Centra Today newsletter

A member of the last graduating class of the Virginia Baptist Hospital’s College of Nursing, Kim Price’s warm sense of humor was made evident as she quipped, “they didn’t close the school because of me…it just moved to Lynchburg General Hospital!”

A local, non-profit that was started 29 years ago, Miriam’s House works to eliminate homelessness among families and individuals in Lynchburg. First begun in the 90s, the organization served 11 families at a time predominantly through the organization’s namesake home that is still located on Magnolia Street.

A trip to the emergency department (ED) usually comes about due to an unfortunate accident or medical emergency. Oftentimes, depending upon the number of patients in need of care, individuals have to wait to be seen by a provider which can be quite stressful and frustrating for someone who is in pain.

In honor of National Recovery Month, we asked Amy Rugh, MEd, LPC to explain how she carries out Centra’s mission through her role as the Clinical Coordinator at Pathways Treatment Center. Pathways offers empathetic, evidence-driven support for individuals dealing with substance use disorders and associated issues.

As a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM), Katie Page serves as a primary care provider for women from puberty to post-menopause. Practicing in the CMG Women’s Centers that are located in Forest and Farmville, Katie loves being involved directly with the community through the care she provides in clinic and through her collaborative work with the Motherhood Collective (TMC), a branch of HumanKind.

An active individual in his late fifties, John Dawson thought that becoming out of breath during walks with his wife, Jennifer, and their dogs at the Peaks of Otter was just a part of getting older. However, the realization that the cause of his shortness of breath was caused by something far more serious than aging came on October 15, 2022.

Started in 1903 as a residential home for orphans and later expanded to serve adults with intellectual disabilities, HumanKind has a long history of serving children and families in central Virginia. Today with a focus on fulfilling its mission of strengthening individuals, families and communities through care, counseling and education, HumanKind offers multiple programs and services across Virginia.

"As someone who worked as a bedside nurse for many years, I believe the role of a Caregiver is nothing short of the most selfless professions a person can have. When performing this role, you truly do not know what you will face during each day at work."

I recently had a community member say to me, “it’s a shame you are no longer a nurse” implying that in my role as Director of Acute Care at Centra Southside Community Hospital, I no longer care for patients. I quickly explained to her that in my position, the number of patients I touch has only multiplied.

Brenda Yarber’s journey to becoming a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP) at Centra didn’t begin with large ambitions for the future but rather a love for caring for the tiniest of patients. In May of 1984, Brenda graduated from the University of Lynchburg with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and the following July she began working in the Intensive Care Nursery (ICN) at Centra.

Beacon of Hope began as a grassroots initiative almost twelve years ago. Birthed out of the City of Lynchburg’s Dialogue on Race & Racism, the non-profit was founded by its current Executive Director, Laura Hamilton, with the goal of developing equitable resources and creating bridges to post-secondary education for all young adults in the city of Lynchburg.

You don’t have to speak with Brittney Aagaard for very long to learn that she has a passion for students of all ages! As the Manager of Student Affairs for Centra’s Office of Medical Education & Student Affairs (OMESA), Brittney leads a team of four coordinators who work to facilitate education programs at Centra such as medical school residencies and college internships.

Cancer Survivorship. What exactly does this term mean? For many, it means embarking on a journey they never thought they would have to go through. For others, it signifies the end of treatments. Many patients that I work with don’t consider themselves “survivors” until their treatments are over.

It’s something that we do every day and that we can’t function without—it’s sleep. Our bodies and our brains require not only a certain amount of sleep in a 24-hour period but for that sleep to be of good quality. When we sleep, our brains organize the information that’s taken in during the day in order to keep what’s necessary and dispose of what’s not.

June is Men's Health Month, a time when we emphasize the significance of annual physicals and screenings. However, it's crucial to remember that health encompasses more than just the physical aspect. Strong health often originates from a positive mindset and outlook.

Starla began the journey towards a career in nursing when she became a student at Centra College in 2019 and entered the Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) Program. Starla had always admired the role nurses played in caring for others, but her desire to join the field was confirmed after her personal experience at Centra Virginia Baptist Hospital’s (VBH) Labor & Delivery Unit.

Centra’s mission of, “improving the health and quality of life for the communities we serve,” is fundamental to my practice as a primary care physician at CMG Nationwide. As primary care providers, we play an integral role in shaping the lives of our patients in critical ways.

Retired Centra nurse, Carol Barker is an example of pursuing your passions no matter what stage of life you happen to be in.

Imagine waking up in the middle of the night and feeling a weird sensation across your body. You get out of bed and begin to walk around to see if the strange feeling will subside, but it doesn’t. Suddenly, you notice that you have lost all ability to use your right hand. You go to wake your spouse and when you try to say their name, you aren’t able to speak.

Nestled among the rolling hills of central Virginia, you will find a farm that is committed to helping horses and helping people. Brook Hill Farm was founded in 2001 by Jo Anne Miller with the goal of providing therapeutic riding services to our community in addition to being a haven for unwanted horses.

If you’ve met Carter Broocks, you remember it. Altruistic, gregarious, lover of all things green and friendly to all furry creatures, Carter has been a member of Centra’s Marketing & Communications Team since 2015.

My name is Baxter and I’m a part of the care team at Centra’s Autism and Developmental Services Clinic (CADS). I’ve been a Centra Caregiver for 11 years.

In honor of Autism Acceptance Month, we recently spoke with Dr. Emily Bradshaw who serves as a Licensed Clinical Psychologist at Centra’s Autism & Developmental Services Clinic (CADS).

As an organization that serves populations in the city of Lynchburg as well as Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford and Campbell counties, IOA continues to make an impact on the well-being of our community.

Meet Wren Roberts, the Senior Director of Support Services who is responsible for managing all food, environmental and security services for Centra. Wren began his career in the healthcare industry in 1992 after graduating from Virginia Tech with a degree in Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management. Understanding that it is easy to become burnt out in the hospitality industry, Wren decided he wanted to do something more meaningful with his career than just manage a hotel or restaurant.

Dr. Aaron Bond who is trained in general neurosurgery with special emphasis on the treatment of movement disorders, epilepsy and complex spinal disorders is excited to begin offering this surgery at Centra. He has completed multiple successful DBS surgeries and FUS treatments throughout his medical career and is hopeful about the positive impact that these new offerings will make on the communities that Centra serves.

I have been honored to care for others as an emergency medicine physician assistant (PA) with Centra for over 4 years now. Like many of our emergency services PAs, NPs, and physicians, I work in multiple sites–Bedford Memorial Hospital (BMH), Gretna Medical Center, Southside Community Hospital (SSCH), and Lynchburg General Hospital (LGH).

Food serves as an equalizer because it applies to everyone and is one of the first places to start when pursuing a healthy lifestyle. This is why Centra’s partnership with Lynchburg Grows has been a tangible way for our healthcare system to work to fulfill its vision—specifically, being able to advance the health and quality of life for the communities we serve.

Sometimes the best way to love someone is to support them as they persevere through challenges. Bobby and Amanda Wethington’s journey to pursue a healthier lifestyle together is one such example of this type of love.

Before October 6, 2022, Bill Jenkins chose to forgo participating in many family activities because he “just didn't feel well,” and while Bill was not critically ill, he often had, “bad days.”

When the COVID-19 pandemic began, stay at home mandates meant that Centra Caregiver, Kathy Morris’ three teenagers were either spending their days in online classes or sitting around trying to figure out how to fill all their newfound free time.

One organization in our community is committed to serving those who are homebound by providing nutritious, hot lunches to those in need five days a week, every week of the year.

Allison Towler has worked as a Registered Nurse at Centra for 17 years, and currently she works full time in the Radiology Department at Lynchburg General Hospital (LGH).

Two surgeons at Centra are carrying out Centra’s vision of pursuing excellence, inspiring hope and advancing health and healing by offering an innovative procedure to women who must undergo mastectomy and breast reconstruction surgery.

Centra’s partnership with Girls on the Run has spanned multiple years with Centra awarding several grants toward the organization in addition to the time given by Centra Caregivers who have served as coaches and even on the Board of Directors.