Amanda Miller, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, was eager to find ways to engage with her team members when she began her new role as Senior Director, Critical Care Division at Reading Hospital a few years ago. After some discussions, she realized work-life balance was a challenge for her and her staff, who shared that exercise was often the first item they skipped on their to-do list, especially if they were tired or overwhelmed.
The team began to hold walking meetings around the hospital campus. To stay committed and hold each other accountable on their wellness journeys, they kicked it up a notch and joined a local gym to work out together four days a week. “As a result, we’re all healthier and happier,” Miller said. “It’s strengthened our working relationship and led us to develop solid friendships as well.”
Ready for their next challenge, Miller and her team are among 175 Tower Health employees who are lacing up their sneakers for the Reading Hospital Road Run, being held this year on Sunday, Oct. 15. Proceeds from the annual fundraising event, hosted by The Friends of Reading Hospital (The Friends), will support the McGlinn Cancer Institute Patient Assistance Fund, which provides financial relief with non-medical expenses to cancer patients in need who are undergoing surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation treatment at the institute.
“As nurses, we’ve had firsthand experience to see how patients have benefited from the donations The Friends provide to the Hospital,” Miller said. “Their initiatives help and support our patients and colleagues, and this is a way we can thank them for all they do.”
In total, nearly 700 community members have registered for The Reading Hospital Road Run. The event is open to individuals of all skill levels, and it includes a Half Marathon (13.1 miles) course or 5K (3.1 miles) course. Both courses cover primarily scenic roadways around the Reading Hospital campus in West Reading and surrounding neighborhoods.
Online registration is available at RhRoadRun.com until 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 14, and in-person registration will be available on race day. All pre-registered runners will receive a short-sleeve wicking race shirt while supplies last. Half marathon finishers will receive a custom medal, and both events offer five-year age group awards and cash prizes for top finishers, to be presented during a post-race celebration.
The Friends of Reading Hospital is an association of dedicated community leaders that focuses on raising funds through events like Reading Hospital Road Run to support and enhance Reading Hospital’s promise of “Advancing Health. Transforming Lives.” By funding health and wellness programs, grants, and initiatives, The Friends have made a powerful and sustainable impact on the hospital, its patients, and the surrounding community, and they are resolved to continue this support for years to come.
“I’d like to thank The Friends of Reading Hospital for all they do for the hospital and the community,” said Charles F. Barbera, MD, Reading Hospital president and CEO. “Because of them, our generous sponsors of Road Run, the participants, spectators, and the volunteers have the opportunity to gather together and show our support for patients at McGlinn Cancer Institute.”
Reading Hospital is the flagship, Magnet Recognized, acute care hospital of Tower Health. Located in West Reading, PA, Reading Hospital is a 697-bed hospital that is home to many top-tier specialty care centers, including Reading HealthPlex, McGlinn Cancer Institute, Miller Regional Heart Center, Emergency Department, Level I Trauma Center, and Beginnings Maternity Center, which houses the region’s only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). With more than 1,000 physicians, specialists, and advanced practice providers across 49 locations, Reading Hospital has been recognized for its quality outcomes and clinical expertise across service lines. It has been listed as one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals for four consecutive years (and moving up to America’s 50 Best Hospitals in 2022) and received a 5-Star Rating from CMS two years in a row. For more information, visit towerhealth.org.
