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.
Rhonda Hickey
Rhonda Hickey serves as an X-ray and computerized tomography (CT) technologist at Greeneville Community Hospital. In addition to the care and services she provides to patients through her job, she has formed connections with some of them in another way – by crocheting prosthetics for breast cancer survivors.
The idea struck her when she was exercising with one of her friends who’d had a mastectomy. Rhonda noticed her friend adjusting silicone inserts, noting how uncomfortable and hot they must be during a workout. She remembered a pattern for “knitted knockers” she’d seen while browsing the web, and started researching how she could make a pair for her friend.
Instead of knitting the prosthetics, Rhonda decided to crochet them. They proved to be a hit for her friend, who was delighted at how much more comfortable they were than the traditional silicone prosthetics she had been wearing.
That inspired Rhonda to use her skills to help some of the patients she saw every day. Since then, she has donated several pairs to the breast cancer center and has made several more for particular patients. Some of her favorite interactions with patients are when she sees the boost of confidence they have after receiving a pair of her handmade prosthetics. One older patient eyes filled with tears of joy when Rhonda offered to provide her with her with a pair.
Rhonda wants to serve an underserved population – mastectomy patients who aren’t good candidates for reconstruction surgery. She certainly shows the heart of a servant as she helps bring a smile of comfort and confidence to many of her patients!
To hear more about Rhonda’s story, watch this inspiring video below, or you can access it on YouTube here.
See profiles on our other Servant’s Heart winners for 2022:
