Mercy Medical Center recently held a surprise appreciation event on the grounds of the hospital for its dedicated staff members who are caring for all patients, including the surge of coronavirus patients, around-the-clock. Members of Mercy's board, Mercy Service League, executive staff, managers and non-clinical staff—together with their families—came to the hospital grounds and held lights for staff and patients to see.
The Canton Repository wrote about the appreciation event. The full text of the article is available below or here. WKYC TV was also there. Watch WKYC's video of the event here. The hospital also created an event video, which can be seen here.
By Malcolm Hall
The Repository
Thanks to flash-light lanterns and a huge sign, front-line health care providers at Mercy Medical Center got some heart-felt appreciation Tuesday evening.
Hospital officials and members of a support group called Mercy Service League stood outside the medical center at various locations and displayed a banner with the lettering, "Thank You Caregivers. Because of You, Light and Hope Shine On."
The display was positioned so Mercy Medical Center employees could look outside the hospital windows while on the job and see how they are appreciated, particularly during the coronavirus pandemic.
"They call it compassion fatigue," said Tom Strauss, interim president and chief executive officer at Mercy Medical Center. "People are working hard everyday. This is one way to pick up their spirits."
Strauss joined the crowd on the west side of Mercy Medical Center outside the 10-story wing housing patient rooms.
"This is our main patient area," said Dr. David Gormsen, chief medical officer and senior vice president of Mercy Medical Center. "Most of our employees will be able to see it."
The big white banner was to be mounted to the ground overnight and placed later at an employee entrance. Mercy Medical Center is a division of Cleveland-based Sisters of Charity.
"The culture here and at the Sisters of Charity is so pure," Strauss said. "It is a faith-based Catholic health care. It is the way we care for our patients. But also how we care for one another."
Some people could be seen peering out of the windows of the west-side wing of the hospital. The appreciation demonstration was a surprise for the Mercy Medical Center staff front-line workers.
"I think it is amazing, the support from the community," said Ross Whiteleather, an emergency room entrance attendant. "It seems like it is going on all around the hospital. I didn't know anything about it. It makes you feel the gratitude of it all."
Mercy Medical Center is a ministry of the Sisters of Charity Health System.
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