Many HCA Healthcare caregivers donate their time and expertise to outreach efforts that provide healthcare to the neediest in their communities, both at home and abroad. It's a way that they can take their unique skills and make a difference for people who otherwise might never have even basic healthcare services, and the opportunity means a great deal to those who participate.
Take Angelle Hayes, an emergency department charge nurse at HCA Healthcare. As she embarks on her sixth year with the organization, she has also founded The Upward Twist, a non-profit organization geared towards helping fund individuals seeking to go on medical missions. Her work with the group has led to the first of many planned mission trips and a commitment to help others in need.
"I was blessed with the opportunity to go on a medical mission trip to Uganda in December 2017 which ignited the fire in my soul to begin The Upward Twist," said Hayes. "It was a trip that not only tugged at my heart, but reminded me why I went into nursing. I returned from my trip and began sharing my story with several colleagues who voiced they had always wanted to do something similar but never made the leap because the trips were always too expensive. I didn't want the cost of the trip to keep someone from using their gifts and talents to serve abroad on a medical mission."
"I was then led into starting The Upward Twist, which washes all those worries away. When there's a will to go serve on a medical mission, there is now a way. We not only help medical professionals go on these medical missions, but we also invest in their emotional and spiritual self by providing them with tools to help them process what they're going through during their trip. Our hope is to create a ripple effect. One that continuously impacts lives. We're investing in the healthcare providers that could be at yours or your family member's bedside one day when you need them most."
Having a heart for service is doing more than just talking the talk - for Angelle, it's walking the walk. She has found a way to give back to the community she serves — even outside the hospital doors.