Vanessa Terrell and her son, Nyreek. Vanessa Terrell, a Certified Nursing Assistant at Heritage Healthcare of Wilkes (HHW), has always been one to help others. For the past 12 years she has been loyal to her career and coworkers and has proven her leadership by willingly taking on various responsibilities in the work place.

Terrell serves on "The Committed to Caring Council" for Wilkes County, providing ideas and techniques to enhance and improve employee satisfaction in the workplace. She also serves as back-up coverage for the Restorative Designee. In the Restorative Program the state requires that a nursing program constantly enhance each patient's capability of maintaining or achieving his highest practical level of care. Terrell was also appointed the trainer for all new hires at HHW as well as the trainer for the "Lift Program," a program allowing HHW to be a "no lift facility" by providing mechanical lifts for patients in need of mobile help. On the last audit to renew her CNA license, Terrell scored 100 percent.

"Vanessa Terrell is a very valuable employee here at Heritage Healthcare of Wilkes," says Joyce Barden, administrator for HHW. "She's been a long time partner and has proven to be very dependable. She constantly provides quality care for patients and gets along well with her peers."

On July 23, Terrell's son, Nyreek, was in an automobile accident on his way home from his night job in Athens. He suffered a brain injury and had to be airlifted to an Augusta hospital.

Because she does not drive, Terrell would have been unable to visit her son in the hospital if it weren't for the help of others. Terrell's cousin, Tamika Asbury, and her neighbor, Franklin Williams, offered to drive her to Augusta whenever possible for her to visit her son.

Terrell stayed with her son often, resulting in her having to be out of work. At times, she was unable to keep up with her financial obligations. Her coworkers and others knew it was time to give back to the one usually helping them.

In her time of great need, donations were given by local organizations and churches. Terrell was able to obtain financial assistance through a program called Pruitt Cares which allows caregivers to help other caregivers by giving and receiving financial assistance in a time of need. Pruitt Cares is a nonprofit affiliate of UHS-Pruitt Corporation, the management organization for HHW.

Along with the help of Pruitt Cares, Terrell received donations from the New Saints CME Church of Washington and the Greater Level Hill Baptist Church of Washington, allowing her to catch up on various bills and obligations. Help was also found in coworker and friend, Keisha Jones, who drove to Augusta to take medicine to Terrell after she became ill.

Terrell's son now lives with her in Crawfordville and has made progress in his rehabilitation. He still requires frequent visits to his doctors and therapist in Augusta; however Terrell has been able to return to work while other family members stay with him during the day.

Terrell expressed a great appreciation of coworkers, friends and family, local churches, and organizations that were able to help in her family's difficult time of need.