Valet services now available

Growing up in Russell County, Kentucky, Marilyn Ford did not have access to local healthcare. Now, as the city president of the Heartland region of WesBanco Bank, the subsidiary of WesBanco, Inc., she is an advocate for access to medical care, not only because of the economic impact of Baptist Health Hardin bringing in new jobs and servicing a 10-county radius, but because it is personal to her.

“When I was 17, I contracted bacterial meningitis, a rare and often deadly inflammation of the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord,” said Marilyn. “My parents had to travel multiple hours to the closest hospital so that I could receive care. Physicians told my mother I would either not make it through the next 24 hours or be in a vegetative state for the remainder of my life. I was a miracle of God, I defied the odds, but that isn’t everyone’s story. Baptist Health Hardin ensures that our community doesn’t have to travel to get the care they need or be removed from their support systems, and to me, that is incredibly important.”

WesBanco, a diversified multistate bank with a substantial presence in Kentucky, has consistently demonstrated its commitment to enriching the communities it serves. Previously, WesBanco was the first corporate donor to the Baptist Health Foundation Hardin’s pediatric therapy playground expansion. In 2023, WesBanco Bank committed $100,000 to support valet services in the new Baptist Health Hardin Medical Pavilion.
“Through my role on the board of directors at Baptist Health Hardin, I was able to learn more about our hospital and become an advocate for real people and their real needs,” said Marilyn. “When the opportunity for WesBanco Bank to address one of the needs I was made aware of presented itself, I knew it was something I wanted to bring to fruition.”

Marilyn recognizes the importance of a regional hospital, and when you combine that with an area that is facing unprecedented growth, you begin to identify problems that require a solution. Through her support of this project, Marilyn is helping to alleviate the frustration of being unable to find a parking spot and assisting those who have mobility issues avoid unnecessary stress.

“When you look at medical care, it is more than your treatment, it is the entire experience from when you drive into the parking lot to filling a prescription,” she said. “My hope is that through the addition of valet services we are able to make one part of that equation easier for a patient or their family members. When you multiply that impact by the number of individuals coming into the new facility each year, it is invaluable. It is truly an investment we hope to see benefit thousands of people and make the process of getting the care they need a little smoother.”