When many people think about careers in health care, the roles of nurse or doctor often come to mind. Yet delivering exceptional care depends on a network of professionals whose work supports daily operations, enhances the patient experience, and helps advance ECU Health’s mission to improve the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina.
To help students explore those opportunities, ECU Health‘s Talent Acquisition team launched the new non-clinical internship program this past summer.
The pilot program provided college students with hands-on experience across a variety of departments while introducing them to career opportunities in health care that extend beyond direct patient care.
“This was really about building awareness that there are many career paths within a hospital beyond what most people traditionally think about,” said Tavis Richardson, who led the development of the program. “There are opportunities in business, human resources, food and nutrition and many other areas that support our Mission every day.”
The program ran from May through August and welcomed East Carolina University students pursuing non-clinical fields of study. Interns were placed in departments including Food and Nutrition Services, Graduate Medical Education, Onboarding, Patient Experience and Engagement, Community Health, and other support areas across the organization.
Throughout the summer, participants gained practical experience, completed impactful projects and built relationships with team members.
One of those students was Bridgette Dingee, who interned with Food and Nutrition Services. During her internship, she worked alongside patient services, culinary and retail teams while contributing to projects aimed at improving operations and the patient experience. Her work included supporting the Cambridge Menu Study, enhancing competency checklists, completing safety and departmental audits, participating in patient and nursing rounds and other projects.
Among the projects she completed, Dingee said she was most proud of helping develop the patient picture menu.
“It was rewarding to be part of a project that could improve the hospital experience for patients with literacy, language or communication barriers,” Dingee said.
The experience also helped shape Dingee’s career path. Following the internship, she joined ECU Health Food and Nutrition Services as a team member while continuing her studies in dietetics at ECU.
Building on the success of the pilot program, ECU Health plans to expand the initiative in 2027. Internship opportunities will be available at all nine hospitals across the health system, and applications will be promoted to colleges and universities across North Carolina.
Sonya Williams came to ECU Health as a 19-year-old intern with no specific plans to stay at ECU Health Roanoke-Chowan Hospital. A job offer in the admissions and billing department, however, paved the way for a 40-year career that has seen Sonya through many changes.
“I love my journey,” Sonya said. “You can grow with this system. ECU Health has afforded me great opportunities in my professional and personal growth.”
From the business office, where she worked the phone switchboard, Sonya transitioned to insurance where she gained a leadership role. She’s since worked in corporate compliance, the HIMS department, process improvement, and community equity and improvement.
“That takes us up to the pandemic,” Sonya laughed. “From there I worked in community work and my role changed again. Now I’m the manager of community health improvement, chaplain and volunteer services.”
During that time, Sonya also continued her education.
“I started with an associate’s degree from Roanoke-Chowan Community College, but I graduated from Elizabeth State University for a bachelor’s in business administration with a concentration in management in 1996, and after my husband passed away in 2013, I had the conviction to get my master’s and doctorate from Grace Bible College and Theological Seminary. Now I’m an ordained minister.”
Sonya said having supportive leadership and colleagues made it possible for her to continue her education.
“It’s good for you and it’s good for the organization. Getting my master’s and doctorate wasn’t required for my current role, but my leaders saw what I had and what was needed for this job and it connected.”
Regardless of her role, Sonya said she’s made strong connections with her colleagues and her community.
“Roanoke-Chowan has been like family, and I’ve felt supported in a life-work balance. It’s not always like that in other jobs,” she said. “And over the years I’ve worked with so many who have advanced in their journeys. I’ve tried to encourage them along the way, too.”
For now, Sonya has no plans to retire, although it is on the horizon.
“Staying the course isn’t possible because things always change,” she said. “Technology changes, people change. Retirement is my eventual destination, but even when I do, I don’t see myself doing nothing. I love people and my community, and I love to travel. My bucket list destinations are Africa and Dubai.”
In the meantime, Sonya plans to continue to flourish in her role.
“ECU Health is an absolutely wonderful place to grow and work if you’re open to change and experiences. If an opportunity presents itself, take it. I came in working the switchboard and here I am. Your attitude will make your path, your gratitude will grow it and your determination will allow your journey to be as long or as short as you desire it to be.”
Dr. Anthony Smith has had a front-row seat throughout ECU Health Medical Center’s evolution. When he began his medical career in 1998 through the Graduate Medical Education (GME) program at ECU Health Medical Center, he found a place he would call home for nearly 30 years.
“When I was finishing medical school at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine and applying for internal medicine residency programs, I wanted to find an academic program that was on the smaller side, one that felt like family. ECU Health fit that bill,” Dr. Smith said. “You will not find a hospital of this size in a community of this size anywhere else in the country.”
GME at ECU Health Medical Center began in 1976 with one residency program in family medicine. Over the past 50 years, the program has continued to grow and expand to develop the next generation of physicians across eastern North Carolina.
Today, the program features 38 residency and fellowship programs and trains approximately 460 residents per year. In 2025, the program saw 39 graduating resident physicians decide to continue practicing medicine in eastern North Carolina.
“We continue to see GME expand with new programs in electrophysiology, hospice and palliative care, neurology, ophthalmology and addiction medicine, specialties that we identified as needs now and moving forward that will train physicians to meet our community’s needs,” said Dr. Mary Catherine Turner, associate dean for GME at ECU Health Medical Center and the Brody School of Medicine. “Multiple factors are at play to support that kind of growth, but the most important guiding light is alignment with our mission to improve the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina.”
Dr. Smith has witnessed that growth over the years, in residency, as a GME educator and continuing in his career practicing medicine as a hospitalist at ECU Health.
“The growth of GME that I’ve witnessed over the last 28 years has been tremendous,” Dr. Smith said. “The program continues to add residencies and fellowships, which means as a health system we are better able to serve eastern North Carolina by growing the physicians in our footprint and bring more specialized care to the area.”
Dr. Smith grew up in rural Alabama and spent four years in Atlanta before medical school. He appreciated that Greenville was quiet, with less traffic and more opportunities to care for patients on a more personal level. In GME, he found the atmosphere of learning, and the relationships he made along the way instrumental to his decision to continue practicing medicine in eastern North Carolina. Over the years, he has served as the Chief of Staff at ECU Health Medical Center and local director for the hospitals program.
“I remember that our program director, Dr. Peter Lichstein, took care of us,” Dr. Smith said. “Leaders created a schedule and an environment that was conducive to learning, one that let us balance our life. Finding out how to balance working, learning and living is a challenge for GME programs that ECU Health Medical Center addresses by putting people first.”
Dr. Smith sees GME as more than a foundational program to teach physicians — the program also addresses essential health care needs across ECU Health’s 29-county service area by giving resident physicians and fellows hands-on experience treating patients in clinical environments across the ECU Health system.
“It’s rewarding and exciting to see the program continue to develop,” Dr. Smith said. “It really goes back to the sheer impact it has had on eastern North Carolina. We know there are rural areas in this country that don’t have these resources. Eastern North Carolina is fortunate to have an internal medicine program and all the other various programs right here, close to home. Residents and fellows actively training, as well as the physicians who decide to stay after they complete their residency, are extremely beneficial to this region.”
Moving forward, Dr. Smith sees GME’s growth alongside ECU Health Medical Center and the region as a necessary step toward progress. Alongside East Carolina University and the Brody School of Medicine, Dr. Smith said the health system’s growth is a clear indicator of GME’s role in fostering a positive working relationship and environment for physicians across the region.
“Right now, the opportunity is to live our mission and vision as a system and determine ‘How do we better serve the rural places in eastern North Carolina?’” Dr. Smith said. “As we continue to grow, we must continue to be committed to reaching those rural communities.”
ECU Health Medical Center is proud to welcome the 12th class of Project SEARCH students to work in the hospital environment. The year-long internship program will empower the six students with intellectual and developmental disabilities to learn real-world work experience, develop valuable job skills and build the confidence needed to successfully transition from school to the workforce.
The Project SEARCH Class of 2027 includes Jaden Chamberlain, Marquell Jones, Mattie Breault, Tyler Frazer, D’Mari Clemons and Michael Dunbar.
“We are delighted to welcome another class of Project SEARCH students to ECU Health Medical Center and continue investing in opportunities that help young people build confidence, independence and career-ready skills,” said Doris Hill, workforce development coordinator at ECU Health.
“Project SEARCH creates meaningful pathways to employment by giving students hands-on experience in a real-world health care setting while allowing them to discover their strengths and talents,” Hill continued. “The program not only transforms the lives of participating students but also enriches our workforce and strengthens our commitment to creating an inclusive environment where everyone has the opportunity to succeed.”
Project SEARCH is a partnership between ECU Health Medical Center, Pitt County Schools, McCloud & Associates, Inc. and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ Division of Employment and Independence for People with Disabilities.
During the program, students participate in internships across various departments at ECU Health Medical Center, including in hospitality, cafeterias, housekeeping and some clinical spaces. These experiences help students transition from classroom learning to professional environments, connecting their educational journeys to their next chapter in a workplace setting.
“Project SEARCH gives students the chance to learn and grow in ways that aren’t possible in a traditional classroom setting,” said Jay Cotton, Project SEARCH instructor. “Through internships and daily workplace experiences, students develop valuable job skills, gain confidence and learn how to navigate professional environments. I am excited to watch these students discover their potential and take important steps toward achieving their goals after graduation.”
The employment rate for youth with disabilities is about 60 to 70 percent less than youth without disabilities, according to the U.S. Office of Disability Employment Policy. Project SEARCH has proven results with a 65 percent employment and 90 percent retention rate nationally. Students who participate in the program are enrolled at various Pitt County high schools.
The Project SEARCH program at ECU Health Medical Center began in 2015 with the support of its founding partners: Pitt County Schools, RHA Health Services and the North Carolina Division of Employment and Independence for People with Disabilities. The program has become a beacon of hope and opportunity for participating students while also making significant contributions to the local community. Project SEARCH is instrumental in cultivating our ECU Health community into one that embraces diversity, inclusivity and shared success.
For 50 years, resident physicians have had the opportunity to live, train and learn in eastern North Carolina through Graduate Medical Education (GME) at ECU Health Medical Center and the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. As the program celebrates its semicentennial, leaders from across ECU Health and the Brody School of Medicine gathered to celebrate the program’s impact and the people who make it work.
During an Aug. 21 luncheon at the East Carolina Heart Institute, resident physicians past and present had a chance to reflect on the history of GME at ECU Health Medical Center.
What began with a single Family Medicine Residency program in 1976 has blossomed into 38 resident physician and fellowship programs that give providers hands on experience as they treat patients in rural eastern North Carolina.
“Today we celebrate a legacy of 50 years which has produced many of the physicians who currently practice medicine in our region,” said Dr. Mary Catherine Turner, associate dean for Graduate Medical Education at the Brody School of Medicine and ECU Health Medical Center. “GME is a beautiful example of ECU Health intentionally living out its mission to improve the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina. We are in an active phase of growth and anticipate another 50 years of caring for patients across our rural communities.”
GME quickly grew in the 1970s, adding residency programs in fields like pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology and psychiatry. Through the 1980s and 1990s new programs including ones in geriatrics, cardiology and immunology were introduced. Most recently, ECU Health Medical Center has added residency programs in neurology and ophthalmology, with recruiting underway to launch the newest fellowship program in addiction medicine. All the while, residency tracks in rural medicine have given physicians opportunities to care for patients in underserved areas, with new rural residency tracks continuing to launch through summer of 2027.
In 2025, 39 GME graduates entered the physician workforce in eastern North Carolina. Dr. Turner said maintaining that number for the next five years would see 195 physicians practicing across the region.
“The mission of ECU Health and the mission of GME have not changed. Since day one, we have focused on recognizing and addressing disparities in rural health care,” said Dr. Jonathon Firnhaber, interim chair of the Department of Family Medicine at ECU Health. Dr. Firnhaber served as a residency program director for 14 years. “That commitment was made in 1976, carries through today and will continue forward. It is exciting for me, from a training perspective, to know there is a hospital in this geographically diverse region, which generally lacks other medical care, with virtually every aspect of care available. It’s an incredible training opportunity.”
Dr. Michael Waldrum, CEO of ECU Health and Dean of the Brody School Medicine, said the celebration marked what academic health care can accomplish when mission meets action.
“Today reminds me of why I love health care,” Dr. Waldrum said. “When we embarked on our mission to improve the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina, we injected the value of education into our organization. It’s important to celebrate and understand the importance of how we educate the future of health care, how we educate ourselves and how we build a better future for our communities and each other. The work toward that goal is represented in this room, and I thank you for building that personal future that impacts our communities and, frankly, the nation.”
Greenville, N.C. – ECU Health has reached an agreement on a new multi-year contract with UnitedHealthcare, restoring in-network access to care for more than 100,000 UnitedHealthcare-covered patients and supporting rural health sustainability in eastern North Carolina effective Aug. 7, 2026.
The new contract covers patients with Commercial, Medicare Advantage and Medicaid UnitedHealthcare plans, allowing patients to access care from the ECU Health providers, hospitals and clinics they know and trust.
Throughout negotiations, ECU Health’s priority was to protect and restore patients’ access to high-quality, affordable care close to home while ensuring the organization can continue providing essential services across the region.
After years without meaningful increases in reimbursements from UnitedHealthcare despite rising costs associated with delivering care, ECU Health successfully negotiated sustainable terms for the care we provide.
Importantly, this agreement supports:
- Full in-network access to all ECU Health providers, facilities and services for UnitedHealthcare members
- Reimbursement terms that better reflect the cost of care
- Reduced administrative burden
- Fewer barriers to care
- Preserves the relationships our providers have with patients covered by UnitedHealthcare
“Throughout this process, patients and families across eastern North Carolina have been our top priority,” said Dr. Michael Waldrum, CEO at ECU Health. “Meeting the mission of improving the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina means ensuring the sustainability of the services we provide, particularly given the ongoing challenges rural healthcare will continue to face. This agreement ensures patients can access the care they trust at ECU Health, close to home, and allows us to move forward with UnitedHealthcare in a way that supports the long-term health of our communities.”
Patients with canceled or postponed appointments can reschedule with their provider on MyChart or call their provider’s office directly to resume care.
For additional questions or support, patients can visit ECUHealth.org/UnitedHealthcare.
The North Carolina Governor’s Volunteer Service Awards honor the true spirit of volunteerism in individuals and groups in the public, nonprofit and private sectors who make a significant contribution to their community through volunteer service. This year, Charmaine Reeder, on behalf of the ECU Health’s work with Pitt County Meals on Wheels, Traquavis Harris, Sara Gray Tingen and Angelina Brittle and were honored as award winners.
Traquavis Harris
Harris, program coordinator in pastoral care programs, began his career with ECU Health in 2022 as a scheduler in perioperative administration when his mother, also an ECU Health team member, encouraged him to apply.
“I wanted to grow and move around to different departments without having to leave an organization, and ECU Health offers the opportunity to learn about different professions and specialties,” he said. “You don’t have to be a nurse or doctor to work in health care.”
After a year in the operating room, he saw an opportunity for his current role and he leaped at the chance.
“I was a VolunTEEN in 2017 and did patient escorts, central transport, cancer center registration and work in the emergency department,” he said. “This was a chance to circle back to where I once was and give back to my community.”
That strong background in service has helped Harris grow in his role. He has since amassed an impressive portfolio of degrees and certifications, including a bachelor’s degree from East Carolina University, a master’s degree in technology management with a concentration in Six Sigma, and numerous certifications in Java, Data Reporting and Analytics, project management and agile methodologies.
When he learned he won the Governor’s Volunteer Service Award, Harris said he was too stunned to speak.
“It was a verification that the work I’m doing doesn’t go unnoticed. You don’t volunteer expecting to receive anything, but I was excited,” he said.
He also credited the support he received from colleagues, such as fellow award-winner Angelina Brittle, and his current leader, Ashley Ware, as influential in his work.
“As I was entering the role, Angelina was leaving, but she taught me everything I needed to know to be successful in this sector,” he said. “And Ashley allows individuals on her team to be authentic to themselves and their work, putting us first to get knowledge about what we want to learn and mold us into flexible leaders. Working with Ashley has been transformational.”
Harris said volunteering is important – not only for what it gives to others, but for what it teaches you about yourself.
“It’s a chance to learn about yourself and put yourself out there,” he said. “Giving back does something to you; you have a purpose.”
Expectant mothers now have more options at ECU Health when it is time to have their baby. That includes Certified Nurse Midwives, or CNMs, whose expertise lies in supporting those moms-to-be throughout their pregnancies, all the way to the delivery table. At ECU Health, qualified, experienced CNMs are now empowered to work within the full scope of their practice authority, a change that aims to improve health care outcomes for mothers and babies while better distributing provider workloads across maternal care teams.
As of April, independent CNMs at ECU Health with at least two years and 4,000 hours of clinical experience are now able to admit patients to the hospital, discharge patients from the hospital and write all notes and orders without the need for a physician’s co-signature or supervision.
CNMs deliver babies from “standard risk” pregnancies while consulting with physicians to identify cases that come with higher risks of complication or need procedures like C-sections. They continue to work in tandem with other members of the maternal care team like OB-GYN physicians.
“This was an incredibly important step forward to ensure that we are using our providers to their full scope of practice in order to improve access to care and broaden our services,” said Elaine Cudnik, executive director for Women’s and Children’s advanced clinical practice at James and Connie Maynard Children’s Hospital at ECU Health Medical Center. “There is a nationwide shortage of OB-GYN providers and ECU Health is not immune to the challenges in recruiting that specialty. We continue to augment our services with advanced practice providers and independent certified nurse midwives who can support that critical maternal service here at ECU Health.
Added Cudnik, “I think allowing independent CNMs to work to the top of their license brings an incredible value to the community that we serve and will only expand the access that we’re able to provide.”
On the day the change went into effect two CNMs — Sarah Sears and Margi Reither — were granted independent CNM privileges at ECU Health. Reither called it a monumental step and the result of decades of advocacy. She is grateful that ECU Health now grants qualified CNMs more freedom in scope of practice.
“It is great, professionally, to be able to take care of our own patients,” Reither said. “That’s what we are truly grateful for. We have had wonderful support from our OB-GYN team who agree this is a good, professional decision. This was truly a team effort between midwives, physicians and administrators.”
Sears said the change is empowering, and that it shines a light on how midwives are crucial parts of an OB-GYN team.
“It makes us feel seen,” Sears said. “There is certainly a feeling of respect not just in being able to work with my patients in a new way, but from the health system recognizing what we do and making our roles more visible.”
More importantly, the change is good for patient outcomes. Sears said midwifery care is shown to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes. When physicians and midwives collaborate, it allows providers to play to their own strengths. For midwives, that is recognizing and managing standard risk labor and delivery.
“Physicians really are needed for the high-risk things, the abnormal circumstances that can arise during a delivery,” Sears said. “As midwives, we are focused on the normal. It comes down to working together to make sure our approach fits each individual patient on a case-by-case basis.”
Dr. James Whiteside, department chair, Obstetrics and Gynecology, ECU Health and the Brody School of Medicine, played a critical role in helping expand the scope of midwifery practice at ECU Health when he arrived at the health system in 2022. He said further expanding midwives’ scope of practice to include independent care is an important step toward addressing clinician shortages that continue to strain maternal care nationwide.
“We saw an opportunity to expand the role of midwifery across our region and leverage independent scope of practice for these integral members of our care teams,” Dr. Whiteside said. “More midwives will help us address the real challenges facing rural delivery, specifically when it comes to resources and the number of clinicians we have available to provide high-quality care and reduce risk associated with delivery.”
Dr. Dan Dwyer, chief medical officer, ECU Health Community Hospitals and an obstetrician, said he is excited for the positive impact the change will have on maternal services in some of eastern North Carolina’s most rural communities. CNMs will have reliable teams they can work with and the ability to transfer care to another clinician, or to another facility, as needed, in the most efficient way possible.
“Looking ahead, we are excited to introduce independent Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs) into care teams throughout ECU Health’s rural community hospitals,” Dr. Dwyer said. “Teamwork is a cornerstone of our culture, and we are committed to recruiting and nurturing skilled CNMs whose dedication and values align with our mission. These professionals are essential to delivering the highest quality care in rural settings.”
Serving 29 counties and operating eight rural birthing locations, Dr. Dwyer said ECU Health faces a range of challenges — not least of which are recruiting and retaining talented healthcare professionals.
“To address these needs, it is imperative that every member of our health care team — including independent CNMs — practice at the top of their license. Creating an environment where everyone feels valued and welcomed is central to our approach,” he said. “The collaborative efforts of CNMs, family practitioners and obstetricians, supported by advanced digital technology and a robust network of sub-specialists, are critical to ensuring patients receive timely, appropriate care wherever they are. We take great pride in the strength of our teamwork and remain confident that, together, we can overcome future challenges and continue to provide exceptional care for our communities.”
ECU Health has maintained labor and delivery services at its rural hospitals. Midwives’ knowledge and skills play a prominent role in ensuring that quality care is available to even more patients in eastern North Carolina, Cudnik said.
“We strongly believe in midwives’ practice and their ability,” Cudnik added. “We strive to create a place where that expertise is valued and leveraged in a way that supports our unique rural academic mission. Not only will expanded access to care benefit community hospitals and rural communities, these midwives will also have a chance to teach students and residents at our ECU Health Medical Center. We’re excited to see the independent CNM program grow.”
An unprecedented illness that started with stomach pain and spiraled into multi-system organ failure proved to be a defining experience in Kayla Jordan’s young life. Looking back, 14 years later, the now 20-year-old Jordan said it also shows how team members at James and Connie Maynard Children’s Hospital at ECU Health Medical Center gave a scared little girl in an extended stay hope, support and the chance to just be a kid.
In 2012, Kayla, then six years old, was taken to her pediatrician in Beaufort County for vomiting and stomach pain. She and her mother, Rebecca Williamson, were directed to the emergency department across the street where tests revealed that Kayla had an inflamed pancreas. As her condition rapidly deteriorated, an EastCare team transported her to ECU Health Medical Center for advanced treatment.
“I was going downhill pretty fast. They put tubes in my nose that night and then sent me to Greenville,” Kayla said. “From there on out, I was pretty sick for about a month.”
In Greenville, a care team told Rebecca that her daughter had necrotizing pancreatitis, where severe inflammation can kill tissue in a person’s pancreas. They said 50 percent of the tissue in Kayla’s pancreas was already dead. Soon after, Kayla’s organs began to shut down. She was placed in a medically induced coma because her pain was so unbearable. Her family had a chance to say goodbye, just in case, before she went under.
Rebecca, an assistant nurse manager at ECU Health, was shaken. Her instincts as a mother overrode her education as a nurse.
“It’s funny, you can be a health care professional and your kid or your loved one or someone you’re close to gets sick and suddenly, it feels like you know a lot about nothing,” Rebecca said.
Pediatric physicians worked tirelessly to determine how a 6-year-old could possibly contract a condition typically seen in older adults with a history of alcohol use. They consulted with infectious disease doctors at the hospital and on the other side of the country, performed genetic testing and ran an array of viral tests to determine the best course of treatment. It took time, but tests determined that Kayla had contracted mycoplasma pneumoniae, the bacteria that causes walking pneumonia. The bacteria had completely bypassed Kayla’s lungs and instead attacked her pancreas.
Andy Williamson, Kayla’s stepfather and an ECU Health nurse practitioner, said the diagnosis was unprecedented.
“That is unheard of, but once they identified the bug, they could treat it,” Andy said. “As soon as we got the right antibiotics on top of it, you could start seeing Kayla improve.”
The medicine worked and, astonishingly, Kayla did not require surgery. She soon began her month-long road to recovery at Maynard Children’s Hospital, where in addition to her medical care, she participated in pet therapy, received tutoring and schoolwork to prevent her from falling behind in her classes, and progressed through physical therapy to recover her strength. Friends from school wrote her cards, and her teachers even came to read to her.
“I remember we celebrated the day that she made it all the way down to the little playroom,” Rebecca said. “She borrowed my husband’s credit card so she could play shop. There were so many things to help her feel like a kid.”
For her mom, the patient- and family-centered model of care was apparent. She also felt valued as a team member.
“They provided everything that my kid needed, not just for her health but for her mental state,” Rebecca said. “There were coloring books and crayons, playrooms and a pool and pet therapy.”
Rebecca’s ECU Health team also supported her during Kayla’s hospital stay.
“My nurse manager would come to check on me and ask if I needed anything,” said Rebecca. “They helped submit paperwork to get me started on my leave of absence. It was nice. I didn’t have to worry about my job and could worry about my child. I was treated like I was a family member of the hospital.”
Kayla celebrated her 20th birthday in February. She is now a rising senior at East Carolina University, where she helps broadcast Pirates athletics on ESPN+ and plans to pursue a career in sports broadcasting. She said she was a “frequent flyer” for many years at the emergency department as she dealt with stomach issues. She also recently had her gallbladder removed, a result of the pancreatitis she fought more than a decade ago.
“She’s so resilient,” Andy said. “Not many 18-year-olds get their gallbladders out. She continues to do so well, does well in school. She’s a very smart girl and she’ll do well. We’ll be there for her, like we always have been.”
For Kayla, it’s comforting to know that ECU Health team members are there to support her, whether that’s at home or elsewhere.
“Every time I’ve had to go to the emergency department or something like that, they were always very thorough with me, and they always took my past into consideration,” Kayla said. “There has been peace of mind for me and my mom, who always went with me. It always felt like a family environment.
“As a little girl, you don’t really understand what’s happening,” she continued. “Everyone still went above and beyond to make me feel like I was a normal kid. Looking back now, it shows that, for one, medicine is awesome, and secondly that having people who are right there with you the whole time makes a huge difference.”
In eastern North Carolina, summer can be a time of backyard cookouts or days spent at the beach. However, soaring temperatures and smothering humidity put residents at risk of heat-related illnesses that are even more dangerous for people with a heart condition.
Dr. Blase Carabello, ECU Health cardiologist and chief of the Division of Cardiology at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, explained that the heart has to work overtime in extreme heat as the body tries to regulate its temperature.
“Most people are familiar with a car’s radiator, and they know that if the radiator does not work, they will be stuck on the side of the road with steam coming out of the hood,” Dr. Carabello said. “The human body’s radiator is the skin, and when you need to get rid of heat, your heart needs to pump extra blood to the skin to let that radiator work. Almost anyone with a heart condition who already has a weakened heart or some other difficulty is going to be stressed by the heat or have trouble regulating their body’s fluids.”
High temperatures put people at risk of heat exhaustion, which can cause symptoms such as lightheadedness, rapid pulse, low blood pressure, headache or nausea. Anyone who begins to experience those symptoms needs to get out of the sun and drink fluids, Dr. Carabello said. If you stop sweating in hot weather, or start shivering, that’s an indication your health is at risk.
Heat stroke, where the body reaches a temperature over 104-degrees, is a life-threatening condition that requires treatment.
“The body’s temperature can reach the point where it will shut down all activity unless you receive treatment,” Dr. Carabello emphasized. “If someone around you says they feel lightheaded or like they are going to faint in the heat, it is important to act. Check their pulse and, if that does not look right, call for help. It’s much better to have a false alarm than the alternative.”
Dr. Carabello said that when a heat advisory is issued, people need to use their best judgment and make the right decision for their health. When heat indices climb into triple digits, it’s very difficult for the body to regulate. He pointed out that at the World Cup, even some of the best athletes on the planet take heat breaks during their soccer matches.
“If some of the best athletes in the world need that, think about if you’re not on that level,” Dr. Carabello said. “People tend to think they can do anything, that they are super people, but the truth is that the kind of heat we can experience in eastern North Carolina can put your heart to the test. You don’t need to test your heart, so don’t do that. Just use plain, old fashioned, common sense.”