Smart Talk - May 2026

Co-Worker Newsletter of St. Joseph’s/Candler may 2026

SJ/C Volunteer Services Celebrates Legacy, Has Room To Grow

This year, Volunteer Services is celebrating its 63rd year of helping co-workers, patients and visitors at both St. Joseph’s Hospital and Candler Hospital. The number 63 has a special meaning for the volunteers because it was in 1963 that their services officially began.

Since that time, the volunteers have been an invaluable part of the health system, helping in the Gift Shops at both campuses, directing patients and visitors to where they need to go, checking in on their care, hosting special sales that benefit St. Joseph’/Candler, and much, much more.

Both campuses combined had about 200 volunteers up until the COVID-19 pandemic, when volunteers were asked to stay home for their safety. Less than half of those volunteers returned once the pandemic ended. So while they celebrate this milestone, the volunteers also want people to know that there is room to grow.

“We are always looking for assistance in our Gift Shops, patient visitation, infusion center assistance and so much more,” said Holly Weiss, Director of Volunteer Services.

Wynell Redmond, known as Nell, was happy to return after the pandemic. She enjoys working in the Candler Gift Shop and helping with patient relations, where she checks in on patients to make sure they are happy with their care.

Nell has been a volunteer for 19 years. At 91 years old, she makes the drive to Candler Hospital from Effingham County twice a week.

“I like people, and with patient relations, you get to know people one-onone,” she said. “I like to be involved. I like to get out. I’m not a TV person.”

Shirley Owens, who serves in St. Joseph's Hospital's Outpatient Surgery lobby, shared similar sentiments about volunteering.

moving forward

“It’s a blessing for me because I am on my own,” she said. “And I like this because I was a nurse, and I understand what patients and families are going through.”

Shirley is in her 29th year of volunteering. In her current role, she helps give people direction when they aren’t sure where to go. And although they don’t know it, Shirley says a prayer for those going into surgery.

“I’m sure some patients have a lot of prayers said for them, but I’m sure a lot of them don’t,” Shirley said. “So that is my ministry now.”

Both Nell and Shirley believe that if someone wants to try volunteering, SJ/C is a great place to do it because of the variety of roles available.

“I like to be here, but my friend likes the Gift Shop because she loves doing sales and things like that,” Shirley said. “There are many different areas to volunteer in, depending on what you like to do.”

Specialty Pharmacy Achieves Full URAC Accreditation

The Specialty Pharmacy at the Candler Prescription Center has received full accreditation from the Utilization Review Accreditation Commission (URAC), which is considered the gold standard in healthcare accreditation. This recognition is awarded to specialty pharmacies that demonstrate the ability to deliver high-quality care in all facets of their operations, including medication access, safety monitoring, communication with providers and coordination of care.

For patients, this means getting their medications faster and with proactive support from the pharmacy.

“Achieving URAC accreditation reflects our commitment to the highest standards in quality, safety, and coordination of pharmacy care,” said Pharmacy Operations Manager Dustin Orvin, PharmD, BCPS. “Our patients can have confidence their medications are managed by our excellent team locally here in Savannah.”

mission critical

Get Your Rear In Gear

St. Joseph’s/Candler hosted its annual Get Your Rear In Gear 5K at the Nancy N. and J.C. Lewis Cancer & Research Pavilion in late March.

Participants got their starting signal from DeDe Cargill, a colon cancer survivor who was instrumental in bringing this national series to Savannah more than a decade ago. The children in the Kids’ Run were treated to police officers on motorcycles leading them through the course.

Hundreds of runners and walkers came out for the event, which is part of a national series that was created to raise awareness about colon cancer. The funds raised from the Savannah race will stay in the local community and help with prevention, early detection and treatment for colon cancer.

career discovery

The spring session of our Career Discovery program gave Richmond Hill High School students an inside—and hopefully inspiring—look at how the health system operates in both clinical and nonclinical areas. Students shadowed co-

Angels of Mercy Help Restore Walls For Homes

Savannah hit 90 degrees for the first time this year, but the heat didn’t stop SJ/C’s Angels of Mercy from helping Habitat for Humanity build walls for new homes. Volunteers unloaded wood, hammered many nails and helped load the finished frames for delivery to the site.

Wondering what the Angles will do next, and if you can be involved? There is a new webpage on The Hub that makes it easy to see upcoming events and sign up. Simply click the Mission and Values icon on the homepage, then click on the Angels of Mercy link. You will see the top link for signing up online. The webpage lists all the upcoming AOM volunteer opportunities for 2026.

workers at both St. Joseph’s Hospital and Candler Hospital. This program continues to be a unique, hands-on experience for these students. Special thanks to the co-workers who welcomed them into their departments and units.

rn mnit

(magnet nurses in touch)

Congratulations to our latest DAISY Award winner, Claire Duffy. Claire is a board-certified oncology nurse in the Infusion Center at the Lewis Cancer & Research Pavilion. She was nominated by a family member of a former patient, who wrote:

“Claire Duffy consistently demonstrated attentiveness, kindness and provided continuous care that went above and beyond for each patient, not just my mom. I sat there and watched how she treated everyone. Her rounds were more than just routine; she took the time to truly connect with everyone, ensuring their comfort and addressing their concerns with genuine empathy. For instance, my mother was incredibly

By Alicia Motley, DNP, MBA, RN, NE-BC Director, Professional Practice, Specialty Services & Infection Control, Magnet Program Director

nervous about starting chemotherapy. However, Claire's compassionate and reassuring interaction with her completely eased those fears, making a difficult situation much more manageable. Her ability to connect with patients on such a personal level truly sets her apart and makes a significant difference in their overall experience.”

I love how this person was touched not only by her family member’s care, but also by how Claire treated all the nearby patients. As she says, a nurse’s compassion can make all the difference. Congratulations, Claire!

In other news, National Nurses Week is coming up soon – May 6 through May 12. This year’s theme is the Wild, Wild

West. So check your emails and unit bulletin boards for information on this year’s events, and rope in those dates!

McAuley Award recipient known as behindthe-scenes hero

When Crystal Horton heard her name announced as the 2026 McAuley Award recipient, she was frozen for a moment in total surprise.

“I wanted to go under the table and hide!” Horton said.

“St. Joseph’s/Candler has so many brilliant, exceptional coworkers that deserved this award ahead of me. I think of this award as proof that God can use even the most seemingly unlikely people to accomplish His will and purposes.”

Nominations from her peers tell a story of a co-worker who is actually quite deserving of recognition. Horton is considered an unsung hero, often behind the scenes (or the counter) as a Pharmacist at the Candler Prescription Center. She is known for going above and beyond with patients, physicians and coworkers, and giving the kind of attention and care that makes everyone she interacts with feel special.

Horton was one of the 130 co-workers nominated for the McAuley Award by their peers. The nominees represented more than 55 departments.

SJ/C President & CEO Paul P. Hinchey announced Horton’s name at a special ceremony at St. Joseph’s Hospital in late March. The McAuley Award is named in honor of Catherine McAuley, who founded the Sisters of Mercy to bring education, healthcare, social justice, and spiritual guidance to those in need.

Hailing from Rhine, Georgia, Horton grew up on her family’s farm. Family members said that from an early age, she was a hard worker who took on many tasks and then moved right on to the next one. She also wanted to be a pharmacist for as long as they could recall.

When not working in Savannah, Horton returns to the family farm to help out whenever she can. She also volunteers to help with fundraisers for the Humane Society and the American Red Cross.

may events

4–29 SJ/C Benefits Open Enrollment

Now is the time for you to update or verify your benefit elections for the fiscal year of July 2026 through June 2027. If the details and changes in benefits feel like a journey into new and wild territory, don’t worry. The Human Resources department has your survival guide ready to go! Talk with them at the following events:

location_on Candler Hospital’s Marsh Auditorium

Wednesday, May 6 | 7 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

location_on St. Joseph’s Hospital’s Meeting Rooms

Wednesday, May 20 | 7 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

There will also be Information & Help sessions in Pooler and Bluffton:

location_on Bluffton Campus

Wednesday, May 13 | 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

location_on Pooler Campus

Thursday, May 14 | 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

There will even be a Zoom session on May 12 from Noon to 1 p.m. Check your email for the link from Human Resources.

As the 33rd Annual McAuley Award recipient, Horton will have her name and image added to the bronze McAuley plaque displayed in the lobbies of SJ/C’s main campuses. She also received a $3,000 honorarium, a one-year parking pass in the location of her choice, a one-month cafeteria meal pass, a gift certificate for a massage at SJ/C’s Wellness Center, a SJ/C watch and the McAuley plaque and pin.

“I thank God for the special gift of practicing at St. Joseph’s/ Candler every day,” Horton said. “Helping my patients makes me so happy. I would like to honor Bill Bowers for hiring me and giving me this amazing opportunity. I also want to thank my manager, Wesley Turner, who inspires me with the way he leads our team.”

While she didn’t hide under the table at the ceremony, Horton is still grateful to be behind the scenes for her daily work.

“Honestly, I pray others never see me, but instead see the love in my heart and know the one true source of that love,” she said. “May God be glorified in us taking care of each other.”

Get all the details about enrollment at the SJ/C Benefits Portal: www.sjchs.org/benefits. Remember, if you choose not to submit a new enrollment, your current elections (with the exception of Flex Accounts) will automatically roll over with the 2025-2026 premium rates.

If you want to elect new benefits or have Flex Account funds active for 2026-2027, you must complete a new enrollment by May 29.

20 Aldersgate Day (John Wesley Day) Observed

SJ/C celebrates its Methodist history on Aldersgate Day, also known as John Wesley Day. It is traditionally observed on May 24 to commemorate the day of Wesley’s spiritual reawakening at a meeting of Christian leaders on Aldersgate Street in London in 1738. Wesley found new strength in his faith and his ability to minister, and a year later he began the Methodist Society in England, creating the religious tradition of Methodism.

Because May 24 is on Sunday this year, our celebration will be held on Wednesday, May 20, and will include activities and a guest speaker on both campuses.

welcome to St. Joseph’s/Candler!

Please join us in welcoming the following new co-workers to the St. Joseph’s/Candler family:

Jennifer Allen | Ins./Pymt. Verif

Justice Alpers | ED, Candler

Jennifer Alvarez | ICU, St. Joseph's

Shaindal Armstrong | Specialty Phys. Rev. Cycle

Cartrina Baldwin | Home Health – Brunswick

Jakeya Bass | 5 South, St. Joseph's

Francesca Bennett Johnson | PCU, St. Joseph's

Kirah Bowen | PCU, St. Joseph's

Hailey Boyd | ICU, Candler

Jaysia Brown | PCU, St. Joseph's

Motique Brown | Dietary Svcs., Candler

Mentina Brownlee | Central Referral Office

Chenay Bryant | Revenue Integrity

Berneteria Butler | St. Joseph's Cardiology

Alexis Bynum | LCRP

Kylea Carroll | Health Information Mgmt

Katheryn Caskey | Amb. Surg. Svcs., St. Joseph's

Bianca Chambers | LCRP

Olivia Chatman | PCU, St. Joseph's

Deja Chisolm | Patient Registration, Candler

Courtney Christian | ED, Candler

Jamie Christman | Health Information Mgmt

Kelley Cline | Primary Care on the Islands

Ashley Cooper | Ins./Pymt. Verif

Tina Culligan | Dietary Svcs., Candler

Tamara Dainis | Ins./Pymt. Verif

Tara Daniel | Urgent Care, Pooler

Michele Davis | Surgical Oncology

Alexander Deli | OR, Candler

Robert Denton | Rehab Unit, Candler

Katherine Dunkley | LCRP

Natalia Edwards | Patient Accounting

Vern Edwards | Dietary Svcs., Candler

Keronie Ellis | Dialysis, St. Joseph's

Tara Fisher | Ins./Pymt. Verif

Emily Forbeck | Amb. Surg. Svcs., St. Joseph's

Grace Fulford | 5 South, St. Joseph's

Paulette Furman-Neal | Envr. Svcs., Candler

Amani Garcia | ED, St. Joseph's

Patnesha Gardner | LCRP

Jermaine German | Dietary Svcs., Candler

Mylene Gonzales Evans | LCRP

may birthdays

1 Lawrence Bennett

Jinfeng Chen

Joy Khan

Megan Larson

Mone'T Lewis

Kristian Merva

Mitia Owens

Skylar Pearson

James Speed

Cary Stutzman

Jennifer Thomas

2

Eugene Adams

Katheryn Caskey

Grace Davison

Eryn Denning

Jasmine Diao

Kirsten King-Wenderoth

Cortney Meader

Willie Young

Joseph Zichettella

3

Ryleigh Clark

Karlene Davy

Kristy Dent

Emily Grate

Zabria Griffin

Mallory Hardy

Brittany Hughes

Alisha McKinnis

Logan McMichael

Evan Trawick

Allen Tung

William Tyler II

4

Destiny Allen

Tamitrice Bailey

Kabre'Shiya Boutte

Ana Conway

Keely Huey

Emma Jenkins

Laura Lewis

Wendy Odum

Emily Prosser

Joyce Scott

Lasonia Simmons

Grace Tackie

Marites Young

5 Justin Alonso

Taylor Banks

Harmony Barnett

Martha Bennett

Alice Bethea

Jennifer Bulle

LaCarrie Coaxum

Danielle Connor

Lisa Hahn | Primary Care on the Islands

Kailyn Hamm | Amb. Surg. Svcs., St. Joseph's

Sheena Harmon | Gastroenterology, St. Joseph's

Joslyn Harris | Laundry & Linen, St. Joseph's

Armuniya Haywood | Home Health – Savannah

Patricia Hendricks | Surgical Oncology

Thea Hendrix | Patient Registration, Candler

Shanerial Higgenbottom | Surgical Oncology

Regina Hillock | Rehab Unit Post Acute, St. Joseph's

Lisa Hodges | Dietary Svcs., Candler

Amy Holmes | Rehab Unit Post Acute, Candler

Nicole Holt | LCRP

Derrick Hubbard | GA Infimary Housing Svcs.

Oluwabunmi Ilesanmi | PCU, Candler

Jamie James | ED, Candler

Latasha Jarrett | Dietary Svcs., Candler

La'Crystal Johnson | Ins./Pymt. Verif

Mariel Johnson | ED, Candler

Jessica Joseph | Lab Otr. Svcs., St. Joseph's

Barbara Keel | Revenue Integrity

Brehanna Keener | NICU, St. Joseph's

Anna Lanciano | Pathology Lab, St. Joseph's

Lola Lastar | OR, St. Joseph's

Latasha Lawton | 5 North, St. Joseph's

Julia Leach | Pathology Lab, St. Joseph's

Jerry Lipsey | Laundry & Linen, St. Joseph's

Nuria Luciano | Urgent Care, Pooler

Shameka Maddox | Laundry & Linen, St. Joseph's

Pricilla Mann | Specialty Phys. Rev. Cycle

Iesha Martinez | South Carolina Cancer Care

Ava Mcclung | Purch. & Dist., Candler

Casey Mccurdy | Specialty Phys. Rev. Cycle

Michelle Mcmahon | Anesthesiology, Candler

Bailey Mercer | Urgent Care, Pooler

Riche Mikerlin | Envr. Svcs., Candler

Savannah Miller | PCU, St. Joseph's

Sondra Miller | Patient Placement Centralized

Samantha Miness | ED, Candler

Brandi Mischik | Infusion Svcs., Hilton Head

Lakeithia Mobley | ED, Candler

Madylyn Morgan | ED, Candler

Katelyn Niewoonder | Lab Otr. Svcs., St. Joseph's

Shanon Nobles | GA Infirmary/CCSP

April Ogden | Pelvic Floor & Continence Ctr.

Vanshika Patel | ED, Candler

Hannah Pelt | PCU, Candler

Jasmin Perez | OT, St. Joseph's

Felicia Pierce | Health Information Mgmt

Gina Pisano-Geremina | Surgical Oncology

Sophia Posey | ICU, Candler

Destiny Potts | Ins./Pymt. Verif

Stacey Renzi | 6 South, Candler

Jessica Rhoads | Ctr. for Hyperbarics & Wound Care

Jeanell Rickard | PCU, Candler

My'Keia Rivers | Dietary Svcs., Candler

Tiffany Robbins | Physician Network - ENT

Nicole Robinson | Specialty Phys. Rev. Cycle

Sierra Robinson | Home Health – Savannah

Melanie Rodriguez | Patient Registration

Nadine Salmon | Lactation Svcs.

Adam Sherrod | 5 North, St. Joseph's

Shiquira Simmons | Primary Care in Heartwood

Alayna Smith | Urgent Care, Pooler

Kirsten Smith | St. Joseph's Cardiology

Myra Smith | Specialty Phys. Rev. Cycle

Ressa Smith | Education

Shelby Swanson | Urgent Care, Rincon

Phuong Khanh Ta | Lab Otr. Svcs., St. Joseph's

Olivia Tann Broady | Anesthesiology, Candler

Pamela Taylor | PCU, Candler

Seburnia Thompson | Specialty Phys. Rev. Cycle

Desiree Valdez | Ultrasound, St. Joseph's

Annie Vilaysack | Surgical Oncology

Monique Vinson | Dietary Svcs., Candler

Brea'Nna Voigt | LCRP

Britton Wallace | Oncology Lab

Joseph Weiss | Rehab Unit, Candler

Haley West | CCU, St. Joseph's

Kaitlyn White | ED, St. Joseph's

Mikell White | SPD, St. Joseph's

Jean Williams | Specialty Phys. Rev. Cycle

Peterson Worrell | Ctr. for Medication Mgmt.

Gary Youngblood | Patient Accounting

Akangbe Margie

Catherine Moes

Shook

Cothran

Taylor

Caitlin Coody Nolan Hennessee Melissa Jackson

Carniesha

Mandy