Western North Carolina hospitals have faced challenges of all sorts since Hurricane Helene struck on September 26. Everything from an influx of sick and injured patients to a lack of electricity, phone service, connectivity, and even drinking water. And one of the most troubling issues has been workforce. Many hospital employees have been unable to work due to facing the loss of their homes, transportation, and even their loved ones.

UNC Health has four hospitals and many outpatient clinics that have been hard hit and UNC Health Lenoir is stepping in to help their partners. Last week after Hurricane Helene came ashore, ten dedicated nurses and respiratory therapists left the safety of their own homes to work in our sister facilities and many others have volunteered to go as needed. Kristin Grady, RN, Director of Surgical Services has this to say about her experience, “It is very humbling to see and hear the local people just trying to continue living. They are not giving up. They are not just sitting and dwelling in their sorrows. They are out trying to clean up their properties and salvage what is left of their lives. I hope when I leave this week, that this is not my last week here. I would do this again and again until every person is back to living pre-Helene.”

In addition, UNC Health Lenoir employees are collecting critical supplies to be delivered in the coming days and donating their own PTO so that hospital employees in the west can take time off to rebuild their lives.

On Friday morning, UNC Health Lenoir shipped out six pallets of hospital linens, over 1700 sets of sheets, to be used across the UNC Health western sites.

Dr. Crystal Hayden, President and CEO at UNC Health Lenoir remarked, “I am so thankful for all the work being done by our employees to support the victims of Hurricane Helene. As part of the UNC Health system, we support each other, and we know that we will always be supported as well. The compassion and generosity that my team has shown since the storm have been just remarkable. It is UNC Health Lenoir’s goal to provide exceptional care, without exception, wherever we serve.”