic Services, states, “Every time a picture was taken during
the recent installation of our new CT unit, Aaron disappeared into the background. However,
other Radiology staff members along with his supervisor, Imaging Services Leader, Cathy
Bruffey, and I were well aware that his contributions behind the scenes were vitally important to the process.”
Although Aaron seemed to quietly and mysteriously vanish from the area when photographs were being taken to
advertise the highly anticipated completion of the new CT suite, his efforts are commendable and should be
recognized. Kim remembers, “Aaron took the lead in the implementation phase of the new CT unit. He attended a
week of training in North Carolina to learn the proper use and care of the instrument. He also worked with the
applications specialist from Siemens to establish protocols and procedures for our patients’ specific needs. Once the
equipment was ready for use, Aaron took the lead during the training phase for our Radiology staff. He spent extra
hours ensuring that our technologists were taught all the necessary protocols.”
As the excitement surrounding the installation of the new Computerized Tomography (CT) scanner within the
facility begins to fade; and BCMH looks forward to future endeavors, may we express gratitude for all those who
worked diligently to guarantee the success of this venture. BCMH applauds the dedicated efforts and ‘amazing
skills’ of Aaron Frazer, which may have seemed hidden for a time, but have been magically illuminated.
Aaron and his wife of nearly 21 years, Tammy, have a daughter, Shawna, who begins her freshman year at Concord
University in a few weeks. Aaron enjoys spending as much time as possible outdoors, fishing, kayaking, riding his
Harley, and running. He says, “I was glad to be able to help with the new CT unit. It is much easier on our patients
to not have to go outside for their scans. It is easier for us too.”
~4~
EMPLOYEE ACTIVITIES UPDATE
The IV
Provided by Melissa Marshall, EAC Secretary
 Brenda Conrad (Home Health) emerged as
the winner of the 50/50 Raffle and is pictured
left with her share of the winnings totaling
$111.00.
 Proceeds from the EAC sponsored Bake Sale
totaled $287.45.
 Beef Sticks and Candy Bars can be
purchased for $1 each at the switchboard or by contacting EAC
President, Amy Moore (Med Surg).
MARK YOUR
CALENDAR
ANNUAL EMPLOYEE
AWARDS BANQUET
6:00 p.m., Tues., October 4, 2016 at
Victory Mountain Baptist Camp in
Exchange, WV
 The EAC is hosting a Book Drive to benefit the Summersville
Middle School where the daughter of Terri Shamblin (Business Office/Home Health) is a
teacher. Over 2,600 library books were destroyed in the recent flooding. Gently used or
new books (young adult age novels or reference books) are being collected in the office
of Melissa Marshall (Business Office) through Monday, August 1st.
 An End of Summer Picnic for employees is scheduled for Wednesday, August 31st.
 Another Silent Auction is being planned for Wednesday, September 7th.
 The EAC is planning a fundraising
The next EAC meeting is Thursday, August
25th at 11:00 a.m. in the multi-purpose room.
event in conjunction with
Any employee wishing to help coordinate
Knickerbockers Photography on
programs and events is WELCOME to attend. All
Friday & Saturday, October 14 - 15th.
proceeds help fund future EAC activities including
Certificate sales are forthcoming.
snacks and gifts distributed during holidays, etc.
BCMH Mammography Earns ACR
Gold Seal of Accreditation
Provided by Shawn Hunter, RT (R)(M) pictured right with Cheryl Ratliff, RT (R)(M)
Braxton County Memorial Hospital has been awarded a three-year term of
accreditation in mammography as the result of a recent review by the American
College of Radiology (ACR). Mammography is a specific type of imaging test
that uses a low-dose X-ray system to examine breasts. A mammography exam,
called a mammogram, is used to aid in the early detection and diagnosis of breast diseases in women.
The ACR gold seal of accreditation represents the highest level of image quality and patient safety. It is
awarded only to facilities meeting ACR Practice Parameters and Technical Standards after a peer-review
evaluation by board-certified physicians and medical physicists who are experts in the field. Image quality,
personnel qualifications, adequacy of facility equipment, quality control procedures and quality assurance
programs are assessed. The findings are reported to the ACR Committee on Accreditation, which subsequently
provides the practice with a comprehensive report that can be used for continuous practice improvement.
The ACR, founded in 1924, is a professional medical society dedicated to serving patients and society by
empowering radiology professionals to advance the practice, science and professions of radiological care. The
College serves more than 37,000 diagnostic/interventional radiologists, radiation oncologists, nuclear medicine
physicians, and medical physicists with programs focusing on the practice of medical imaging and radiation
oncology and the delivery of comprehensive health care services.
In addition to this achievement, the mammography department also underwent an
annual MQSA (Mammography Quality Standards Act) inspection. BCMH met all the
requirements set forth by the FDA for mammography services.
A PLEASURE TO SERVE AS MENTOR
The IV
“
~5~
It was a pleasure to mentor Trey!”, states Mike Frame, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist in
BCMH’s Surgery Department (pictured right). He adds, “It is apparent that he is determined to excel
in his studies, and to make a difference in the lives of others. Trey has a very bright future within his
reach. I have no doubt that he will excel at anything he puts his mind to
do!” Dr. Doug Given, Chief of Staff and Emergency / Community Health
Center physician, expresses similar sentiments, “Trey is obviously a very intelligent
young man. It was fun to work with him; and I truly enjoyed teaching him. He
picked up on things rapidly.” These two healthcare professionals were commending
Dale W. Keplinger III “Trey” regarding his recent shadowing experience at
BCMH. Trey is one of several young students currently pursuing careers in
healthcare, while gaining first-hand knowledge at their local, community hospital.
When asked about BCMH and the professionals he worked with, Trey commented
about the “excellent care from excellent people”. He said, “I’ve seen bigger
Dr. Doug Given and Trey Keplinger hospitals often overlook some of the basics that make patients’ visits pleasant - but
discuss a patient’s chart in the
not here. The sense of community often found in small towns like Gassaway carries
Emergency Department.
through into the workplace. Every patient I’ve seen trusts the care workers,
knowing full well they have their best interests in mind. Although I’ve only officially spent time shadowing Dr.
Given and Mike Frame, everyone I’ve met has taken the time to point something interesting out or teach me
something new. They all go the extra mile to make BCMH a great place - and it shows.”
Trey graduated from Braxton County High School as co-valedictorian and is currently studying Chemistry as an
undergraduate at WVU. His future plans include attending Medical School, hopefully in WV, and; if his interests
remain unchanged, he plans to pursue a career as an Anesthesiologist. In his spare time, Trey enjoys tennis, chess,
skiing, computers, and spending time with his Silver Labrador, Bella. Trey’s mother, Melissa, previously worked as
a Home Health Registered Nurse at BCMH. His father is Dale W. Keplinger II, and he has two sisters, Lindsey and
Lauren, as well as one brother, Drew. Sincere best wishes are extended to Trey in all his future endeavors!
o
NOT IF - BUT WHEN - DISASTERS HAPPEN
n June 29th, merely a few days after the devastating flood of 2016, the
BCMH Decon Team convened in the hospital’s rear parking lot for the
purpose of practicing proper set-up and utilization of the decontamination shower.
Later that same afternoon, members of the team relocated to the hospital’s multipurpose room to practice donning and doffing protective equipment, as is
indicated in the photographs below, provided by Gail Stump (Surgery). The recent
historic flooding in our state serves as a reminder that disasters do indeed occur.
Although this particular training relates to handling an event
which involves hazardous materials, Employee Health / Safety
Officer, Randal Conrad, remains dedicated to coordinating
Allie Johnson, Molly Ware, Joyce
periodic inservices in an effort to ensure that team members are
Duckworth, Jill Cottrill and Eric
Campbell receive instructions from prepared - not if - but when - disasters happen. Randy states, “A
Randal Conrad, during the Haz Mat radiation survey was added to the course this year by including a
training on June 29th.
presentation from the CDC.” Randy expressed appreciation for
each member of the 2016 Hospital Decontamination Team listed below:
Stephanie Arden
Becki Dalton
Marvin Franklin
Dusty Hern
Allie Johnson
Pam Mace
Kelli Robinson
Cathy Stricker
Molly Ware
Sue Butler
Joyce Duckworth
Gary Gaston
Cindy Hoover
Sooner Knight
Angela Malcomb
Sue Samples
Gail Stump
Rusty Ware
Eric Campbell
Destinie Enke
Angie Groves
Kara Hoover
Shannon Lee
Jennifer Markle
Susie Shaw
Shelley Taylor
Leslie Weese
Karen Cochran
Julia Fitzwater
Ashley Hall
Lea Jarrett
Dave Lemon
Sara Phillips
Jeanette Shreves
Crissy Toler
Fred White
Jill Cottrill
Jennifer Fleming
Greg Hedrick
Rick Jarvis
Angie Lilly
Jamea Pugh
Nickie Stancati
Charlie Vaughan
Rhonda Williams
Allie Johnson
(above) & Molly
Ware indicate
‘all is well’ after
donning the
Personal
Protective
Equipment
designed for
handling Hazardous Materials.
~ 6~
HUMAN RESOURCES
NEWS & UPDATES
AUXILIARY
ACTIVITIES
Provided by Candace Wimmer, HR Coordinator
Provided by Terry Hoover, Auxiliary Coordinator
AUGUST BIRTHDAYS
The Auxiliary of BCMH will be sponsoring a Scentsy
Sale on Thursday, August 11th from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00
p.m. in the hospital’s multi-purpose room. Payroll
deduction over two (2) pay periods will be available.
Mike Casto
Dr. Doug Given
Brad Persinger
Cheryl Ratliff
Mary Stankus
Bruce Myers
Stacy Lyon
Hannah Given
Kelli Robinson
Michael Frame
Melanie Murphy
Lucretia Stout
Dusty Hern
Susan Stalnaker
Debra Hamrick
Loretta Fisher
Sherry Garavaglia
Martha Nottingham
Rhonda Williams
Jill Cottrill
Dr. Christopher Martin
Carol Edwards
Jennifer Fleming
Rex Tremmel
Kevin Tanner
Cindy Sartin
Amanda Payne
Surgery
Medical Staff / CHC
Surgery
Radiology
Surgery
Dietary
Business Office
Radiology
Emergency
Surgery
Surgery
Medical Records
Emergency
Surgery
Business Office
Medical Records
Emergency
Administration
CHC
Emergency / Cardio
Hospitalist
Home Health
Med Surg
Pharmacy
Cardio-Pulmonary
Medical Records
Emergency
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11
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16
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NEW FACES
Braxton County Memorial Hospital
welcomes new employee:

Stephanie Dennison, LPN ................ Med Surg
BLOOD DRIVE
The IV
MEDITATION MOMENTS
Provided by Terry Hoover, Ministerial Coordinator
Pastors from the Braxton County Ministerial
Association will be conducting short devotional services
in the Chapel as noted below. All staff, patients, and
visitors are invited to attend.
PASTOR
DATE
Harold Greenlief
August 3rd
2:00 p.m.
Allan Copenhaver
August 10th
2:00 p.m.
Scott Posey
August 17th
2:00 p.m.
Tom Propst
August 24th
2:00 p.m.
st
2:00 p.m.
Paul Gillespie
August 31
TIME
SCHEDULED TRAININGS
Provided by Randal Conrad, Safety Officer / Employee Health
 CPR training is required for all BCMH
employees. Classes are scheduled on
Fridays at 8 a.m. in the multi-purpose
room as noted:
 August 26th
To register for
 September 30th
trainings and ensure
 HAZARDOUS MATERIALS sufficient educational
material is available,
training is scheduled in the
please contact
multi-purpose room:
st
Randy
Conrad at
 Wednesday, August 31
th
extension
#1048.
 Friday, September 16
 CRISIS PREVENTION IN
INSTITUTE
STITUTE (CPI) class is
DATE: Tuesday, August 16, 2016
TIME: 12:00 - 5:30 p.m.
PLACE: Braxton County Memorial Hospital
Multi-purpose Room
scheduled for 8 a.m. in the multi-purpose room:
 Tuesday, September 20th
Please mark your calendar and plan to participate in the
upcoming blood drive at your local, community
hospital. Refreshments provided by the Auxiliary of
BCMH will be available for those donating blood.
NOTE: Special thanks to all those who participated in
the blood drive held at BCMH on June 21st resulting in
30 units of life-saving blood being obtained.
A special note of appreciation is extended to
all those who provided encouragement and
support following the recent flooding, which
resulted in extensive damage to our homes.
Cathy Eckes (Housekeeping)
Shelley Taylor (Community Health Center)
THANK YOU!
NEWS & NOTES
FINANCIAL &
STATISTICAL RESULTS
(JUNE)
The IV
 Get Well Wishes to Dave Lemon (Maintenance)
and Cheryl Lilly (Business Office).
 Welcome Back to Marvin Franklin (Cardio-
Provided by Kimber Knight,
Chief Financial Officer
FINANCIAL DATA
(OOOs OMITTED)
INCOME STATEMENT
CURRENT PRIOR
MONTH MONTH
YTD
Patient Revenues
$2,175
$2,155
$13,454
Revenue Deductions
($915)
($868)
($5,877)
Net Patient Revenues
$1,260
$1,287
$7,577
($1,358)
($1,498)
($8,246)
Other Revenue
$114
$127
$731
Operating Net
Income (Loss)
$16
($84)
$62
Operating Expenses
STATISTICALS
Discharge Days
CLINICAL DATA INPATIENT
CURRENT PRIOR
YTD
MONTH MONTH
17
335
55
Admissions
19
11
123
Avg. Daily Census
1.8
0.5
1.8
7.3%
2.3%
7.2%
Occupancy %
STATISTICALS
CLINICAL DATA OUTPATIENT
CURRENT PRIOR
YTD
MONTH MONTH
78
88
445
896
863
5,252
1,576
1,583
9,534
Home Health Visits
428
477
2,585
Community Health
Center Visits
901
988
5,442
Surgeries
Emergency
Department Visits
Other Outpatient
Visits
~ 7~
Pulmonary) and Susie Sears (Business Office).
 Thoughts and Prayers are extended to the
following individuals:
 Leica King (Med Surg) and her husband, Rocky
 Jennifer Markle (Outpatient Nursing) and her
husband, Shannon
 Congratulations to Chris Jarrett (Business Office)
on the birth of her eleventh great-grandchild, Lucas
Watson, on June 29th at 1:30 p.m. weighing 8 pounds
3 ounces and 21 inches long. His parents are Lloyd
& Tiffiny Watson of Colorado Springs.
 Congratulations to Martha Nottingham
(Administration) on the birth of her fourth grandson,
Wyatt Reid Nottingham, on June 27th at 8:22 a.m.
weighing 6 pounds and 19 inches long. Wyatt’s
parents are Zach & Kyla Nottingham.
 Congratulations to Dr. Sally Stewart (Courtesy
Medical Staff) and Dr. Russ Stewart (Active
Medical Staff / CHC) on the birth of their sixth
grandchild, Alexandra Marie Stewart. Arriving five
weeks premature on July 1st, she weighed 4 pounds,
11 ounces. Her parents are Andy & Melissa Stewart.
 Sincere Condolences to the following individuals:
 Kara Hoover (Home Health) concerning the loss of
her grandmother, Phyllis Jean Henry
 Sooner Knight (Cardio-Pulmonary) regarding the
death of his wife, Athina “Tina” (Mick) Knight
Cheryl Lilly (Business Office) was
recently diagnosed with Colon
Cancer and will be undergoing
treatments to battle this disease. Her
co-workers are selling t-shirts to raise
money to help
cover her medical
expenses and show their support
during her courageous fight.
T-shirts are:
$15.00 each
Sizes available:
Adult small to 3X Large
Shirts are gray with blue and black printing.
Team Cheryl is printed on the back as well.
To place an order, please contact
Susie Sears, Pam Mace or Melissa Marshall
Money is due at the time of order.
~8~
EXPRESSIONS OF GRATITUDE FROM
Shannon & Jennifer Markle
The IV
On Sunday, June 12th, a benefit dinner was held at the Braxton County Senior
Center for Shannon Markle, who has been in a battle with esophageal cancer for
over a year and a half. A wonderful Christian lady, Janie Cutlip, described this
event as "a labor of love” in which we were the recipients. We remain in awe and
feel very honored and humbled. As many of you well know, fighting cancer can
be difficult and draining in many ways. At the present time, we must travel to
Pittsburgh for Shannon’s care. Hopefully, he will soon be able to return to
Charleston for chemotherapy. Funds raised during the benefit dinner, including
the t-shirt sales completed on July 7th, exceeded $12,300.00. Words cannot
express how much this means to us as we continue to fight this battle with cancer.
If we tried to thank everyone who has helped during this time, I’m afraid we would miss someone. Yet I
would like to especially thank the organizing committee, led by Jean Boggs, and all those who worked so
diligently to make this benefit dinner a reality. We also want to thank Amber Hyre for designing and
promoting sales on a beautiful ‘Team Shannon Markle’ t-shirt featuring a ‘Hunting for a Cure’ logo in the
esophageal cancer color of periwinkle. We express our sincere gratitude to all those who worked at the
dinner and those who donated food, baked goods and paper products in addition to those who sang during
the event. We would also like to sincerely thank all those who attended and participated in these fundraising
efforts on our behalf. The people of our county and surrounding areas deserve special praise for their
outpouring of love and support. Our wonderful community and county should be commended for pulling
together to help during our benefit dinner as well as other fundraisers that have been held to aide cancer
victims. Please continue to pray for Shannon’s healing and victory over esophageal cancer.
Caring for you close to home
an Drive
100 Hoylm V 26624
y, W
Gassawa ) 364-5156
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Phone: (3 memorial.org
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www.bra