SALISBURY — Remembering the past, giving thanks for the present and looking to the future were all part of Novant Health Rowan Regional Medical Center’s event held to celebrate 125 years of healthcare in the community.

Hospital staff, hospital and foundation board members, history committee members and additional guests gathered Dec. 11 at the Country Club of Salisbury for the special event, during which time, multiple speakers shared about the growth of the hospital over the years and recognized many who have supported and made the hospital what it is today.

Two honored during the evening were Elizabeth “Libby” Gish and Mary Goodman, who serve as history committee chairs and have diligently worked on a special project researching and recording the hospital’s history. They noted the many committee members and others who have helped through the years with the various facets of the project.

Gish told how she and Goodman were both members of the hospital board in 2014, noting that Dari Caldwell was president at the time. 

“Realizing that in that year of hospital acquisitions and mergers, it was a good time to focus on the history of the hospital,” she said.

And that is what happened as the two were appointed as chairman of a history committee and given the task of recording the history and creating exhibits to be placed in the hospital and share with employees, patients and the public about the “tremendous growth and progress the hospital has made in their role of delivering quality healthcare in this community for a long time.” 

Gish and Goodman are registered nurses, are married to physicians, have been members of the Rowan Medical Alliance, the Rowan hospital auxiliary, served on the board multiple years and held leadership roles in developing the hospice house.

Plus, Gish said, they have a love of history, which “added to our interest in this project.” 

A 10-year process, the project consists of multiple elements including exhibits, professional videos with leaders of the hospital, research and a book, which is in the editing process.

Goodman encouraged everyone to visit the exhibit in the hospital, which is near the outpatient center elevators in the Wilson Smith Center.

“We had a lot of fun doing that,” she said as she told of some of the items collected, some of which include a nurse’s hat made out of a sugar sack, two nursing uniforms in shadow boxes, a long tin hearing aid that was a gift from the Hurleys, old feeding bottles and one item that drew lots of surprised looks and comments was the metal catheters.

In addition to the found artifacts, other items have been donated by members of the community. Cards are placed telling about the exhibits.

The two did lots of research and interviews with multiple people, including Mavis Moss, the first Black nurse at the hospital, whom Goodman said she had the privilege of working with. “She was wonderful.”

They also interviewed leaders in the community, and some of the older ones, she said, “are no longer with us, but they certainly offered a lot of insight into healthcare.”

Doctors were also interviewed, sharing their stories, and one can tell by listening to these stories, Goodman said, that they loved medicine and the hospital.

Gish said they were proud to be able to take part in this process, and they both expressed their appreciation to all who helped in the organizing, building cabinets, framing, refinishing, cleaning and other ways they gave their support.

Along with the exhibits on display, Gary Blabon, president and COO of the hospital, said they have a timeline on the wall showing the hospital’s progress.

“It really shows where we started, where we are and newsflash,” he said, “we’re not finished yet.” 

The final thing that Gish and Goodman told the crowd about is the upcoming book about the hospital’s history, which Gish said took thousands of hours in research and talking with department heads at the hospital and many others including the first neurosurgeon who is now in West Virginia and the first neurologist now in Kentucky.

“It’s just been heartwarming to hear them reflect on their participation and experiences in the hospital,” she said.

The book, titled “Remarkable Medical History: Novant Health Rowan Medical Center Keeping Pace with Progress,” is approximately 400 pages and has 90 chapters complete with color photographs.

As they were concluding, Goodman made one final comment, giving Gish credit for the writing of the book saying, “I can tell you Libby has worked countless hours. We put in information, but she has researched and researched. She is incredible in what she has done.”

Blabon also shared some comments about the hospital’s history and the progress they have made through the years, and thanked everyone for how they have been advocates for the hospital and cheerleaders for them.

“You’ve let us know when we’ve done well. You’ve let us know when we’ve missed the mark and we always try to get better and we appreciate that. We want to be the best that we can possibly be each and every time.”

He told of how the hospital started out with the Whitehead Stocks Sanatorium which was a 40-bed facility and the current hospital is licensed for 266 beds.

He provided some statistics as he said the hospital has been at its current location for approximately 90 years and this year they will do more than 10,000 surgeries and have close to 800 births. It is strong in orthopedics, cancer, general surgery, heart and vascular. 

“We are carrying on the legacy that Dr. Whitehead wanted. He wanted care for this community, and we are doing that,” said Blabon.

He also noted the name changes as they once were Rowan Memorial Hospital, then Rowan Regional Medical Center, and in 2008, he said, the decision was made to join Novant and we became Novant Health Rowan Medical Center. 

“Through name changes, through changes in leadership, you all have been constant,” Blabon told those gathered. “You have continued to support us financially. You have pushed us to be the absolute best that we can be.”

He also pointed out their improvement in the various ratings, saying their “scoring has jumped from way back when,” from being a two-star facility to now being a four-star facility and they were at one time, also years ago a C Leapfrog to now for the 11th consecutive time, they are an A Leapfrog (rating) and he thanked all those responsible for these great strides.

Bryan Overcash, foundation board chairman, shared about the Bridges to Healthcare program, which he said started in 2023. More than 100 students in the Rowan-Salisbury Schools are interviewed to be one of 20 interns selected to participate in this program, noting that these are highly sought after internships for high school juniors and seniors.

Overcash said they were gathered to celebrate the 125 years of accomplishment in healthcare and “what we would like to do is show our commitment to the next 125 years by issuing a challenge and we would like to raise $125,000 for the next Bridges to Healthcare program.”

Pledge envelopes were placed on each table providing the opportunity for attendees to give and provide support.

Another program that he shared about is the Upward Mobility Scholarships allowing CNAs to earn their RN degrees and return to work in the local hospital.

Blabon also highlighted the mental health crisis and the great work of Superintendent Kelly Withers in the schools and how through the foundation they have been able to do behavioral health and how the students who have a crisis can talk to someone immediately.

The opening up of the new Alcorn Wellness Center was also noted as he said, “this is not only cardiac rehab but we added cancer rehab,” and thanked Greg and Missie Alcorn for their generosity.

Amy Maher, senior director of strategy and stewardship, concluded the evening with closing remarks and recognition of volunteers, noting that the first hospital in Pennsylvania was volunteer driven and said, it is “volunteers that keep us where we are” telling how lucky and thankful they are for each one.

She called Blabon back up to do the honors in recognizing two board members who are rolling off this year, Overcash and Bill Graham. As he recognized them for their service, Blabon said, “they gave their heart and soul to their foundation board. They gave us wise counsel. They challenged us. They gave us the means. I say it all the time, we could not do what we do at the hospital without your support and we thank you for that.”