Belle Glade, FL – Mary Weeks, RN, BSN, veteran nurse and Lakeside Medical Center’s Director of Nursing, was presented the 2009 Citizen of the Year Award by the Belle Glade Chamber of Commerce at its annual banquet on October 27, 2009 at the Dolly Hand Cultural Center.
“I’m overwhelmed. That’s just the nicest thing that could happen to me in my entire life,” said Ms. Weeks as she accepted the honor. “Being with a wonderful hospital family and community, it couldn’t have been any better.”
Ms. Weeks has served Lakeside Medical Center and the facility it replaced, Glades General Hospital, in a variety of roles for the last 30 years. She has cared for thousands of patients, mentored hundreds of nurses, and earned the heartfelt respect of her colleagues and community.
A strong advocate for her profession, Weeks has been instrumental in recruiting others into nursing. In addition to teaching nursing at Palm Beach Community College, she helped form a partnership between the College and the hospital that places nursing students in the hospital setting to gain clinical experience. This past year, Ms. Weeks spearheaded the implementation of a progressive nursing program that enhances the way care is delivered at Lakeside Medical Center. The program, called Relationship & Results Oriented Healthcare (RROHC), focuses on putting patients first by building relationships between medical staff, patients and the patients’ families.
“This recognition is so well-deserved,” said Brian P. Gibbons, Jr., Administrator of Lakeside Medical Center. “Mary Weeks has distinguished herself as a caring citizen who gives back to her community and her profession with grace and humility.”
Ms. Weeks was honored as the first recipient of the Palm Beach Community College Women of Accomplishment Award in the field of medicine in 2000. She also has participated in recruitment initiatives in the Philippines and Puerto Rico, formal mentoring programs, and tuition reimbursement programs.
“Mary’s leadership and love for her profession has attracted many students to become nurses,” said Bryan F. Cross, Chair of the Glades Rural Area Support Board. “She has been the heart of the hospital, and we are fortunate that her dedication to this community kept her here for so long. I congratulate her for this award and for advancing quality healthcare to generations of families in our community.”
In one of her most important roles before she retires next year, Ms. Weeks helped lead the team that prepared for last month’s successful transition to Lakeside Medical Center.
Patti Hood, Director of Pediatrics/Medical Surgery at Lakeside Medical Center and a veteran nurse of more than 40 years in the community, presented the Citizen of the Year award to Ms. Weeks. Ms. Hood was the recipient of the 2005 Citizen of the Year Award.
”Mary Weeks is so well respected by not only the nursing staff, but also the entire hospital staff and her community of more than 60 years,” said Ms. Hood. “She has been a true inspiration and a blessing to hundreds of nurses.”
About the Health Care District: About the Health Care District:The Health Care District of Palm Beach County provides health coverage programs for uninsured residents, a nationally recognized Trauma System, dedicated nurses in nearly 170 public schools, a pharmacy operation, a long-term skilled nursing and rehabilitation center, and acute care hospital services at Lakeside Medical Center, the county’s only public hospital, serving the rural western Palm Beach County communities along the southeastern shore of Lake Okeechobee.