Midwest Region
Tina Wilson, PTA – Sevierville, TN
“I firmly believe that if Tina had not been assigned to be Warren’s therapist he would not be where he is today. I believe he would have given up...” – Letter from patient’s family
What should have been the happiest time in Tina’s life turned into tragedy when her fiancé and father of her two-month-old was killed in a motorcycle accident. Her strength and spirit through disaster has made her an inspiration to her coworkers and her patients. No matter what’s going on in her life, she uses creativity and a positive outlook to help her patients recover at home. Patients consistently ask for her by name and enjoy her fresh and upbeat approach to recovery.
Christine Williams, Case Manager – Morristown, TN
“If you ever need a hospice nurse, you want Christine to be that nurse.” – Nomination from coworker
Nothing stops Christine from seeing a patient – not even a train! She was scheduled to see a patient and got stuck behind a stalled train. Instead of turning around and rescheduling, she asked the train engineer if she could climb up the ladder, cross the top of the train car and down the ladder on the opposite side of the train car so that she could walk to her patient’s home just on the other side of the tracks. He approved and she visited her patient on time.
Judy Stephens, HHA – Jamestown, TN
“Judy has a way of keeping the patients’ minds off their illnesses and helping them complete their most intimate needs while letting them feel they have done most of the work themselves.” – Nomination from coworker
Judy Stephens believes that she’s the lucky one. “I’m just doing my job!” she often says. Despite raising a daughter with disabilities and losing her home to fire, she’s always upbeat, positive, and generous. Her patients write letters thanking her for helping them fold laundry and picking them up to attend Easter dinner with her family. All four of the care centers she works with nominated her for this award. Judy’s kind heart and compassionate spirit make her an inspiration to everyone she meets.
Geneva Yeary, Hospice Aide – Morristown, TN
"She will not leave the patient's home until she has done everything within her power and sometimes beyond her power to meet their needs." – Nomination from coworker
Whether it's a holiday, a weekend, or a Tuesday afternoon, Geneva Yeary is checking on her patients. She takes special care to remember their favorite things and preferences, and pass those tidbits along to anyone who comes into contact with them. Those extra touches combined with her impressive medical knowledge make her a ray of sunshine in her patients' lives. But even with her coworkers, she makes an extra effort to help out. On several occasions Jenny has made home-cooked meals on her days off and delivered them to the office. A selfless and generous person, she meets every challenge with selflessness and grace.
Thelma Moore, Volunteer – Chattanooga, TN
“I cannot imagine our hospice program without Thelma. That’s how important she is to us!“ – Nomination from coworker
Despite walking with a walker after undergoing cancer treatment that led to an infected wound, Thelma Moore is an active volunteer at the Senior Olympics, camp BEACON, and in the community. A steady, calming presence, she would never complain about her own issues, but is there to listen to patients and coworkers when they need her. More than 25 letters from patients, family members and coworkers accompanied her nomination. She has truly made a difference in the lives of the people she touches.
Shae Closser – 14 years old
“Being in a position to help someone in need is her only motivator; the positive feedback is her reward.” – Nomination from her mother
As a 6-year-old, Shae Closser asked to go to work at a nursing home with her mom and sit with patients. She had a special way of forming connections with them and always enjoyed sitting and talking to people other kids ignored. Now 14, she still loves assisting the elderly and volunteers for Amedisys Hospice by preparing treats, spending time with patients, and delivering food when needed. At a time when most teenagers are becoming more interested in themselves, Shae’s compassion for others has grown.
Northeast Region
James Hines, LPTA – Hampton, VA
“I am convinced that nobody cares more about our clients, his patients, his family, and his community than Jay Hines.” – Nomination from coworker
No one knows where Jay Hines gets his energy. With nine children between 14 and eight months old and a volunteer schedule that made him Volunteer of the Year in his community a few years ago, he still comes to work with a burning desire to help others. He has the innate ability to understand the needs of others and goes out of his way to provide the best care possible. Coworkers, patients, community members, and his family can’t stop raving about Jay and the passion for others he displays every day.
Gary Durham, Chaplain – Bluefield, WV
“When I face frustrations and anxious situations both professionally and personally, Gary is always there with a kind word, a smile, and AWESOME advice.” – Nomination from coworker
Years ago, doctors recommended that Gary Durham accept disability support and stop working. Gary refused and instead fulfills two roles at his care center – hospice chaplain and bereavement coordinator – in addition to working as a history professor. After overcoming polio as a child, he’s suffered from physical disability his whole life and can’t make the trip to Baton Rouge this year. But, his service speaks for itself. Gary was nominated for this award by 3 separate coworkers, each who told stories of his positive attitude and quality care. He is often asked to perform eulogies and is mentioned almost weekly in obituaries and thank you letters from families.
Pedro Vargas, HHA – Agawam, MA
“I have never encountered a person with as much compassion, caring, and pride in what he does and offers to his patients as Pedro Vargas.” – Nomination from coworker
Patients rave about Pedro Vargas. He makes them comfortable, provides emotional support, and goes above and beyond in his role as a home health aide. When a patient mentioned he loved Dunkin’ Donuts, Pedro started stopping there every morning for him. When he noticed a blind man’s bathroom wasn’t as clean as it could be, he scrubbed it. And when he heard a man was dying in a hospital alone on Super Bowl Sunday, he drove to the hospital and watched the game with him. His patients, his coworkers and his supervisors have all written letters detailing the amazing attitude and spirit that Pedro possesses.
Mary Moore, Hospice Aide – White Marsh, MD
“I don’t know if I am capable of putting into words the appreciation my entire family has for you. The care you provided was out of love, the same love we felt. I guess that could make you a member of our family.” – Letter from patient's family
In the winter of 2010, Maryland suffered three major blizzards and our patients' homes were inaccessible for weeks. But Mary Moore hiked through deep snow on more than one occasion to make sure her patients were taken care of. She knew that her patients and families were depending on her and she did not want to let them down. In her personal life, she's a calming and supportive presence to her grandchildren, who have recently moved back in with her. She gives of herself every day to coworkers, family members, and patients, and she never asks for anything in return.
Larry Gould, Volunteer – Londonderry, NH
“I never would have believed one man could make an impact on so many people.” – Letter from Nursing Home Director
Known as “Mr. Hospice” in his community, Larry Gould is a breath of fresh air in Londonderry. Always in shorts and providing just the right amount of humor and compassion, he instinctively knows what kind of support people need. When one patient died, he continued to visit the roommate so he wouldn’t be alone. When family members struggle with grief, he continues to visit them as a friend instead of a volunteer. Another patient requested that Larry make decisions for him if he were ever unable. Larry embodies the compassionate care Amedisys provides.
Southeast Region
Judy Bearden, RN – Trenton, GA
“She is not afraid to take on any challenge necessary in order to meet the needs of the agency and her patients.” – Nomination from coworker
Judy Bearden never backs down from a challenge. When winter weather made a patient’s driveway unusable, she called the County Road Commissioner and got it fixed. Another patient needed a chair lift but couldn’t afford it, so Judy talked to suppliers and found one willing to provide a lift at a steep discount. When a patient didn’t have an indoor bathroom, she helped apply for grants to get one. Then, when the grant paperwork stalled, she called the Manager of Rural Development and got it going again. And finally, once the grant was approved, she worked with contractors to make sure the best materials were used in the construction. No matter the task, Judy goes above and beyond to get what’s best for her patients.
Jerry Styles, Chaplain – Charleston, SC
“Although Jerry continues to have deficits and difficulty with walking, his patients are his first priority and his work as a hospice chaplain is a calling for him. He ignores his own health problems to care for his patients and our staff.” – Nomination from coworker
Jerry Styles is a living miracle. After a ruptured gall bladder, several strokes, and heart failure, he was not expected to live past 2008. But in 2010 he’s going strong as the hospice chaplain for the Charleston Hospice Care Center. He brings his compassion and kindness to the position and has a special way of dealing with terminally ill patients. According to his coworkers, there is even one patient that doesn’t realize that Jerry is visiting on behalf of Amedisys and considers him a best friend and confidant.
Ella Marie Barnes, HHA – Savannah, GA
“She truly loves her patients and what she does for Amedisys.” – Nomination from coworker
After 31 years as a home health aide, Ella Marie Barnes isn’t going to let breast cancer keep her from her patients. “I’ll just start with one patient,” she said when she returned to work. She was short of breath and pale from treatment, but she tearfully admitted that she missed them. Soon she was caring for more and more people. It’s that dedication combined with her kind and gentle spirit that is the reason patients ask for her by name. She is dependable, trustworthy and such a great example for the other clinicians in our company.
Brenda Young, Hospice Aide – Sumter, SC
"Brenda never forgets what is most important to making our agency successful – quality, compassionate care for all patients." – Nomination from coworker
Patients and caregivers often refer to Brenda Young as their angel. She goes above and beyond in her duties, sometimes sitting with a patient just to provide support through a difficult time. As a single mother, she knows how valuable time is, but she always plans ahead and always makes herself available for patients. Brenda is dependable, trustworthy and devoted – a true example of the spirit of Amedisys.
Linda Bailey, Volunteer – Lawrenceville, GA
“Her light shines throughout the darkness that often engulfs the families throughout the terminal experience.” – Nomination from coworker
It takes true talent to capture the essence of a person. But when Linda Bailey sews a gown for someone, that’s what she does. Her beautiful, hand-sewn gowns are customized based on individual preferences and personality. She takes special care to make sure that the gowns reflect the spirit of her patients. With her extraordinary gift, it’s no surprise that patients have requested to be buried in Linda’s gowns. One family said that they felt their mother’s voice was still expressed through the gown, even in her death.
Terrylinn Weeks, RN – Greenville, AL
“Thinking of others when your heart is breaking…that’s the kind of person Terrylin is.” – Nomination from coworker
June 30, 2010 began as a great day for the Weeks family as their oldest and only daughter started her first day of college at South University to become a Physical Therapist. Before she left for school, Tiffany wrote “Live, Laugh and Love” on a sticky note and placed it on her mother’s car. But on the way home from her first day, she was involved in a head-on collision and killed instantly. Through overwhelming sadness, Terrylin has continued to provide exceptional care to her patients. And in her daughter’s memory, she started the Live, Laugh and Love scholarship for high school seniors going into a physical therapy program.
West Region
William Archuletta, RN – Salida, CO
“My mother’s death was probably the worst moment of our lives, and you made it much easier. Thank you so much for all you have done for our family.” – Letter from patient’s family
Thirteen handwritten thank you letters were included in Will’s nomination. Known as “Angel Will” in his community, William Archuletta never forgets why we’re here. Without being asked, he shovels snow for patients and even for previous patients whose spouses can’t do it themselves. Recently, instead of sending a volunteer to a bad part of town to care for a patient, he took on the challenge himself. In between his case manager visits, he’d visit the man two to three times during the day to make sure he was comfortable. When the patient died two weeks later, he was in his home – where he wanted to be.
Nancy Landrum, HHA – Surprise , AZ
“She is a genuine angel of mercy and has a healing touch and caring spirit that one recognizes immediately from the moment they meet her.” – Nomination from coworker
Meeting Nancy Landrum, you’d never know she had suffered so much personal tragedy. She always has a smile on her face, never complains, and is the first one to offer to work for someone else who is struggling. But, Nancy’s son was diagnosed with a brain tumor as a boy, and a few years later her husband began suffering from multiple sclerosis. The stress of being a caregiver at home and at work must be difficult, but she’s never mentioned it. Through it all, Nancy has cared for her patients with grace and empathy. She often cleans homes for patients who can’t, calls to check on them after hours, and talks to social workers about concerns she can’t fix herself. She’s the first to bring donuts and make coffee in the mornings and is always available for a hug and an encouraging word.
Tammy Avey, Hospice Aide – Casper, WY
"Although she does not get compensated for being on call 24/ 7, you can call Tammy at any time day or night." – Nomination from coworker
In her personal and professional life, Tammy Avey exemplifies compassion. Always willing to help, she's the person coworkers call when they need someone to talk to in the middle of the night. She's the woman who rushed to a friend's bedside after her daughter was in an accident. And when a friend heard her mother was sick, Tammy loaned her a car so she could leave that night. She spends extra time with patients to help them explore their feelings about dying and allows them to express those feelings out loud. She was nominated by her entire hospice team for going above and beyond the duties of a hospice aide.
Judy Davis, Volunteer – Roseburg, OR
“Judy has one of the biggest hearts we have ever seen. She is an inspiration to all our staff and all that meet her.” – Nomination from coworker
While caring for her dying husband, Judy Davis was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Though cancer has now spread to her lungs, she continues to care for patients when she can and is happiest when helping others. She’ll donate firewood to a stranger or even miss her birthday dinner if it means she’s helping someone else. Through it all, she refuses to resign herself to her illness and continues to care for patients as well as continue doing what she loves – traveling around the world – to Egypt, Europe, and most recently, Peru.