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We hear it so often we can forget that this statement is not cliche. One person does make a difference and when we forget that, we forget the possibilities for goodness that are within the fiber of our being.
So telling stories of how other human beings make a difference can jog our memory and awaken our belief that it is indeed, true. Here is one just story. A short story of a man hidden more deeply in the management side of Longmont United Hospital, yet making a difference and, with humility, knowing it.
“I care about every person that comes into my hospital,” Antony Pearson, new chief medical officer, reflected during our interview. What a down-to-earth and straightforward admittance coming from this management-level individual. It is a testament to what Longmont United Hospital holds as its ongoing dedication and goal — “whole person-centered care.”
Antony is no stranger to health challenges and suffering. He stood day in and day out by his wife as she went through breast cancer. It was an event that deepened his understanding of the service involved in medical care. Antony recalled with emotion the practices of the chemotherapy ward where family was built not only in the face of the suffering, but in the support that was offered. Each time someone completed their treatments, a bell rang loud enough for all to hear, creating a mini-celebration.
It hearkens to a quote attributed to Mother Teresa: “We can do no great things, only small things with great love.” Antony strives each day to live this out on the many levels that are now his responsibility, everything from tending systems to benefit the entire chain of employees and patients to the daily morning huddle where individuals can safely voice whatever needs to be voiced.
It was moving to hear the ways Longmont United Hospital looks to the importance of small things in its care. If you have been to the hospital for care, or just to visit someone you love, you may recall that a gong plays at 2 p.m. to invite everyone to stop for a moment, to breathe and to have a time of quiet. Room visitations by doctors and nurses are kept to a minimum to preserve the dedicated quiet time. It hearkens to an era when stores were closed on weekends and perhaps even to Europe, where bells can be heard chiming at regular intervals of the day.
Antony spoke to his gratitude to be in his role, a role that also makes him a cheerleader. It gives him a chance to take his own view of the good in people to the next level and to take each day to notice who he can help and how he can support. To answer the many challenges that exist in an industry that serves to alleviate suffering with innovative responses that combine his professional expertise with his personal beliefs to live a life of service.
It is no surprise that Longmont United Hospital takes its commitment to service outside the walls and into the community. One way is its recent choice to step up as the presenting sponsor of HOPE’s annual fundraising gala. HOPE serves our vulnerable homeless population providing support toward housing and self-sufficiency. HOPE’s gala is coming up this month. You can join a fantastic virtual event that will look at the work of this nonprofit during this past year of COVID, envision a future of expansion and do it with live music, games and fun. Check out Longmont United Hospital’s presenting video and HOPE’s gala registration at hopeforlongmont.org/celebrate-hope.
