Gulf Coast Citizen Diplomacy Council

For five days in October we were pleased to have with us nine visitors from across the globe who were with us to observe Breast Cancer Awareness and Outreach programs.  Included in this program were surgeons from Czech Republic, Saudi Arabia, and Kazakhstan as well as health officials and leaders in non-profits from South Africa, Netherlands, South Korea, Ghana, and Fiji.

Our council would like to once again thank President of the City Council Maren DeWeese for welcoming our guests and speaking with them about local healthcare options available to our citizens. We’d also like to thank her for presenting the guests with their Honorary Citizenship of Pensacola, something that always truly touches our visiting delegations.  

Following their welcome, the visitors were amazed at the welcome they received at Santa Rosa Medical Center.  Lisa Walsh, Nathan Vooys, Phillip L. Wright, Dorothy Grace, Sherry Pitts, Cecilia Wood, and Stephanie Bushart who welcomed the delegation with a phenomenal lunch and tour of their new facility “The Women’s Place,” a healthcare facility designed with women in mind.  It was a pleasure touring this remarkable center.

Following this, our visitors went to the Escambia County Health Department where Trena Webb, Beate Bolton, and John Lansa talked to the group about healthcare programs and options available to the lower-income population. They also led the group on a tour of the facility and explained the different health initiatives currently in place throughout Escambia County.

For their last appointment of the day, the group met with Natalie Seaber and Lisa Pitts at West Florida Hospital where they were given a tour of their mobile mammogram unit.  Natalie and Lisa discussed how the unit helps women who are physically-handicapped or without transportation to get mammograms by coming to their neighborhoods.

Later that night, the group enjoyed live music and camaraderie with locals at Pensacola Beach’s happening nightspot – Flounders.

The following day, the group was given an all-inclusive tour of Baptist Hospital where the hospital staff welcomed all their questions with gusto.  Donna Johnston graciously led the group on the tour and was later joined by Tammy Wehmeier, Vikki Jordan, Karen Pilgrim, Leslie Robinson, Jill Pait, and Kelly Markahm who explained how the hospital coordinates patient care.  Jill and Tammy also explained how the American Cancer Society teams with Baptist for fundraising and program initiatives and the difference this partnership is making in our community.

Following this, the visitors met Kristen Sylvester at Woodlands Medical Center where they toured that amazing facility.  Built with the concept of making women feel like they were more in a spa than a health clinic, the calming effects of Woodlands was truly remarkable.  After being shown their state-of-the-art equipment, the group then met the health team and three women who shared their experiences with breast cancer survival in an informal round-table discussion.