Alice Hyde Medical Center

Tony Williams: Invisible No More "As a Black kid growing up in inner-city Queens, becoming a doctor felt impossible. I’d simply never seen a doctor that looked like me, except occasionally on TV. But in eighth grade, when some of my peers were joining gangs or getting pregnant, I decided to aim for the unattainable: I would become a doctor. I learned early that my appearance would shape how many people perceive me. I was 8 when I was first stopped by the police because I looked like another boy who had gotten into trouble. My father was 15 when he witnessed his friend, Randolph Evans, murdered by a police officer. “Don’t die today. Stay out of jail. Finish elementary school. Be invisible. Be invisible.” These are the things I told myself as I tried to make it out. I am privileged to have loving, supportive parents. They helped me believe I could achieve anything. I first volunteered at a hospital when I was 13, an experience that ultimately led me to medical school and, finally, residency. It looked like my dream was becoming a reality, but in these predominantly white environments, I found myself talking differently, being more conscious of my appearance and less likely to be open about what I knew or what I didn’t. I didn’t like to ask for help. I didn’t find it easy to be myself. Be invisible. It was holding me back: I twice failed my Step 2 examination – the “gateway” exam to becoming a doctor – before finally moving on to my residency. After the 2020 George Floyd murder, I began to find my voice. I realized that I would never succeed professionally, nor be able to support others, if I wasn’t open about my vulnerabilities and challenges as a Black man and physician. Today I proudly wear my life experience. It makes me a better doctor, helps me find common ground with my patients and be empathetic to the students. I still go to Queens regularly with my wife and kids to visit my family. It makes me grateful for where I have come from and hopeful that with the right support." Tony Williams, MD, is a physician at Colchester Family Practice and an assistant dean of admissions at University of Vermont's Larner College of Medicine.

Jodi Gibbs: Community Champion "I love to organize. Plan. Help. During the holidays, I organize volunteers to ring the bell four or five days a week at our local Walmart to raise money for the Salvation Army. I’m the chairperson of the Ticonderoga Area Chamber of Commerce ambassadors. I serve on the board of directors for the TrailNorth Federal Credit Union. And I volunteer at my church. I am a greeter every Sunday. It’s so much fun to see the same people week after week. They always tease me because I know almost every single person’s name who comes into the church. They always comment, “Oh my word, how can you possibly keep track of everyone’s name?” It’s just a little trick I have. I keep busy throughout the year. Everyone can use some help now and then, and that’s really all I want to do. There’s a sense of connection to my community that brings me joy. I’ve been on the planning committee for Memorial Day events for my hometown, Crown Point, for 30 years. We have a parade, fireworks, a carnival and music. Every year for my entire life, my family has gone to my aunt’s house – she lives on the main road and the parade goes right by – so we have lunch and watch. It brings me joy to see happy children, families and generations of people come together. It’s fun to be able to ensure that tradition continues. That’s a big part of why I keep volunteering. It brings such joy to my heart to help others with no expectation of a return. " Jodi Gibbs is the quality and population health assistant at Elizabethtown Community Hospital. She’s been with us for six years. Her story is part of The Mosaic Project, a collection of short stories about the people of University of Vermont Health Network.

Alice Hyde's Halloween Trick-or-Treat event is back for another year! Join us on Alice Hyde's campus from 5 - 7 pm on Thursday, Oct. 24, for a Trick-or-Treat event open to all ages. Visitors may park in the hospital's main parking lot, or in the Reddy Cancer Center Parking lot on Fourth Street and walk to our employee parking lot at the corner of Fourth Street and Pierpont Avenue, where Trick-or-Treat stations will be decorated by employees and departments from across our organization. Pre-packaged treats will be handed out. The event is free and open to the public.

We are proud to support the great work of Get Healthy North Country as they promote chronic disease self-management throughout our community! This FREE 6-week program is being held at Malone YMCA starting Thursday, October 10 can help you and your loved ones learn and discover a variety of strategies that can enhance your health and wellbeing. To sign up, contact Dan Sweet at [email protected] or via phone at (518) 891-5855 ext. 5509.

Casey Kolb Nava: A Lasting Legacy. "Almost every time I’m in the car with a relative, I learn something new about my family’s history. "Sometimes it’s a small graveyard with the remains of one of our 1700s ancestors. Sometimes it’s an unexpected link to historical figures like Ethan Allen or George Dewey, who was from Montpelier and became Admiral of the United States Navy. Sometimes it’s something humbler – a pasture with a beautiful view that was once owned by another branch of the family. "I wasn’t born and raised here – I grew up near Washington D.C. – but these connections to Central Vermont have been important to me since I was a kid. We often visited family here and soaked up stories about the past from older relatives. When I moved here with my family in 2015, I saw all this history with fresh eyes and started to appreciate how much the past is tied up with the present and the future. "The place where this all comes together for me is what my family calls the “Old Farm,” at the end of Slaughterhouse Road outside of Northfield Falls. It’s all the way at the top of the hill there. "My great-grandfather had this idea in the ’60s to turn the land into a red-pine farm that could be harvested for telephone poles. My grandparents, my dad and his five siblings spent a lot of time planting trees on this 160-acre piece of land. Every school break they would be out there planting. "By the ’90s, the trees were grown, but no one wanted to cut them down. The land was too beautiful and filled with wildlife – we see moose tracks up there and “our bear” comes through regularly. It’s one of those places where Vermont’s past and present coexist." Casey Kolb Nava, MD is the medical director of the Central Vermont Medical Center hospitalist group. She’s been with us for more than nine years. Casey's story is part of the Mosaic Project, a collection of short stories about the people of University of Vermont Health Network.

The big day is almost here! Join us this Saturday, September 28 for Alice Hyde’s 5K Pumpkin Run & Munchkin Mile at Malone Rec Park! The Munchkin Mile begins at 10am, followed by the 5K Pumpkin Run at 10:30am. We're also adding a new wrinkle for adult participants looking for a fun challenge: pick your pumpkin and carry it for the entire 5K and you can take it home after the race! Thank you to our Premier sponsors, Ellis Automotive and Community Bank! Learn more and sign up at https://lnkd.in/eumeN6CY #FallFestivities #5KRun #CommunitySupport

Our people. Their stories. Introducing the Mosaic Project. The Mosaic Project is a collection of short stories about the people of University of Vermont Health Network. These are your coworkers, caregivers, neighbors, family members, friends – each with unique life experiences that are part of the vibrant mosaic of who we are. This ongoing series comes from interviews conducted by the storytellers on our Communications and Engagement Strategies team. UVMHealth.org/Mosaic

Thank you to everyone who attended our community forum this week at the Malone Golf Club. It was great to see so many people in our area interested to learn about the work taking place to ensure you and your loved ones continue receiving the care you need. Thank you to Tucker Slingerland, MD, CEO of Hudson Headwaters Health Network, Vicki Rockhill, Owner of Northern Ambulance and Ramsey Herrington, MD, Interim Executive Vice President of University of Vermont Health Network Operations for providing important updates to the community at our forum. Among the topics discussed: expanding access to primary care in partnership with Hudson Headwaters, ensuring a seamless transition for emergency services and transportation when Vicki Rockhill retires from Northern Ambulance, and the announcement of a new general surgeon with critical care training coming to Alice Hyde. And thank you for all of your questions and comments throughout the evening.

Residents of Vermont and northern New York have been warned: Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) is in our area. The mosquito-borne illness has infected several people across New England. Local health experts recommend the following prevention measures to stay safe.

Join us on October 8 for "Building Solidarity: Sustainable Pathways towards Health Equity," a transformative event dedicated to advancing equity in health care. This FREE event is open to everyone committed to improving the health of our communities – employees, community leaders, advocates, learners and patients. In-person at the DoubleTree Hotel, South Burlington, VT, and online. Learn more and register at: https://lnkd.in/eNZvkBst Presented by The University of Vermont Health Network, The Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine at The University of Vermont, and University of Vermont College of Nursing and Health Sciences.