A commitment for a better community

As a self-proclaimed ‘old school country boy,’ Joe Edwards is well-versed in what it means to work hard, and it is a trait he recognizes in Baptist Health Paducah.

“Soon after I graduated college, my mother passed away,” he said. “At that time, to get the care we needed we had to travel to Nashville, Tennessee. Twenty years later, our medical facility has grown by leaps and bounds. What we used to have to travel to get is now available right here in our own community, and that was a direct result of hard work from hospital staff and community partners.”

Joe’s mother suffered from complications with lupus, an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks itself, that caused a hole to form in her aortic valve. He credits his mother not only for his interest in cardiovascular care, but for inspiring him to give back.
“Some people pass away too early,” he said. “My mother was a very giving person, and to be able to do something in her memory that may help other families going through times of difficulty, that is important to me.”

Joe recognizes the importance of healthcare in every type of community. “Paducah is what I would consider rural. We have small town roots, but Baptist Health supports us, they see the need to have quality healthcare available in a variety of regions.”

“There’s a Baptist Health difference, and it’s simple, it’s real people answering real needs. It’s people you see at the grocery store or parents of students in your child’s class, everyone knows everyone, and we are all invested in the health of each other and our community. Maybe healthcare doesn’t affect you right now, but it will at some point. For me, I’ve been impacted multiple times and it’s inspired me to make a difference. I hope can help others. If we all did just a little bit, can you imagine the community we would be leaving behind for future generations? That’s a commitment we can all get behind.”