Brentwood, Tennessee (September 10, 2019) – LifePoint Health, a leading healthcare company dedicated to Making Communities Healthier®, has named Cereatha Kinzer from Raleigh General Hospital (RGH) the recipient of the 2019 companywide Mercy Award. Kinzer, who serves as a registered nurse in the hospital’s endoscopy department, was honored for the exceptional care she provides to patients and for her numerous humanitarian efforts throughout the Beckley, West Virginia community.
LifePoint’s companywide Mercy Award is given annually to one of nearly 60,000 LifePoint employees who has profoundly touched the lives of others and embodies the spirit and values upon which the Company was founded. It was established in 2001 to honor the life and legacy of the late Scott Mercy, LifePoint’s founding chairman and chief executive officer (CEO), and is the highest honor a LifePoint employee can receive.
“Cereatha is the epitome of what it means to embody our mission of Making Communities Healthier, both inside and outside our hospitals’ walls,” said David Dill, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of LifePoint Health. “Her tireless compassion and the genuine kindness she shows to her patients and neighbors is humbling and inspiring, and we are thrilled to honor her with this prestigious award.”
A veteran employee of RGH, Kinzer is affectionately known by her colleagues as “Momma Bear” for her ability to help her patients feel more comfortable and better understand their care plan, and also for taking new employees protectively under her wing. She has organized numerous fundraising efforts in the community and volunteers with her family at the local animal shelter. She also donates her time to a local homeless shelter and has been known to host the less fortunate in her home for dinners, help them find work and purchase items they need. Additionally, Kinzer delivers toys to children in need through Mac’s Toy Fund, supports veterans through the Wounded Warrior Project and volunteers with the Safe Haven campaign, which provides assistance to expectant mothers suffering from drug addiction.
“Cereatha is a shining light at RGH, and I am so proud that she is receiving this momentous recognition,” said Matt Roberts, the hospital’s CEO. “Whether she is providing compassionate care to a patient, offering a car ride to a fellow colleague or opening her home to those less fortunate, her positive influence is felt far and wide and is making a real difference in our community. She is an inspiration to all of us as we continue to advance our mission and improve the health and well-being of the community we serve.”
Kinzer was formally honored with the 2019 companywide Mercy Award at a ceremony held in Nashville, Tenn., on August 28.
About LifePoint Health®
LifePoint Health is a leading healthcare company dedicated to Making Communities Healthier®. Through its subsidiaries, it provides quality inpatient, outpatient and post-acute services close to home. LifePoint owns and operates community hospitals, regional health systems, physician practices, outpatient centers and post-acute facilities across the country. It is the sole community healthcare provider in the majority of the non-urban communities it serves. More information about the company can be found at www.LifePointHealth.net.
