The Picture Berks Healthy celebration for Berks Community Health Center included a bittersweet moment, as it was announced that Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Mary Kelleher, has accepted a position as Senior Medical Director of Medicaid with UPMC. Dr. Kelleher has been a part of BCHC since the organization’s inception and has left her mark on the entire Berks County healthcare community.
To honor Dr. Kelleher’s passion for BCHC and the Berks Community, the brand-new Dr. Mary Kelleher Good Neighbor fund was announced.
“We provide excellent medical care – and with your help we can provide much more. Some of our patients’ non-medical needs can be met by organizations we partner with. But many of these needs cannot: items like baby diapers, adult diapers, warm coats, toiletries, socks, and home glucometers. The list could go on.”
The Dr. Mary Kelleher Good Neighbor Fund, honoring Dr. Kelleher’s passion for BCHC and the Berks Community, is to meet these non-medical health-related needs.
Picture Berks Healthy brought together friends of BCHC from across the Berks community – healthcare partners, business leaders, non-profit colleagues and friends – to celebrate BCHC’s accomplishments. Attendees heard about the administration of over 23,000 Covid-19 vaccines and the impact their mobile unit, Wellness on Wheels, is making in the community.
The pinnacle of the evening was recognizing this year’s Civitas Award honoree, Pat Giles. Civitas represents the contract binding us together as we share responsibility, concern, goals and common purpose for our society. Civitas Award recipients are people who have distinguished themselves through sharing time, talent and treasure in the Berks Community. Each recipient is driven by a passion and commitment to these ideals.
There was also a glimpse of the future, with the announcement of a partnership between BCHC and Alvernia University to open a new health center in downtown Reading. This center will expand the College Town presence and provide real-world clinical experiences for postsecondary students enrolled in health sciences degree programs at Alvernia.
“We operate under a philosophy that everyone needs and deserves quality healthcare and we work hard to increase access to that care.” With those words Mary Kargbo, our President and CEO, succinctly summarized BCHC’s Mission.
You Might Also Like
