News & Media

The UNC Health Rockingham Board of Directors recently welcomed Trina Jones, PhD, and Lupo Galvan as new members. The board also welcomes Will Flynt as chair and John Dabbs, DC, as vice chair. Jones and Galvan each bring a strong commitment to Rockingham County and a desire to support local access to high-quality care. Their professional backgrounds in education, workforce development, healthcare and small business will help inform the board’s ongoing work as UNC Health Rockingham continues serving patients and families across the region.

Rebecca Autry, a Pharmacist Coordinator at UNC Health Rockingham Pharmacy, was honored with the BEE Award for Extraordinary Patient Care. Autry has been working in the pharmacy for nearly 20 years and says that UNC Health Rockingham is her “home away from home.” She was nominated by her supervisor for her selfless act of compassionate patient care. There was a patient who had been in the hospital for several months. During rounds a discussion was had about getting the patient outside in the fresh air to enjoy change of scenery, but the patient did not have a coat or gloves and it was winter time. Rebecca went out and purchased a coat and gloves, on her own, and had the nurse supervisor give it to the patient. Rebecca’s thoughtfulness and generosity was way outside of her scope of work.

Zachary Lewis, RN, was honored with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses at UNC Health Rockingham during last week’s Nurses Week celebration. Hospital nursing leadership along with senior administrators gathered on the unit to celebrate Lewis, along with his fellow nursing teammates and many of his family members. A DAISY Award nomination for Lewis came from the family member of a patient who had physical challenges and lowered cognitive function. The nominator stated that he went above and beyond to make sure that the patient was comfortable and that his family knew what was happening the whole stay. Lewis made sure to include the family in the patient’s care plan and ensured that anything that was needed was gotten quickly.

Leslie Paylor, RN, was recently recognized with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses during a surprise ceremony attended by her family, nursing leadership and senior administrators. Paylor, who was visibly shocked by the announcement, expressed deep gratitude for the honor. Paylor was nominated by a colleague who, after transitioning to a new role, became a patient for the day. In the nomination, the colleague described arriving for surgery with significant anxiety—but shared that Paylor remained by their side throughout the experience, offering comfort, reassurance, and a compassionate presence that eased fears and lifted spirits. The patient noted that the impact Paylor made will always be remembered.

UNC Health Rockingham is proud to announce that Veronica “Faye” Martin has been recognized with the prestigious BEE Award, honoring her exceptional dedication, compassion and longstanding commitment to Carolina Care. Martin received the award during a surprise gathering attended by her coworkers, food service leaders and senior administrators. She became emotional as she realized the ceremony was in her honor. Martin was nominated twice for the award—each nomination highlighting her extraordinary actions and unwavering commitment to patients, colleagues, and the values of UNC Health.

Rockingham County Student Health Centers celebrated a major expansion of student health services with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Holmes Middle School. The new on-site center marks the first time middle school students in the county have had access to school-based health services within their school.