FALL 2022
BCN’s Eastern Kentucky Flood Relief The night of July 27th saw sudden and catastrophic flooding
One team member rushed over to our Hazard Regional Office
throughout much of our service area in Eastern Kentucky. As
to pump water out of our pharmacy as it was filling with water
flood waters began to rise, the immediate threat of this event
overnight. Others immediately began calling on patients to
was felt by our 250 team members and nearly 500 patients in
ensure their safety and assess their immediate needs. Our
this area. By morning, homes were washed away, and roads
Durable Medical Equipment (DME) team even helped the Red
had crumbled with the ground underneath them. Whole
Cross deliver a bariatric bed and wheelchair to a gentleman in
towns were completely swallowed by flood waters, and
need at a temporary shelter, even though he was not a patient
thousands of individuals lost everything.
of ours.
More than 20 BCN team
members have damaged
or completely destroyed
together to collect cleaning supplies, rubber boots and bottled water and transported them to our Hazard and Pikeville
homes. And many of
Regional Offices.
in Eastern Kentucky
As the cleanup and rebuilding of these communities continues,
same – while also dealing
imagine, the determination and grit of our hospice team always
our nearly 500 patients encountered much of the
meeting patient needs remains a challenge – but as you can
with serious illness.
finds a way. We continue to be uplifted by the outpouring of
We are so proud of all our
challenges that these communities now face. Gifts of financial
generosity from our Caring Community, who understand the
BCN Heroes who were
support for Bluegrass Care Navigators and our Eastern
both selfless and creative
Kentucky team and patients have come in from across our
in their dedication to
Commonwealth and the country. This kindness has helped
providing the expert care
provide the initial relief for so many individuals immediately
our patients needed. Our
following the flood.
Eastern Kentucky team sprang into action to ensure that the medications and expert care we provide the seriously ill in these communities was not disrupted – wading through muck to visit patients and delivering necessary medical care via kayaks and ATVs when roads were not traversable.
Within days our Central and Northern Kentucky teams rallied
It will be a long recovery from this tragic event, but we
continue to be encouraged by the dedication of our team, the resilience of our Eastern Kentucky neighbors, and the
support of our Caring Community. Tomorrow, we will pick
up again! A new patient will come to us. A family will face the final phase of their loved one’s care. But they won’t be alone, because we will be right there with them.