Northeast Georgia Health System Foundation

04/24/2026

"Cheryl was the kind of person who made a room feel warmer the moment she walked in. The tournament means a lot to me because of Cheryl and the impact she's had on NGHS and others in the community." - Jim Edwards, NGHS Foundation Board Member

For Jim and Audra Edwards, co-chairing the Cheryl Shippey Memorial Golf Tournament isn't about golf. It's about honoring a woman who changed the way they saw their community. It was Cheryl who first encouraged Jim to join the NGHS Foundation board, and Cheryl who invited Audra to join the golf tournament's committee. Her commitment to helping connect people with NGHS in meaningful ways has left a tremendous legacy since her death in 2023.

Funds raised from the tournament will benefit the NGMC Braselton emergency department, a facility now serving more than twice the patients it was built for. The expansion will double the number of treatment rooms, meaning shorter wait times and more neighbors getting the care they need.

Learn more about this tournament and Cheryl's legacy at nghs.com/csm.

03/26/2026

When families leave our Newborn Care and Safety class, they leave more confident, with the skills to respond to an infant CPR emergency, practice safe sleep, and recognize maternal warning signs after birth.

Thanks to our donors, we're able to offer this class at no cost and provide infant CPR kits to every family who participates.

Families recently came together to learn the skills that help protect what matters most—hands‑on infant CPR and choking response, safe sleep practices, and recognizing maternal post‑birth warning signs. Their confidence grew with every demonstration and every moment of practice.

Thanks to the generous support from Northeast Georgia Health System Foundation, we can continue offering this high‑impact class and provide infant CPR kits to families who participate. Together, we’re strengthening maternal and infant safety one class at a time.

For more information about this class and others for expecting families, visit the link in our comments.

03/16/2026

Easter Sunday 2025, Rebecca Varner woke with severe nausea, facial drooping, and confused speech. Her husband rushed her to the ED at NGMC Lumpkin, where staff quickly recognized the signs of a hemorrhagic stroke and moved swiftly to get her the specialized care she needed.

Today, Rebecca is back on her feet and deeply involved in her community, serving with CASA, the CHP Board of Directors, and her church ministry. She returned to NGMC Lumpkin recently to meet with the care team she credits with saving her life, and her message to them was simple: "The work you do is more than medicine. It's a ministry."

We are so grateful for Rebecca's willingness to share her story, and for the extraordinary team at NGMC Lumpkin whose fast action truly saved her life.

03/13/2026

Just before the third anniversary of her passing on March 1, members of the Cheryl Shippey Memorial Golf Tournament committee toured the new Emergency Department expansion at NGMC Braselton. Proceeds from the tournament have supported the project since 2023.

Cheryl, along with Tony Funari and others, played an integral role in raising the funds needed to develop NGMC Braselton more than a decade ago, and her legacy continues to impact the hospital and the surrounding community.

To learn more about Cheryl and the Cheryl Shippey Memorial Golf Tournament, visit the link in our comments.

02/16/2026

This Valentine’s Day, our NGHS volunteers made the rounds delivering cards and cheer to patients and visitors at several of our campuses. Thanks to those groups and organizations who created and donated Valentine’s Day cards for our patients — your thoughtfulness brought warmth to their weekend. We are grateful for a community that shows up for our patients in such meaningful ways.

02/12/2026

Thanks to the generosity of the Jennings-Powell family, our medical community gets to learn from some of the brightest minds in medicine. On Feb. 9, we welcomed Dr. Danielle Ofri — physician, professor, author, and Editor-in-Chief of the Bellevue Literary Review — as the featured speaker for the 7th annual Henry S. Jennings, Jr. MD, Visiting Lectureship in Medical Humanities. We're so grateful to the Jennings family for making this incredible lecture series possible!

02/05/2026

After moving back to the U.S. following 30 years abroad, Chetana Mastroberardino didn't know anyone and felt scared when facing an upcoming surgery. Before his recent retirement, Pepper Brown, MD, alongside his team at NGPG Surgical Associates in Gainesville did what they do best, they worked to calm her fears. She recalls how they answered her many questions with genuine concern and kindness. She was so moved by their support she came back for a recent visit just to see them again. We are grateful to Chetana for recognizing Dr. Brown and his team, and proud of our many care teams who treat their patients with compassion and kindness every day.

01/30/2026

We're grateful to share that six NGHS employees received more than $55,000 in funding through our Change Grant program!

These grants support projects that will enhance patient care, improve the employee experience, and strengthen community health. The funding comes from WATCH, our employee giving club, where team members invest in making healthcare better for everyone. Thank you to every WATCH donor who makes programs like this possible!

Learn more at the link in the comments.

01/29/2026

Reminder! Join Us for the 2026 Henry S. Jennings, Jr., MD, Visiting Lectureship in Medical Humanities on February 9.

We’re thrilled to welcome Dr. Danielle Ofri—author of What Doctors Feel: How Emotions Affect the Practice of Medicine—as this year’s distinguished speaker!

Thanks to a signature gift from the Jennings family to the NGHS Foundation, the Jennings Lectureship brings outstanding scholars to our community each year to honor Dr. Jennings' legacy of compassionate care and dedication to healthcare education.

Learn more and RSVP at the link in our comments.

We are excited to announce the speaker for the Henry. S. Jennings, Jr., MD, Visiting Lectureship in Medical Humanities for 2026—Dr. Danielle Ofri, author of What Doctors Feel: How Emotions Affect the Practice of Medicine.

Dr. Ofri will present A Singular Intimacy: Connecting the Bridge between Doctor and Patient.

In addition to being an author, Dr. Ofri is a clinical professor of medicine at New York University School of Medicine and editor-in-chief of the Bellevue Literary Review.

To learn more about the February 9 lectureship and to join us on this special evening, visit the link in our comments.

Physician credits awarded. All are welcome!

01/23/2026

When Dahlonega resident Leon Rubin spent 10 days in our care, he was so moved by the care he received that he wrote a letter to the The Dahlonega Nugget calling NGMC Lumpkin "a treasure to our community."

We recently had the privilege of bringing Mr. Rubin, his wife Suzi, and caregiver Rebecca back together with the care team who made such a difference during his stay. Nurses Becky Barrere, Keegan Goble, Myra Alexander, and Jayleen Harrier, along with Chaplain Gary Emmons, gathered to hear his thanks in person.

Thank you to our incredible team at NGMC Lumpkin for the compassionate care that supported both Mr. Rubin and his family when they needed it most.

01/22/2026

We're proud to honor the legacy of Cheryl Shippey with the Cheryl Shippey Memorial golf tournament on May 12, 2026, at Legends at Chateau Elan!

Proceeds support the expansion of NGMC Braselton's Emergency Department, doubling its size to better serve our growing community. We're grateful to our presenting sponsor, Jackson EMC, and to everyone who helps make this day possible. Whether you join us as a golfer, sponsor, or supporter, you're carrying forward Cheryl's passion for our community's health.

Learn more and get involved at nghs.com/csm.

01/08/2026

We’re so grateful for Dr. Pepper Brown! He recently celebrated his final surgery, marking the end of an incredible career as a surgeon. Since January 2020, Dr. Brown has also served as Chairman of the Board for the NGHS Foundation, helping guide our community’s generous support of over $60 million for programs, equipment, and technology that benefit patient care. His dedication to NGHS extends far beyond the operating room—he’s touched countless lives and shaped the future of healthcare in our community. Thank you, Dr. Brown, for your years of compassionate service and unwavering commitment to making our community healthier and stronger. Your work though, is not yet done Mr. Chairman!