Jackson Purchase Medical Center Names 2022 Mercy Award Winner
June 29, 2022
Jackson Purchase Medical Center (JPMC) recently announced Courtney Shelton, physical therapist, as the hospital’s 2022 Mercy Award winner. The Mercy Award recognizes one employee from each of LifePoint Health’s hospitals who profoundly touches the lives of others and best represents the spirit and values on which the company was founded.
The Mercy Award is an annual recognition program established in 2002 to honor the life and contributions of Scott Mercy, LifePoint’s founding chairman and chief executive officer. Scott believed that people working together toward a common goal can accomplish great things. His warmth, humor and down-to-earth style helped create a culture that still resonates through the halls of LifePoint hospitals like JPMC. The Mercy Award is considered the highest honor a LifePoint employee can receive.
“At Jackson Purchase Medical Center, we share LifePoint’s commitment to making communities healthier, and we recognize this is supported by the good work and service of our employees on and off the job,” said Dave Anderson, CEO of Jackson Purchase Medical Center. “When one becomes a patient of Courtney’s, they become ‘adopted.’ Courtney is an outstanding physical therapist who demonstrates her compassion for her patients on a daily basis, and we are extremely proud to recognize her on behalf of our community.”
Courtney has a passion for patients with limiting circumstances such as neurological disorders and traumatic brain injuries. She is a role model for many young patients who look up to her for advice on personal situations and more. She always thinks outside the box and sees the bigger picture—which is part of what makes her such an asset to this community. This past fall, Courtney also began covering for the athletic trainer at Mayfield High School.
In the days that followed the December 2021 tornado, Courtney assisted four families from her daughter’s school in getting clothing and finding housing. She even delivered Christmas meals to the families who had found shelter outside the community and donated some of her furniture to help them begin to rebuild their lives. Courtney is the type of person who will give her all without expecting any recognition or anything in return.
Each hospital winner, including Courtney, will be considered for LifePoint’s 2022 companywide Mercy Award. The companywide winner will be announced this summer and honored during a ceremony in Nashville, Tenn., in August, to which Courtney and all hospital winners are invited to attend.