Thursday, March 11, 2021 marked one year since South Georgia Medical Center received confirmation of its first positive COVID-19 patient and entered the battle against the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. As a public show of support for its healthcare workforce and to honor the lives lost, SGMC launched 30 days of light.
For 30 days, the Dasher Memorial Heart Center will don a blue glow, the color of hope to many, as a display of respect for the unprecedented strength and resilience shown by SGMC’s workforce. This display of hope could not come at a more appropriate time, as access to vaccinations continues to increase across the region and COVID-19 hospitalizations steadily decline.
“We begin a new year with a renewed spirit filled with hope,” said SGMC President and Chief Executive Officer Ronald E. Dean. “We encourage all healthcare workforce members wherever you are and all communities of people throughout South Georgia to take a moment to reflect on this past year and its impact on our lives, but especially how much stronger we have become, united together to battle perhaps the most challenging healthcare conditions in a lifetime, to secure the health and wellbeing of our communities of people. A truly remarkable effort by each and every one throughout the region.”
While SGMC celebrates the 1,500 inpatients who have been treated and discharged by the SGMC team and thousands more who received life altering COVID-19 ambulatory care, Dean says it’s equally important that we remember and memorialize those who lost their lives from COVID-19. SGMC’s main water feature on the corner of Patterson Street and Pendleton Drive, will feature 275 solar lights, each light representing a life of an inpatient lost during their hospitalization.
Dean shared the team is extremely grateful for the support received from the community which has included kind words, thank you cards, meals, and more. “Our work against COVID-19 is not over, yet we have a hope for a brighter tomorrow because of the remarkable work of so many who serve as a part of our health delivery system.”
SGMC encourages citizens to take a moment over the next 30 days to drive by the facility to observe this display of remembrance, support and hope.
For more information on SGMC, visit sgmc.org.