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].
Celebrating Rural Health Day: The Beating Heart of Rural America’s Well-Being, Workforce and Economy
Dr. Michael Waldrum
Each year on National Rural Health Day, we pause to recognize the incredible contributions of those who provide care in rural communities. It is here, in rural America, where resilience, innovation, and compassion intersect to create lasting impacts in the lives of patients and their families.
But this day is more than a celebration of service. It’s a reminder that rural health care organizations are powerful engines of workforce development, economic vitality, and community well-being.
There’s no question that rural health care faces persistent challenges: workforce shortages, funding gaps, and infrastructure limitations. Yet, despite these realities, thousands of people across eastern North Carolina, and millions across the nation, go to work each day to care for others.
At ECU Health and the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, we understand rural health care because it is who we are and what we do. Our rural hospitals and clinics aren’t just a small part of a broader health system, they are the heart of our mission to improve the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina. Within their walls are the people who make our vision of creating the national model for academic rural health care a reality.
We are proud of our rural identity, and it guides us in everything we do. In towns where the nearest hospital may be miles away and the population sparse, rural health care providers are often the largest employers. Clinics, hospitals, and community health centers like ours don’t just deliver care, they create jobs, train future professionals, and anchor local economies. From nurses and lab technicians to IT specialists and administrative staff, rural health care organizations offer career pathways that keep talent rooted in rural America.
Moreover, organizations like ours are uniquely positioned to cultivate the next generation of health professionals. Through partnerships with schools, colleges, and workforce organizations, they provide internships, apprenticeships, and continuing education that open doors and meet community needs. These programs don’t just fill vacancies, they build futures and empower young people to pursue meaningful careers without leaving their hometowns.
The economic ripple effect is profound. A thriving health care sector attracts new businesses, supports housing markets, and enhances quality of life—making rural communities more attractive for families and entrepreneurs alike. When rural health care is strong, the whole community flourishes.
So, on this National Rural Health Day, let’s celebrate the caregivers, support teams, educators, and advocates who make rural health care possible. And let’s also commit to supporting the policies, investments, and partnerships that strengthen their role as workforce developers and economic catalysts.
Because when rural health thrives—America thrives.
Mike Waldrum, MD, MSc, MBA
Chief Executive Officer, ECU Health
Dean, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University
Tarboro, NC – ECU Health Edgecombe Hospital proudly commemorated 40 years of service to the community, honoring its legacy of compassionate care and medical innovation, at ECU Health Edgecombe Hospital on Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025. For four decades, ECU Health Edgecombe Hospital has served as a vital health care provider for the region, offering a wide range of services and specialties to meet the evolving needs of its patients.
“We are honored to celebrate four decades of service to our community,” said Patrick Heins, president of ECU Health Edgecombe Hospital. “From our earliest days to now, our team has remained committed to delivering high-quality, patient-centered care. This milestone is a testament to the dedication of our team members and to the trust our community places in us. As we celebrate 40 years of service, we look ahead to continue growing, innovating and ensuring that every patient who walks through our doors receives the highest standard of care.”
To mark the occasion, ECU Health Edgecombe hosted an event with nearly 200 attendees, including employees, donors, retirees, members of the board of directors and development council, local government and businesses. The hospital also hosted a celebration on Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, for team members. Patrick Heins opened the ceremony by welcoming guests, former president Jim Raynor and Drs. David Miller and Mark Petruzziello reflected on the past 40 years.
Originally dedicated in October 1985, the hospital opened its doors to patients on Nov. 1, 1985. Over the years, the hospital has introduced numerous advancements, including the opening of the Women’s Pavilion and Special Beginnings Birthing Center in 1987 and the Heritage Cancer Care in 1998 in partnership with Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. ECU Health Edgecombe Hospital joined what is now the ECU Health system in October 1998. In the spring of 2005, the OB/GYN unit received national recognition from the Jackson Organization for having the highest patient satisfaction scores of any hospital in its category.
The hospital continued to expand its services with the opening of the Heritage Chronic Heart Failure Clinic in 2004. The cancer center earned accreditation from the American College of Surgeons in 2009. In 2012, the hospital launched a telehealth and care coordination program to support patients with cardiovascular and pulmonary conditions transitioning from hospital to home and opened its behavioral health clinic. Inpatient dialysis services were added in 2014, followed by a major expansion of the ECU Health Multispecialty Clinic–Tarboro in spring 2015. The emergency department implemented a Telestroke Program in 2016, and an eight-bed Medical Intermediate Care Unit (MIU) opened in 2017. In 2020, the hospital introduced a dedicated Palliative Care Suite. By 2024, ECU Health Edgecombe expanded its MIU to 12 beds and opened a fourth operating room, further expanding its capacity to serve the community.
“Throughout ECU Health Edgecombe’s history, we have embraced innovation to better serve our patients,” said Van Smith, president of ECU Health Community Hospitals. “From expanding access to specialized services like cancer care, to implementing cutting-edge programs in telemedicine and stroke response, ECU Health Edgecombe has consistently led with providing patient-centered care in the forefront. Our team members have built a legacy of excellence that reflects integrity, community and a continual commitment to meeting ECU Health’s mission of improving the health and well-being eastern North Carolina.”
Kelly Spivey received a call from an ECU Health recruiter during a difficult time of her life.
“I was in a vulnerable situation at home, and I was looking for a way out,” she said. “I cried out to God about what to do. Then the recruiter called me.”
The recruiter invited Kelly to a job fair, citing an application Kelly had filled out. The only catch was Kelly hadn’t filled out an application.
“Then how did your information come across my desk?” the recruiter asked.
“I felt like God was telling me where to go, so I went to the job fair,” Kelly said. “I received three job offers that day. I packed up me and my two boys and moved with nothing. I’ve been here ever since.”
That was in 2012. Kelly began working in the traumatic brain injury (TBI) unit as a care partner, and she loved it.
“I had always felt a calling to work in health care, and in this job, I got to work with a special population of patients. I also met my now-husband, Lee Spivey, who was a charge nurse there.”
When a physical therapy technician announced his retirement from the rehab team, he suggested Kelly apply for his job.
“I interviewed and started working as a tech in 2014,” she said. “I joined the military in 2016, but I stayed at the hospital PRN. Lee and I got married in 2016, and he transferred to [ECU Health] Edgecombe Hospital, but I stayed in Greenville working in rehab, drilling for the National Guard on weekends and serving as the after-school director at my kids’ school.”
Even when the pandemic shut down schools, Kelly still worked PRN at ECU Health Medical Center and in a remote position at the Down East partnership. Over the next few years, Kelly found out she was pregnant, had a miscarriage, left the military, discovered she was pregnant again and supported her husband when he was diagnosed with stage 4 lymphoma and later had a heart attack.
“During all of this, Edgecombe hospital and the whole community supported our family,” Kelly said. “I was able to stay on at work because my team worked with me. They have a special part of my heart,” Kelly said. “It’s been such a roller coaster, but the two hospitals gave us hope.”
In June 2024, Kelly received a call from a friend at ECU Health Edgecombe Hospital asking if she’d like to apply for a community health position.
“I really loved working in rehab, but the manager reminded me community is what I do,” Kelly said. “I prayed on it and applied, and I got the job. I’m so glad I did. It’s truly been a blessing.”
A legacy of service
Community is what Kelly does. In addition to her professional work, she established a community pantry, which she runs out of her own house, in April 2018.
“I was coming home one day with my children, and there was a homeless man on the street,” Kelly said. “My son wanted to give him an oatmeal cake, but the man didn’t want to take it. It was laid on my heart to give people a place they could get what they needed and not feel like they were taking it from someone.”
Kelly cleaned up some old furniture, collected food and toiletries, and announced the pantry on her Facebook account.
“It became a hit – people were using it,” she said.
Now, Kelly said people frequently donate to and take what they need from the pantry.
“People might clean out their closets, or those of a loved one, and drop off clothes,” she said. “Sometimes people drop off one thing and pick up something else. Grandparents come and get snacks for their grandkids, or people get a boxed cake mix for a birthday celebration.”
Kelly cited her parents as inspiration for her passion for service.
“My dad could fix anything outside the house, and my mom could fix things inside,” she shared. “My dad always had a huge garden, and he’d drop off food to people in the neighborhood. My mom could sew, and she made us clothes and even made a wedding dress and all the bridesmaid dresses for a woman who was getting married. She was always that person in the family. When I received the Governor’s Volunteer Award, I drove all the way home to Whiteville to give it to her.”
The “sandwich lady”
In her current role, Kelly was instrumental in bringing the Summer Meal Program to Tarboro. She and her team landed on using Braswell Community Center and Park in Tarboro as the hub for their program.
The Summer Meal Program is a partnership between ECU Health and Sodexo, the ECU Health Foundation and Food Lion Feeds to provide free meals to kids, teens and those with disabilities throughout the summer. Free meals are also offered in Ahoskie, Bethel and Greenville.
“It gave people a place they could play, eat and have access to air conditioning,” Kelly explained. “Seeing kids run up and get something to eat – it took me back to my own days as a single mom. I had a calendar with local restaurants’ ‘kids eat free’ days, and that’s how we ate for a while. It upset me to think of those kids not having something to eat.”
Kelly said now she’s known throughout the community as the “sandwich lady,” but for her, the service is not just about providing a meal.
“We offer healthier options for free, and this opened opportunities to share mental health resources. I’ve helped people sign up for ECU Health Now, and I’ve given them information about support groups. This bridges trust between the hospital and the community.”
Kelly said her passion for service has been fueled by her own experiences, and these are opportunities to give back.
“Everyone is going through something, and we’re not meant to do life alone,” she said. “We truly need each other, and this is my purpose.”
Greenville, NC – ECU Health is proud to announce the Eastern Carolina Injury Prevention Program (ECIPP) at ECU Health Medical Center was honored with the Martha Collar Partnership Award at the Safe Kids Worldwide International Childhood Injury Prevention Convention (PrevCon) for its outstanding contributions toward preventing childhood injuries. Named for Oklahoma Safe Kids State Coordinator Martha Collar, this award recognizes inspirational individuals or organizations that exhibit outstanding leadership and a commitment to collaboration and partnerships.
“ECIPP is honored by this recognition, which reflects the dedication and innovation of the entire team in advancing injury prevention and safety across eastern North Carolina,” said Ellen Walston, Injury Prevention Program Coordinator and Safe Kids Pitt County Coordinator at ECU Health. “Through strong partnerships and community-focused strategies, we have expanded access to education and resources that make a real difference in people’s lives. Our greatest reward is seeing the positive impact of this work on the health and well-being of the children and families we serve.”
ECIPP is dedicated to improving the health and safety of eastern North Carolina by reducing the frequency and severity of preventable injuries, especially to children. Founded in 1995, ECIPP is a collaborative initiative between the ECU Health Trauma Center, Maynard Children’s Hospital at ECU Health Medical Center and the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. Through hands-on community outreach, ECIPP offers car seat and bike helmet fittings, along with educational programs focused on risk areas such as driver and pedestrian safety, fall prevention, water safety, suicide prevention and safe firearm storage. ECIPP also plays an active role in regional coalitions, including the Greenville Traffic Safety Task Force, formed in partnership with the Greenville Police Department, and the Pitt County Firearm Safety Coalition, working together to build a safer, more informed community.
“The Eastern Carolina Injury Prevention Program exemplifies how community collaboration can transform safety education into measurable action,” said Torine Creppy, president of Safe Kids Worldwide. “Their partnerships and holistic approach embody Martha’s legacy of building bridges that protect families.”
The award was presented at PrevCon on Oct. 15, 2025, that convened more than 600 child health and safety professionals from around the world, including academic researchers, community activists, health care providers, manufacturers, public health and injury prevention practitioners and policy makers. More than 20 individuals and organizations were honored for their leadership in the field. PrevCon is one of the largest gatherings of individuals and organizations dedicated to childhood injury prevention. Preventable injuries are the number one cause of death for children in the United States. Throughout the world, almost one million children die of an injury each year, and almost every one of these tragedies is preventable.
Roanoke Rapids, NC — ECU Health North Hospital has launched a new hospital-based Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) I Program designed to help team members at ECU Health North, ECU Health Edgecombe and ECU Health Roanoke-Chowan hospitals gain hands-on training, real-world experience and the foundation needed to become a certified nursing assistant.
“At ECU Health, we are committed to strengthening the rural health care workforce by expanding access to careers in nursing and allied health,” said Pam Rudisill, vice president of Nursing Excellence, ECU Health. “This initiative not only invests in the growth and development of our current team members but also opens new doors for those entering the field. By aligning with existing workforce pipelines and community college partnerships, we are building a more resilient and skilled care team that is designed to meet the needs of those we serve.”
Team members who are selected for the program will learn essential patient care skills from experienced medical professionals, receive classroom instruction and clinical training on-site and build a pathway toward long-term career growth in health care. The program was created to enable current team members to pursue a nursing assistant certification by offering life-work balance and the support needed to achieve their goals. Upon completion of the program and with certification, team members will then transition from their current roles to a nursing assistant position. The first cohort will graduate in January 2026 and join the nursing team at ECU Health, and enrollment for the second cohort beginning in February 2026 is open now.
“By equipping our team members with the skills and support they need to grow into vital roles, we are helping create a pipeline of compassionate, community-based caregivers who will serve eastern North Carolina for years to come,” said Todd Hickey, president of ECU Health North Hospital. “Investing in our local talent, especially in rural communities like the Roanoke Valley, strengthens our workforce and keeps care close to home. Initiatives like these help us fulfill our mission of improving the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina.”
The CNA I program was inspired by the vision of Sheryl Watson, BSN, RN, a former registered nurse at ECU Health, whose dedication to student education and commitment to guiding aspiring nursing assistants have been integral to the program’s formation. Watson laid the groundwork for the academy but passed away before seeing it come to fruition. As a former instructor in a community college CNA program, Watson saw the value in building a CNA program at ECU Health North.
ECU Health celebrated Wear Pink Day on Oct. 17 to honor those impacted by breast cancer and to raise awareness of the importance of annual screenings. In addition to wearing pink, the Cancer Care team and members of the East Carolina University Women’s Basketball team, including head coach Kim McNeill, handed out pink ribbons and information about breast cancer and 3-D mammograms to ECU Health team members and ECU Health Medical Center visitors.
ECU Health Cancer Care and the ECU Women’s Basketball team work together to share the importance of early detection for breast cancer across the community. For several years, the Women’s Basketball team, assistant coaches and staff, as well as McNeill, have visited ECU Health Medical Center to greet and educate team members and patients.
“Even with their busy season starting, the ECU Women’s Basketball team is committed to spreading this awareness message,” said Phyllis DeAntonio, administrator of ECU Health Cancer Care. “We are extremely grateful for the team’s commitment to ECU Health’s mission, to improve the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina.”
Screenings are important for prevention and early detection. ECU Health offers 3D mammography at 11 locations throughout eastern North Carolina. Key advantages of 3D mammography include:
- Greater detail for improved accuracy
- 40 percent increase in cancer detection
- Locates more invasive, life-threatening tumors
- Better at detecting cancer in dense breast tissue
- Digital images allow doctors in other locations to consult if needed
- Fewer call-backs, resulting in less anxiety
- Patient-friendly design that is more comfortable for all breast sizes
As Breast Cancer Awareness Month continues, make sure you are talking with your health care provider about receiving regular mammograms. Women at higher risk may need to start screening earlier. Learn more about breast cancer and finding a screening location near you by visiting ECU Health’s breast cancer page.
The James and Connie Maynard Children’s Hospital at ECU Health Medical Center was filled with smiles and excitement as CAPTRUST employees arrived with bright green boxes packed with fun on Oct. 2. These Cheeriodicals care packages were filled with age-appropriate toys, crafts and comfort items, and were hand-delivered to pediatric patients and their families to brighten their hospital stay.
The donation is the result of a collaboration between CAPTRUST, an independent retirement plan and investment advisory firm, and Cheeriodicals, a team-building company that partners with corporations to create meaningful community impact. Each box is thoughtfully tailored to specific age groups, including infants and their mothers, children ages 3 and up, and tweens and teens.
The partnership was sparked by a shared Pirate connection: both Fielding Miller, CEO of CAPTRUST, and Gary Parisher, President and CEO of Cheeriodicals, are proud East Carolina University alumni.
“It was Gary’s idea to reach out,” Miller said. “He’s an East Carolina grad, and so we knew of each other. Gary shared this idea of how they help children in hospitals, and I said, ‘I want to know more.’ He sent me the box, I opened it, and said, ‘Oh yeah, we’re in. We’re doing this.’”
For Parisher, the mission hits home.
“I’m actually from Pitt County and went to East Carolina,” he said. “We’ve delivered to over 150 children’s hospitals across the country, and I wanted Maynard Children’s Hospital to be one of them.”
Cheeriodicals organizes corporate team-building events where employees pack care boxes for children’s hospitals, veterans’ facilities, and Ronald McDonald Houses.
“It’s really about bringing corporations together where teams can do work that makes a difference,” said Parisher.
Miller emphasized the emotional impact of the initiative.
“I just hope these kids feel that pure joy of being a child again – bright eyes, excitement and a moment away from the hospital routine,” he said. “And for the parents, who are there every day supporting their children, if we can make their day just a little bit better, it’s worth it.”
That joy was evident as Miller and Parisher hand-delivered boxes to patients, including Aleksandra. Her face lit up as she opened her box, revealing coloring books, fidget toys, crafting materials, and most special of all, a stuffed green frog.
Frogs, it turns out, hold a special meaning for Aleksandra and her mom, Lydia.
“She’s always loved frogs,” Lydia shared. “Whenever she’s in the hospital, usually for a long period of time, her frog friends show up.”
Aleksandra explained that her mom often leaves little frog toys for her to discover, on her water bottle, tucked into her bag, or hidden around her room.
“Now they have a big friend,” Aleksandra said with a smile, holding up her new plush frog.
Ali Grimes, manager of Children’s Services at Maynard Children’s Hospital, explained that when the pediatric patients receive donations like this, it brings more joy than most people realize.
“When we’re able to bring in toys and activities for our patients, we’re able to see kids be kids and help normalize the hospital experience,” Grimes said.
The impact of the delivery extended far beyond the contents of each box. For the CAPTRUST and Cheeriodicals teams, it was an affirmation of the difference collaboration and giving back can make.
“The delivery was more than just a gift,” said Scott Senatore, chief philanthropy officer, ECU Health Foundation. “It was a moment of true joy for children and families navigating some of the hardest moments of their lives, and for two ECU alumni, it was a chance to give back to the community that helped shape them. ECU Health is so grateful to CAPTRUST and Cheeriodicals for their compassion and care for the patients and families we serve.”
Greenville, N.C. – ECU Health and the national nonprofit Undue Medical Debt are pleased to announce a second round of medical debt relief for qualifying patients. This newest round of medical debt relief will help eliminate more than $550 million worth of past-due hospital medical debt for more than 139,000 qualifying patients. Debt relief letters in Undue Medical Debt branded envelopes are starting to arrive and will continue arriving over the next 12 months on a rolling basis given the size of this relief effort.
Eligible community members do not need to apply, and there is no application process. Instead, community members who qualify for this one-time debt relief will receive a branded letter from Undue Medical Debt indicating which past-due hospital debt or debts have been eliminated.
Undue Medical Debt works with hospital systems and other providers across the country to purchase past due medical debt belonging to those least able to pay in large portfolios for pennies or less on the dollar and then erases the debt.
ECU Health’s collaboration with Undue Medical Debt pre-dates North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ medical debt relief initiative which spans all hospitals in the state and lays out a plan for medical debt relief coupled with changes to Medicaid/Medicare reimbursement policy and financial aid standards in 2025. The two organizations collaborated in December 2024 to eliminate more than $186 million worth of past-due hospital medical debt for more than 32,000 qualifying patients.
Under Undue Medical Debt guidelines, those who qualify for this medical debt relief have hospital medical debts that are 5% or more than their annual income or earn at or below four times poverty-level income. The current federal poverty level is an annual income of under $31,200 for a family of four which means a qualifying family of four would make under $124,800. Community members do not need to take any action, as the eligible hospital medical debt will automatically be eliminated for those who qualify.
“We are once again proud to be partnering with ECU Health, which understands the burden created by medical debts on those patients in the community least able to pay,” shares Undue Medical Debt CEO and president Allison Sesso. “Needing care increasingly creates economic anxiety for so many families and ECU Health appreciates that patient health and wellbeing are intimately connected to access, which is why we’re so proud that all told over 171,000 ECU Health patients in eastern North Carolina will have over $736 million of medical debt erased, reducing financial and mental stress and encouraging them to re-engage with the healthcare system.”
The collaboration with Undue Medical Debt is one of many ways in which ECU Health is living its mission to improve the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina. The initiative aligns with the health system’s commitment to serving underserved communities in the East, many of which have disproportionate numbers of low-income and uninsured or underinsured people. The initiative is also in alignment with ECU Health’s long-standing practice of non-predatory billing practices, which emphasize charity care, zero-interest payment plans, transparent pricing and dedicated resources to help patients navigate financial requirements.
“At ECU Health, our commitment to our mission and patients is at the heart of all we do,” said ECU Health Chief Operating Officer Brian Floyd. “This latest collaboration with Undue Medical Debt will make an enormous impact on so many in our largely underserved region. We could not be more thankful to Undue Medical Debt, which shares our vision for making high-quality rural health care accessible here in eastern North Carolina.”
Roanoke Rapids, NC – ECU Health is proud to recognize Hubert Allen as the first patient to complete 60 hyperbaric oxygen treatments at the ECU Health Wound Healing Center in Roanoke Rapids. His journey represents a powerful testament to the importance of having high-quality care close to home, particularly for those needing advanced wound care.
Allen arrived at the center on May 1, 2025, facing life-altering complications from a radiation injury. He was wheelchair-bound, frequently hospitalized, disoriented and unable to drive—his independence and quality of life severely impacted. But with the expert care of medical director Dr. Jamie Udwadia, nurse practitioner Ashley Duke, manager of Patient Care Services Jennifer Millius, and the entire Wound Healing Center team, Allen’s condition began to improve dramatically.
“Hyperbaric oxygen therapy restores at the cellular level,” said Dr. Udwadia. “Hubert’s radiation injury was slowing his healing, but today, his recovery is a testament to the power of modern medicine and personal resilience. The fact that he could receive this level of care close to home underscores how vital it is to make advanced therapies accessible close to home for our own communities.”
Allen underwent 60 hyperbaric oxygen treatments, which is a specialized treatment that enhances the body’s natural healing processes by delivering high concentrations of oxygen in a pressurized environment. It is particularly effective for patients with chronic wounds, radiation injuries, and other complex conditions. Over the course of his treatments, Allen experienced a remarkable transformation. Today, he is walking, driving, and reconnecting with the life he once knew.
“The ECU Health Wound Healing Center team was extremely compassionate and supportive during my treatments,” said Allen.
Allen’s recovery not only marks a personal milestone but also underscores ECU Health North’s commitment to providing innovative, patient-centered care to communities across eastern North Carolina. His story serves as an inspiration to others facing similar challenges and a reminder of the profound impact compassionate care can have on a patient’s journey.