Message From the Chair

 

For generations, Pocahontas Memorial Hospital (PMH) has cared for our community–delivering our babies, healing broken arms, treating diabetes, and more. The caring staff has delivered compassionate care for our mothers and fathers, our siblings, our grandparents, and our neighbors. It is this quality and compassionate care that brings more than 4,500 patients to the facility annually.

 

West Virginians take care of each other. Perhaps more than any other part of the state, Pocahontas County is known for it is loving, caring people. Neighbors who help neighbors. Friends who are like family.

 

This is just one of the many reasons why I love Pocahontas County and have called it home since 1970. Over my career, I have served West Virginia and its people in many roles: state delegate and senator, agriculture commissioner, school board member, and county commissioner. Those were all deeply gratifying, but I am most proud of my newest position–campaign co-chair of the “Building on Our Past, Building for Our Future” capital campaign. Together, Rita and I will lead Pocahontas Memorial Hospital into the next century. We hope you will join us.

 

For the last two years, I have served as a hospital board member. I have witnessed firsthand our medical staff’s dedication to excellence and delivering quality health care. I can attest to the outstanding service the hospital provides patients–regardless of their ability to pay. Through this global pandemic, we have learned that caring for our fellow citizens is more important than others. Families across the globe have struggled with unemployment and, in some cases, illness. In a time of sickness, a patient needs to focus on recovery, not on a hospital bill. This is why in this campaign, we will also establish an endowment to provide funds for charity care, in the times a patient is unable to pay.

 

A healthy community has a healthy hospital system. We are fortunate, in Pocahontas County, to have both. Let’s not take this basic human need for granted. In emergencies, seconds count. We are privileged to have a local facility to deliver health care, rather than driving hours over windy, mountain roads. PMH offers a plethora of basic health care services right here in our backyard, but also serves as a Level Four trauma center. For the millions of people who visit Snowshoe, Cass Scenic Railroad, Beartown, Watoga State Park, or any of our other beautiful recreational sites, it's important to know that, if it’s needed, those guests can receive world-class treatment right here in Pocahontas County and be treated as if they were right at home.

 

PMH is at its next milestone – an 11,000+ - a square-foot expansion that provides more space to deliver more services. The expansion will include a mammography center, physical/occupational therapy space, an expanded emergency room, and more. This project is a need for both our hospital and our community. To complete this expansion, we must raise an additional $5 million. We can’t do it without you. Like our community has done many times before–through the fire, floods, and financial woes–I know we will come together to support PMH. We look forward to partnering with you to help our local hospital grow.