Greenville, NC – ECU Health is excited to announce the Academic Loan Scholarship Program, a new workforce investment designed to support students pursuing high need health sciences degrees across eastern North Carolina. The program provides $5,000 in financial assistance to eligible students and includes a one year, full time work commitment with ECU Health upon graduation, helping ensure a strong homegrown pipeline of skilled professionals for the region’s hospitals and clinics.
“Eastern North Carolina depends on a strong, well trained health care workforce, and this program is an important investment in that future,” said Brian Floyd, chief operating officer, ECU Health. “By reducing financial barriers for students and creating clear pathways into our system, we’re able to recruit and retain the talent our communities rely on. Supporting local learners early in their training strengthens both ECU Health and the long term stability of care across the region, and this commitment ensures we are preparing the next generation of caregivers who take care of the communities we serve.”
Created to address the need for allied health and nursing roles, the Academic Loan Scholarship represents a significant commitment to expanding access to education while meeting the health care needs of rural and underserved communities. A total of $165,000 has been allocated for the program, allowing for 33 scholarships of $5,000 each. Eligible students must be enrolled in or accepted into one of several high need programs at regional community colleges, including nursing (ADN), respiratory therapy, surgical technology, medical laboratory technology, radiography, sonography, cardiovascular sonography, CT, MRI, diagnostic technology, OTA and PTA. Students in the Nursing Ribbon Program are also eligible.
“At ECU Health, we believe that supporting the next generation of caregivers is essential to building a healthier eastern North Carolina,” said Josh Crocker, vice president, HR Centers of Excellence, ECU Health. “Our Academic Loan Scholarship Program is designed to ease the financial burden for students in high demand health disciplines while creating clear pathways into vital clinical roles across our region. This initiative reflects our commitment to growing local talent, expanding access to care and advancing our mission of improving the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina.”
Applications close May 22, 2026. To learn more about the Academic Loan Scholarship Program, including eligibility, FAQs and application requirements, please contact Brynn Schiller at [email protected].
Greenville, NC – The North Carolina Healthcare Association (NCHA) announced that Brian Floyd, MBA, RN, Chief Operating Officer of ECU Health, has been elected to serve as chair of the association’s 2026–2027 Board of Trustees. As chair, Floyd will help guide the association’s strategic direction and oversee its efforts to advance policies and partnerships that improve the health of communities across North Carolina.
“I am honored to serve as chair of the NCHA Board of Trustees to work alongside leaders from across the state to strengthen our health care system and support the incredible teams who care for our communities every day,” said Floyd. “Ensuring that rural health care remains at the forefront of statewide policy and investment will continue to be a driving priority for me as we move forward together. I look forward to championing the health care needs of North Carolinians and helping expand access to high‑quality care across our state, especially in rural communities.”
Floyd began his career as a nurse in the post‑operative cardiac surgery unit at ECU Health Medical Center and brings nearly three decades of experience in health care leadership and operations. His administrative roles have included physician practice management, service line development, hospital operations and serving as the president of ECU Health Medical Center where he led several expansions to today’s nearly 1,000 bed capacity. He now serves as chief operating officer for ECU Health with oversight of the health system clinical enterprise in eastern North Carolina.
A long‑time advocate for rural health care, Floyd is deeply committed to meeting the health needs of the region. He also contributes his expertise on several national and state boards, including the American Hospital Association Regional Policy Board, the North Carolina State Health Coordinating Council and the NCWorks Commission (by gubernatorial appointment), the Governor’s Council on Workforce and Apprenticeship, Pitt Community College Board and the NCHA Board. Floyd has served on the NCHA Board since 2023 and is currently serving as NCHA Chair.
“NCHA is incredibly fortunate to have Brian Floyd as our Board Chair,” said NCHA President and CEO Josh Dobson. “His exceptional leadership and extensive expertise in providing high quality healthcare, especially in a rural setting, makes him the ideal chair for our advocacy organization. His proven ability to build strong relationships and navigate complex health care challenges positions us well toward achieving our goals of improving the health of our state.”
Watching her grandfather, a tobacco farmer, struggle with COPD inspired Karen Ward to pursue a career in respiratory therapy, but she said she always knew she was meant to care for others.
“My purpose is to care for others,” she said. “I have been a caregiver for my immediate family. I like working with patients, and health care is my calling.”
The sleep disorders lab coordinator at ECU Health Roanoke-Chowan Hospital, Karen began her career as a respiratory therapist. One of the administrators, however, encouraged her and her team to expand their education.
“He would come around telling us we should know more than one field,” she said. “Around that time, our hospital planned to open a sleep lab and that interested me. The hospital paid for me and others to go to Atlanta, Georgia to learn about polysomnography and I did that along with respiratory therapy for a while. For the last 10-15 years I’ve done nothing but sleep.”
In the 40 years since Karen joined her team, she said she’s only had three managers – but a lot of other things have changed.
“The technology has changed,” she said. “The type of ventilators we use and the sleep lab equipment are different.”
She said communication has also evolved with the technology.
“There were no pagers, no cell phones when I started. For EKGs, we’d have to print them out and then cut out the parts we thought were important for the doctor,” she said. “We’d have to dictate what the doctor said and our charts were paper.”
And because there were no cell phones, Karen said when she was on call, she had to keep her landline close by in case of emergency calls.
“At home I’d have a long telephone wire into the bedroom so if they called me in the night, I’d hear the phone ring,” she said, adding, “I could have never done shift work when my children were young without the support of my husband and parents.”
What hasn’t changed, however, are the close relationships Karen has forged in her time with the system.
“This is a small community, and everyone knows everyone,” she said. “We have all been together through many life changes. When I started here, I was engaged. Now I will celebrate my 40th wedding anniversary in October. I’ve had children, I’ve had family members pass away. Three of my colleagues have been here as long as I have been, and I’ve made some long-lasting relationships and friendships. My manager now was once a student I helped train in respiratory therapy.”
Her advice for new team members focuses on the close bonds forged in community hospitals.
“Consider working in a smaller hospital – the relationships you make are different,” she said. “Everyone knows your name. You work hard and you still see critical patients, but the friendships you make are invaluable. My best friend and I met 40 years ago in respiratory therapy.”
In the future, Karen hopes to one day retire on her grandfather’s farm, care for her family and enjoy her hobbies of gardening and caring for stray animals.
“I am very tenderhearted, and I have a passion for animals,” she shared. “I worked with the local humane society and everyone in Ahoskie drops animals off at my house because they know I will get them to a good home.”
“When I die,” she added, “I hope I will be told, ‘well done, good and faithful servant.’”
On Jan. 20, ECU Health had the opportunity to reflect on the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in events across eastern North Carolina. In Greenville, two ECU Health leaders served as speakers in community events.
On Monday morning, Brian Floyd, chief operating officer of ECU Health, served as the keynote speaker during the Community Unity Breakfast, hosted by the Greenville-Pitt County Chamber of Commerce. Later in the day, Dr. Michael Waldrum, chief executive officer of ECU Health, sat on a panel of community leaders for a Celebrating the Life & Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. event at Jarvis United Methodist Church.
During the 29th annual Community Unity Breakfast, which ECU Health sponsors along with other local organizations, Floyd offered remarks focused on the power of a small group of people making a big difference in their community and across the world.
Floyd reflected that Dr. King’s work brought an awakening of the nation’s conscience and inspired others to advance civic causes and responsibilities. He related this back to the work of local leaders decades ago who saw troubling trends in the health of eastern North Carolinians.
“These people saw that and they gathered together and wondered, ‘What can we do about it?’ The idea is: let’s build access to care by creating physicians to serve in eastern North Carolina. They petitioned the state and they fought hard to get the right thing done, too,” Floyd said. “They took what little bit they had to offer and said we’ll take a little bit of this hospital and a little bit of this university and a whole lot of our interest, and people taking loans out to begin this process and petition the state to build what is now the Brody School of Medicine and what has become a national leader in academic medicine here at our hospital.”
Floyd said over the years at ECU Health Medical Center, hundreds of physicians and thousands of team members have served the community and transformed the once small county hospital into one of the nation’s largest academic medical centers. The community also had a vision for the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, which trains the most of North Carolina’s primary care physicians today.
He said the success stories of ECU Health Medical Center and the Brody School of Medicine are because of people who had the courage to step up and make a difference in their community.
“People who have the courage to do something probably don’t even realize where it’s taking the future,” Floyd said. “If we have the courage to solve health care disparities or try to address them, we use what we have. Just a handful of people can put in motion something that really can be transformational.”
He closed by reflecting on Dr. King’s words, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’”
Floyd asked those in attendance to avoid becoming complacent in seeking change and advocating for the well-being of others. He said he’s proud of the work of 15,00-plus team members across the organization taking action each day with a commitment to improving the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina.
Greenville, N.C. – ECU Health is proud to announce it has earned system-wide accreditation from the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer (ACS CoC), marking a significant milestone in the organization’s commitment to delivering world-class cancer care across eastern North Carolina. ACS CoC accreditation is awarded to institutions that demonstrate compliance with rigorous standards designed to improve survival and quality of life for patients with cancer.
“As a rural academic health system serving eastern North Carolina, ECU Health recognizes the importance of bringing high-quality cancer care close to home for the 1.4 million people we serve,” said Brian Floyd, chief operating officer, ECU Health. “We are proud of the leadership team, physicians and team members whose dedication made this achievement possible. Their collective efforts underscore ECU Health’s mission to improve the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina.”
ECU Health Cancer Care delivers standardized, high-quality services across all System hospitals and clinics. ECU Health Cancer Care Network includes ECU Health Medical Center, ECU Health Edgecombe Hospital, ECU Health Beaufort Hospital and ECU Health Roanoke-Chowan Hospital. Each location aligned on shared goals, projects and outreach initiatives, including cancer screenings to improve community health and well-being. Patients benefit from standardized care protocols across the system, multidisciplinary participation in cancer conferences, a collaborative cancer registry that enhances data-driven care and access to highly trained specialists in Greenville working seamlessly with care teams across the region.
“This system accreditation means patients across our region can expect the same high standards of cancer care no matter where they seek treatment,” said Dr. Emmanuel Zervos, executive director of cancer services at ECU Health, and professor at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. “It ensures that advanced treatments, multidisciplinary expertise and supportive resources are consistently available close to home. Most importantly, it gives patients and families confidence that their care is coordinated, compassionate and designed to achieve the best possible outcomes.”
Accredited programs must undergo comprehensive evaluation and review to ensure patients receive a full continuum of cancer care services, from prevention and early detection to diagnosis, treatment, survivorship and supportive resources. This accomplishment reflects the strong collaboration across the ECU Health system. The initiative was led by physicians and leaders across the health system to establish a state-of-the-art care model that unites specialists and resources across the region.
Casey Allen, a staff nurse IV at ECU Health Beaufort Hospital, was drawn to nursing – and working in oncology – after seeing many people in her family battle cancer. What she didn’t expect, however, was being diagnosed with cancer herself.
In October 2025, Casey attempted to donate blood but was told her lab counts were too low. Concerned, she called her primary care provider and further tests were needed. She went to the Marion L. Shepard Cancer Center in Washington, where she also worked, for blood tests, and in Greenville she received a bone marrow biopsy. The results: Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML).
AML is a rare cancer that affects bone marrow and blood. Approximately four in every 100,000 adults are diagnosed with AML every year, and although most are over the age of 60, it can affect younger adults or children.
“AML can be very aggressive,” said Jessica Hardin, Casey’s twin sister. Jessica is also a care manager and Medicare wellness nurse with ECU Health Family Medicine – Chocowinity and the multispecialty clinic in Belhaven.
Casey and Jessica grew up in Washington, and with their mother’s encouragement, they both chose to attend nursing school.
When Casey joined ECU Health, she encouraged Jessica to apply the next year, and they both worked on the same unit for a time.
“We worked on 3 West, but she worked the night shift and I worked the day shift,” Jessica recalled.
“We had to explain to our patients that we were twins and not one person on the floor all day. That was always a hoot.”
While Jessica transitioned from oncology to other roles in the system, Casey stayed on 3 West for several more years. She then transitioned to Marion L. Shepard in 2020.
“She is a dedicated oncology nurse,” Jessica said. “She just received her bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) from UNC Wilmington last year and has enjoyed working in radiation oncology at Marion Shepard.”
As twins, Jessica said she and Casey have “been together since the womb,” and that hasn’t changed as they both progressed through their careers and lives.
“We went to school together, and now we live close to each other,” Jessica shared. “Casey is a great mom of two kids, and she is brilliant. She strives to be better and better every year, and she pushes me even though I just go with the flow.”
Support from the community
Jessica said the rapid testing and diagnosis Casey received from ECU Health helped her begin a path towards essential care. She also highlighted the supportive community that surrounds Casey, her family and Jessica.
“Our oncologists have been so great in Beaufort and Greenville,” Jessica said. “They support my sister and me and check up on us. Even physicians who graduated from medical school here and moved away keep in contact. Since we grew up in the same area we work, everyone knows us and wants her to be okay. The amount of calls and messages I get to check on her – it’s all day.”
Casey received a high-dose inpatient chemotherapy treatment, and once she is home, she will have labs drawn, symptom management and any required blood products at Marion L. Shepard. The hope is that once her bone marrow blast cell count is high enough, she can be put on a list for a bone marrow transplant.
“She’s receiving hardcore treatment and taking it like a champ. Because we’re identical twins, our bone marrow is too much alike so I can’t be a donor,” Jessica said. “So we have to hope for a match and then she’ll have to stay near the hospital for 100 days after the transplant because transplant patients can have a lot of complications. You’re like a newborn baby.”
Jessica said it was important for people to consider being a bone marrow or stem cell donor.
“You have to be between the ages of 18 and 35 to donate, and you can sign up to be tested. They make sure it’s safe for you to donate and help you through every step. It’s very easy.”
In the meantime, Jessica said her sister has been very positive.
“I don’t know where her strength comes from. I’m up nights crying. She hasn’t been able to see her kids and she’ll joke on the phone about her hair falling out. She Facetimes her family and sometimes gets to go outside for a picnic,” Jessica shared. “And she wants to get back to work. She told me, ‘I hate cancer and love the care I can provide for families. Cancer doesn’t discriminate and I hope I can come back to the field I love.’”
To learn more about how to be a bone marrow or stem cell donor, or about other ways you can help, visit the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) site (formerly Be the Match).
Greenville, NC – ECU Health is proud to announce it has been named a 2025 Human Experience (HX) Guardian of Excellence Award® winner in consumer experience by Press Ganey, the global leader in health care experience solutions and services. This award is part of Press Ganey’s annual ranking of the top hospitals and health systems in the country, according to performance in consumer experience.
“This recognition from Press Ganey is a powerful affirmation of our commitment to listening to our patients and constantly improving based on their insights,” said Dr. Julie Kennedy Oehlert, chief experience officer at ECU Health. “Being honored for excellence in consumer experience reflects the strength of the ECU Health brand in eastern North Carolina and affirms the trust our communities place in us. I am so proud of the compassion and dedication of our team members who deliver high-quality care to those who call eastern North Carolina home.”
The Press Ganey Human Experience Awards honor health care organizations that consistently lead in patient experience, employee and physician engagement, clinical quality and safety. As a winner of the Press Ganey HX Guardian of Excellence Award® ECU Health is in the top one percent of health care providers in consumer experience in the last year.
“As a mission-driven rural health care system, ECU Health is uniquely positioned to deliver compassionate, high-quality care to communities that often face barriers to access,” said Brian Floyd, chief operating officer at ECU Health. “This recognition from Press Ganey reflects the extraordinary commitment of our team members who work tirelessly to create meaningful patient experiences while advancing health equity across eastern North Carolina. It is a powerful testament to our work to improve the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina.”
Press Ganey reviews third-party ratings on platforms like Google, Healthgrades, WebMD, Sharecare and Vitals, and reviews the health care organization’s responsiveness to patient reviews addressing concerns. The 2025 awards are based on performance from Jan. 1, 2025, through May 31, 2025.
“ECU Health is showing what it truly means to deliver compassionate, person-centered care,” said Patrick T. Ryan, Chairman and CEO of Press Ganey. “Their deep commitment to both patients and caregivers is creating a culture where empathy drives action—and where people feel seen, heard, and supported. It’s a privilege to stand beside them on this journey.”
Ellen Walston, injury prevention program coordinator and Safe Kids Pitt County coordinator at ECU Health, had a busy start to 2025. As one of four Injury Prevention Coordinators with the Eastern Carolina Injury Prevention Program (ECIPP), Walston works with and supports local organizations, such as Safe Kids NC, the Transportation Public Health Leadership Program, the Vision Zero Institute, the Greenville Traffic Safety Taskforce and the Mid-East Tri County Rural Planning Organization – just to name a few.
“Every single time I go to meetings, conferences and events, it’s to celebrate ECU Health. I want people to know we are deeply passionate about preventing all injuries,” Walston said.
Working with and leading the community
One way Walston participates is through the Greenville Traffic Safety Taskforce, which was created when the then-Greenville police chief came to Walston and Sue Anne Pilgreen, manager of ECIPP and the Pediatric Asthma Program, with concerns about car crashes. The chief wanted to find ways to prevent these accidents and Walston was instrumental in establishing the taskforce. The multidisciplinary team became an official NC Vision Zero community after that – one of only 12 in the state.
“Ellen’s enthusiasm, drive and passion never cease to amaze me,” said Pilgreen. “She is gifted in many ways, but her ability to bring partners together to produce change is one of the things that really stands out. Ellen has been a key driver behind our traffic safety efforts and many of the environmental changes in Greenville.”
Vision Zero seeks to eliminate traffic fatalities and injuries by making improvements to roadways, policies and related systems. NC Vision Zero communities are selected to participate in intensive virtual and in-person training for three days to develop traffic safety projects in their communities, and Greenville’s taskforce quickly implemented strategies such as high-visibility crosswalks, modular medians and delineator systems in center turn lanes.
According to the NC Vision Zero website, “Greenville is now the leader in Vision Zero, not only in North Carolina, but nationally. The Greenville Traffic Safety Taskforce has earned one international, two national, and two state achievement awards for their improvements to roadway safety and strong community partnerships.”
Walston has presented on the taskforce’s successes and Vision Zero efforts at 16 state conferences, two international conferences and 11 national conferences over the past five years, with five of those conferences taking place in 2025.
In addition to her work with the taskforce and Vision Zero, Walston was invited by the NC Department of Transportation to join the Rural Planning Organization (RPO) for Pitt, Beaufort, and Martin counties.
“I represent the hospital and Pitt County,” Walston said. “There’s only one other planner from Pitt County. We are developing an action plan in hopes of receiving the Safe Streets and Roads for All grant to make traffic safety modifications. The action plan is the first step to complete for the funding process and multi-disciplinary leaders are chosen from their communities to provide oversight and feedback to the planning process.”
Walston was also recently appointed to the Transportation Public Health Leadership Program, which is a national collaboration among five states to identify key leaders in public health that are making a difference in transportation safety. All teams will convene at the Lifesavers Highway Safety Conference in April 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland.
“Our participation in this leadership initiative is a way to show people ECU Health is focused on the community as well as patient care,” she said.
Representing ECU Health
Walston said that at many of the conferences she attends, she’s approached by others looking to partner with or learn more about ECU Health’s commitment to safety.
“In February, I presented at the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Research and Innovation Conference. A professor from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte talked to me afterwards and said he would like to work with ECU Health. He had applied for funding from the National Science Foundation for a grant to study adolescent behavior with e-scooters, and he needed data. If he gets funding, I will be able to provide information and data to help him,” she said.
At another conference in March, Dr. J. Eason, the director of the NCDOT Historically Black Colleges and Universities Outreach Program, approached Walston about partnering with ECU Health by having their interns visit the Traffic Garden.
“The Winterville Traffic Garden is located at Hillcrest Park and was provided as a gift by Bike Walk NC with funding from the AARP Community Grant Program,” Walston said. “It is a hands-on learning environment for children and adults to interact with and learn rules of the road.”
Walston’s ongoing work was recognized in May of 2024 with a Safe Kids North Carolina Excellence in Injury Prevention by an Individual Award. In October, the ECIPP was recognized with the Martha Collar Partnership Award at the Safe Kids Worldwide International Childhood Injury Prevention Convention (PREVCON). She has no plans to slow down anytime soon.
“My job is to keep children out of the hospital,” she said. “I am so grateful for the ability to help the community. I want to be the voice of the East and be an ambassador for the hospital. I am always looking for ways to improve, because prevention is key, and we accomplish so much within the walls of our hospitals.”
Greenville, NC — ECU Health continued its mission of improving the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina in 2025 by advancing rural health through clinical innovation, expanding access to care, academic excellence, establishing and growing workforce development pipelines and a steadfast commitment to quality. The year was marked by transformative programs, strategic partnerships and national recognition that reflect ECU Health’s dedication to improving health outcomes for the region’s rural communities.
“As we reflect on the past year, the milestones we’ve achieved are a testament to the dedication of our team members and the collaborative spirit that drives our mission forward,” said Dr. Michael Waldrum, ECU Health CEO and dean of the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University.
“From introducing new clinical programs to expanding academic pathways and strengthening community partnerships, our team’s work in 2025 continues to position ECU Health as a national model for rural health care. At a time when rural health care continues to face significant uncertainty, ECU Health remains deeply committed to building sustainable models of care that meet the evolving needs of eastern North Carolina and strengthen the health of our communities for years to come.”
A few key highlights from 2025 include the launch of pediatric robotic surgery and telecardiology in Edenton, the region’s first Intensive Cardiac Rehabilitation program and the expansion of the Pediatric Asthma Program into rural schools. ECU Health also opened the IMPACT Clinic for perinatal substance use care, reinforcing its commitment to compassionate, specialized care. The health system earned national recognition for quality, including five-star CMS ratings for Duplin and Bertie hospitals, top cardiac surgery rankings for the East Carolina Heart Institute and continued honors from the Get With The Guidelines® program.
More 2025 highlights include:
- The MOTHeRS Project received national recognition for advancing maternal mental health care.
- The Health Sciences Academy expanded to four new locations, marking 20 years of academic excellence and workforce development.
- ECU Health welcomed its first class of neurology residents and celebrated 154 new Graduate Medical Education professionals entering the system.
- Fourteen graduates from the Brody School of Medicine matched to ECU Health Medical Center in March, highlighting the two organizations’ commitment to educating and training the next generation of rural physicians.
- ECU Health celebrated 40 years of EastCare transport.
- ECU Health nurses were honored for excellence, with a record 25 nurses named among the Great 100 Nurses of North Carolina.
- ECU Health celebrated 40 years of ECU Health Edgecombe Hospital.
To explore more milestones and highlights from 2025, visit ECUHealth.org/Year-in-Review.
The idea for Barbers for Life began in 2016, when ECU Health Edgecombe received a grant to expand prostate cancer awareness among African American men by offering educational materials in local barber shops.
Michele Cherry, the director of the Grants Office, helped establish the Edgecombe County Barbershop Partnership in 2017. A presentation from Dr. Caroline Ames, a urologist with ECU Health, revealed African American men in Edgecombe County were not receiving prostate cancer screenings and thus being diagnosed with late-stage prostate cancer, resulting in high mortality; this presentation served as the inspiration for the program. The partnership was also modeled on the evidence-based, research-tested Prostate Health Awareness Project, as noted by the National Cancer Institute.
“Michele and her team focused on reaching men in an environment that was comfortable to them,” said Amy Dixon, manager of marketing and volunteer services at ECU Health Edgecombe Hospital. “The barbers at their local barbershops were the best option to get the men to really listen and ask questions.”
The response to the program was impressive.
Seven local barbershops and 11 barbers were involved in the program. In the program’s first quarter of being implemented, barbers educated 193 men on prostate cancer awareness and 44 of those men were screened, with one individual diagnosed with prostate cancer.
The participating barbers expressed an interest in learning more about other men’s health topics, as well as providing information about the Affordable Care Act.
Despite the program’s success, COVID-19 kept people away from public places and the program dissolved. However, said Amy. “It was always the goal to revive the program as we acknowledge the impact the Edgecombe County Barbershop Partnership had on our community.”
Reviving the program
Charmaine Reeder, Community Health Engagement coordinator, said they are working with Kelly Spivey, the coordinator of Community Health Improvement, among others, to “breathe life back into this program, and it’s been a collaboration of both Edgecombe hospital and [ECU Health] Medical Center.”
“I suggested we connect to men through barbershops, and they told me they used to have this program before COVID,” Kelly said. “I met with Michele and she shared her information and ideas. That helped us determine who wanted to be involved again as well as find new connections.”
The program’s goal is to have barbers initiate conversations about healthy lifestyle choices and wellness screenings for prostate cancer, testicular cancer, hypertension, diabetes, mental health and other health concerns. Kelly provides each barbershop with a resource guidebook with information and handouts about mental health, food, housing, substance abuse and health screenings, which men can then look through and select privately.
The team has also designed smocks that say “Barbers for Life,” which Kelly said initiates a conversation.
“People will see those smocks and wonder what Barbers for Life is,” she said. “They’ll start asking questions.”
Charmaine said this program helps Community Health target an audience that doesn’t normally seek out health care.
“Reaching out to men is a tough thing,” Charmaine said. “A lot of men say, ‘just give that information to my wife,’ or they’d rather not know. That’s why events like the Men’s Health Fair, the car show and Barbershop Real Talk are so important. They help us bring awareness and create opportunities to connect with men in spaces where they feel comfortable. Programs like Barbers for Life allow us to build trust and bridge a gap between health care and the community.”
Kelly said the team was eager to expand services into Pitt County, and so far, these new partnerships are successful.
“Recently, we relocated our prostate cancer screenings to the local Walmart and connected with the barbershops there,” Kelly shared. “We had a lot more traffic, at least 20 people who stopped by, and seven who were screened.”
The team also hosted a Lunch and Learn for barbers on Nov. 10, to provide information and tools, and they also plan to host wellness events, like mental health conversations, at the barbershops.
Dwight Flowers, the owner of Kingdom Kutz in Tarboro, North Carolina, was a part of the program when it first launched in 2017. He is thankful this program exists.
“There is nothing worse than being lost and you feel like no one is looking out for you,” he said. “This program says to our community that someone cares.”
Eric Barnes, the owner of Young Vision Barber Lounge in Greenville, is proud to join in on this program.
“This is an important initiative that focuses on men’s health,” Eric said. “A barbershop has always been more than just a place for a haircut; it’s a space where conversations happen, connections are built and trust is formed. By creating awareness and providing resources around these critical issues, the program not only supports the well-being of our customers, but also strengthens the health of our entire community.”
Kelly said that in the future, they would love to expand these services across the system.
“Right now we work with four barbershops in Tarboro and 10 in Greenville,” Kelly said. “We are working to keep things focused to have a big impact. It’s exponential – we help these barbers to have these conversations, and they see so many people in a day. Each man they help then takes that information back to his family and community.”
To learn more about the Barbers for Life program or the men’s health initiative, contact [email protected].