While some would say they work for a company, a boss or even a paycheck, most colleagues would agree that we all work for something bigger and much more human.
For these HCA Healthcare colleagues, concern for others and a desire to make a difference extend far beyond the workplace. Fortunately, they’re able to “fill their cup” thanks to the organization’s support.
Tony Jones
Client Executive, CereCore (a provider of technology and EHR services that support the core of health system operations)
Brentwood, Tenn.
Some people embody the adage, “It’s better to give than to receive.” Tony Jones does.
“What most impressed me about my father was that, when I was young, he’d still make house calls,” says Tony, the son of a nurse and a physician. “He came from a very modest family, and he understood that not everyone was able to pay their medical bills. He cared first about the patient and getting them better, and then worried about the finances.”
As a result, Tony’s father had an enormous impact on his eldest son, nurturing a true sense of caring. In the past 15 years, Tony has traveled to the sites of many natural disasters to assist colleagues in need.
“I’m a helper at heart,” he says. “I’ve been involved with the HCA Healthcare Hope Fund since its inception. When Katrina flooded New Orleans, my team and I worked around the clock for weeks to support our impacted colleagues.”
Tony and his colleagues provided a disaster hotline that the affected colleagues could call to get information, including the status of their paychecks. With the help of other departments, they continued processing payroll to ensure colleagues had the finances to deal with the hardships.
“I’ve been fortunate to help our colleagues in Houston after Hurricane Harvey and in Panama City [Florida] after Hurricane Michael,” says Tony. “I’ve never been so humbled than to see people who are in dire need—who have nowhere to live—come into work every day to make sure that the patients in their facilities were cared for.”
Tony says he intends to continue volunteering with the knowledge that by helping colleagues, he’s impacting the lives of patients. “I work for providing a lifeline of hope to communities and colleagues in need.”
Cheryl Allen
Administrative Assistant
Lee’s Summit Medical Center
Lee’s Summit, Mo.
Cheryl Allen’s passion for creating healthier tomorrows has an impact inside and outside her facility. Through the facility’s “Green Team,” Cheryl promotes numerous recycling efforts.
“I love what I’m doing,” she says. “The most joy and satisfaction come from the committees I’m on, including the Employee Advisory Group, the Green Health Sustainability Team and the Department Safety Officer Committee.”
HCA Healthcare, says Cheryl, has long been dedicated to helping the environment, leading to the creation of initiatives such as Greening the OR, the Healthier Hospitals Initiative and helping make medicine virtually mercury-free. “Through HCA Healthcare, we’re also a member of
Practice Greenhealth and have been recognized with PGH Environmental Excellence Awards for our efforts in our community.”
Cheryl’s dedication to promoting sustainability also extends to her work with community groups. She has been responsible for organizing a Surplus Office Supplies Day and a used-shoe drive for Water From Afar. They’ve collected more than 2,500 pairs of shoes that, when sold, help build water-purification systems in Haiti and Kenya.
“I love the feeling you get knowing that you’re helping someone,” she says. “I cannot imagine not having fresh water to drink. The thought is heartbreaking.
“I work for a sustainable future,” says Cheryl. “I’m blessed to be surrounded by a dedicated team, here and nationally. Without it, and our administration’s support, this wouldn’t be possible.”
Jennifer “Jenny” Ashun, RN
Charge Nurse
Medical City Dallas Hospital
Dallas, Texas
For the past seven years, Jenny Ashun has been a member of the Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) Unit at Medical City Dallas Hospital, where she has made a positive impact in the lives of patients and their loved ones.
“As a BMT nurse, I’m part of the patient journey,” says Jenny. “Having a diagnosis of leukemia, lymphoma or any cancer can be detrimental to anyone. Many patients feel lost and in despair. I’ve walked alongside patients who are newly diagnosed, taking care of them during treatment and then through transplant. It brings me joy when a patient I have cried with finishes treatment, is doing well and comes back to visit. It reminds me that my job matters.”
Since 2009, her passion for caring for others has also extended into her membership role with the Ghana Nurses Association. “The association allows Ghanaian nurses and other clinicians in the area to share ideas and provide health education to our community. We hold yearly health fairs where we check blood pressure, test for diabetes and explain the importance of annual physicals.”
Both inside and outside her facility, HCA Healthcare has played an important role in her ability to be a caregiver.
“I work for improving patient care at the bedside and around the world,” she says. “HCA Healthcare has equipped me with knowledge and training to give back to my local Ghanaian community.”
Thomas Andor
Maintenance Engineer
Mercy Hospital
Miami, Fla.
As a maintenance engineer, Thomas Andor works hard to keep the hospital humming. His dedication to ensuring HCA Healthcare colleagues and patients are safe, coupled with his impressive plumbing and mechanical skills, extends far beyond the walls of the hospital.
He also uses his plumbing expertise to help the homeless in Fort Lauderdale through a group called Showering Love. The nonprofit—founded by Thomas’ sister-in-law—uses a converted city bus, dubbed “Grace,” as a mobile cleaning facility, providing hot showers, hygiene kits, and other items and services for the housing insecure, he says. “We help build bridges by facilitating haircuts, wellness checks, hot meals and nonperishable foods, and by connecting guests with programs to build self-sufficiency.”
The hospital, he says, supports the effort with clothing and toiletry drives. Aid also comes in the form of matching donations from the HCA Healthcare Foundation.
A large part of Thomas’ job at Mercy Hospital and with Showering Love includes something much less tangible than physical labor: “serving our guests with dignity, respect and love,” he says.
“I work for humankind. We can all make the world a better place by being the best person we can possibly be.”
