We’re putting the spotlight on our winners of the Scott and Nikki Niswonger Servant’s Heart Award, Ballad Health’s highest award. It was created to honor team members, physicians and volunteers who display the heart of a servant by going above and beyond the normal call of duty in helping others at work and in the community.
The award was named in honor of Scott and Nikki Niswonger. Scott is a Greeneville businessman and philanthropist who is the chief benefactor of the Niswonger Children’s Hospital in Johnson City, and a member of the Ballad Health board of directors. The Niswongers have a long history of serving others throughout the region, with a strong focus on education highlighted by the creation of The Niswonger Foundation.
We’ve also started our nominations for next year’s winners; to make a nomination, click here.
F.L. Villiard
At the Johnston Memorial Hospital Cancer Center, you will often find F.L. Villiard serving patients and their families while supporting the hospital staff in any way he can. He goes above and beyond the normal call of duty to help them get through difficult times both physically and emotionally, and we are proud to recognize him as a 2022 Servant’s Heart Award recipient.
F.L. lends an ear to patients and families and gets to know them to better support them during their treatment. “He touches the lives of every one of our patients and their families,” one of the nurses said. “Countless times after a patient has passed, their loved ones will come into the cancer center just to thank him for supporting them through the most difficult times in their life.
”He also profoundly impacts the workday and lives of fellow team members, allowing frontline staff to devote more time to care for the patients. He will get lunch for the staff, manage supplies and even clean the chemotherapy chairs after each patient has been discharged.
One team member stated, “He always has kind words and a giant smile. He writes cards for Nurses Week, holidays and special occasions, and he has sponsored each of us for multiple years as an honoree on the Tree of Lights. Simply put, he makes life better!”
Aside from volunteer work, F.L. donates to organizations that benefit patients, like the hospital’s Tree of Lights and sponsoring a table at the annual cancer outreach gala. Giving his time to the cancer center is very personal, as his wife was a patient and passed away in 2018. Later that year, he began volunteering at the center.
His service makes a difference in the lives of everyone he encounters. Please join us in thanking F.L. for dedicating his time, compassion and gifts and honoring him as a Servant’s Heart Award winner.
See profiles on our other Servant’s Heart winners for 2022:
