'Monumental' gain enhances patient care

When Carol Jones was growing up there were limited options when it came to education for women. “In the 1970s, women were presented with the options of becoming a teacher, a nurse, or getting married and starting a family.”

When Carol’s brother married Martha Jane Hamilton, a nurse at Fort Knox, she was inspired to pursue the same path. “Martha worked full time helping others while raising six children at home. I just really admired her and with the choices we had, I knew this was the path I was going to walk down to follow in her footsteps.”

Carol attended the University of Kentucky, where she went on to graduate and begin her healthcare career until coming back to Elizabethtown. Over the years, she has served in a variety of roles from the Intensive Care unit to pediatrics and staff education.

When it comes to Baptist Health Hardin, Carol has a long history. “I started working there when it was still Hardin Memorial Hospital. I had all three of my children there, I built a career there, and it is our local hospital. It is important to me to see it continue to be successful and capable of meeting the needs of our growing community.”

After a tour of the new Baptist Health Hardin pavilion, Carol found that she was drawn to the expansion of cancer care services.

“There is so much cancer in my family. After seeing the new layout offered a space for socialization for cancer patients as they are receiving their treatment, I felt called to get involved,” she said. “In the back of my mind, I thought this may be something I utilize one day, and I knew that it may help to give others walking this path the opportunity to build friendships with their caregivers or other patients who understand what they are going through. To some it may be a gathering area, but to these patients it can be a light in a dark time, and it can give them relationships that help to support them during times of uncertainty and struggle.”

Carol believes that the addition of the new Pavilion is a ‘monumental’ gain for Hardin County, allowing patients to have access to the care they need without the added stress and financial burden of having to travel for essential treatment.

“The thought of having to travel for lifesaving care is just awful,” she said. “We are fortunate to live in a community where we can get the care we need and have a healthcare system that is expanding the care they offer to better meet the needs of those who are utilizing it. From the layout to the expansion of services, it is clear that a lot of heart has been put into this project, and that tells me that Baptist Health Hardin isn’t only invested in medicine, but they are invested in people, and that is something I am proud to stand behind.”