Supporting Our Community

CELEBRATIONS

Methodist Healthcare supports the LGBTQ+ community year-round, and during Pride Month, our hospitals show their pride through various events and activities. Take a look at the celebration that happened around Methodist Hospital | Metropolitan in June!

Photo: To kick-off the start of Pride Month, the hospital hosted a pride flag raising ceremony on their campus.

Photo: Minerva Gorjan, Vice President of Human Resources, spoke with Spectrum News 1 about the hospital’s designation as a Leader in LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality and their efforts to better care for that community.

Photo (L-R) 1: The hospital hosted a shoe box float pride parade competition. Congratulations to the Case Management department for winning! Photo 2: The SA Thrive Youth Center provides a safe environment for LGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness in San Antonio, and staff across the hospital collected much needed items for them such as gift cards, clothing, healthy snacks, personal hygiene products, and more. Photo 3 & 4: Staff from Metropolitan and our other hospitals joined together to walk in the 2022 Pride Bigger than Texas Parade downtown. We had our very own float, tshirts, and a lot of fun was had.

Photo 1: Methodist Hospital staff proudly wear their Healthcare for All shirts. Photo 2-4: Methodist Hospital’s Healthcare Equity & Inclusion team kicks off Pride Month with a celebration.

SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITY

7TH ANNUAL ROWAN WINDHAM MEMORIAL CEREAL DRIVE A HUGE SUCCESS

In early June, cereal was piled high inside the lobby at Methodist Children’s Hospital, signifying another successful Rowan Windham Memorial Cereal Drive. In an effort to kick summertime childhood hunger in Bexar County and surrounding communities, staff from each Methodist Healthcare hospital and division office, along with members of the San Antonio community, collected a total of 258,221 servings of cereal for children in need. In 2020 and 2021, the hospitals were limited to collecting monetary donations due to the pandemic. Court LeMaistre, Chief Executive Officer of Methodist Children’s Hospital and Women’s Services, says it was special seeing staff and the community collecting boxes of cereal again. “This is the first year all of our Methodist Healthcare hospitals joined in as well, and it was so nice to be able to come together, in person, for an important cause,” LeMaistre said. “Not only was our team able to help thousands of children who might otherwise go hungry during the summer months, but the team did it in a way that honors our mission of serving humanity to honor God.” The Methodist Healthcare Information Technology Group team won the title for most servings collected with a total of 26,921 servings donated. The Methodist Children’s Hospital Pediatric Surgical Unit took home the top unit award, collecting 17,150 servings of cereal. The San Antonio Food Bank will distribute the cereal among the families and organizations it serves. After the passing of beloved patient and friend, Rowan Windham, in 2016, Methodist Children’s Hospital renamed its cereal drive to honor his legacy. Rowan, a giving child who put the good of others before himself, hoped to eliminate childhood hunger by collecting boxes upon boxes of cereal from his hospital room. His mother, Carrie Windham, remains connected to the cereal drive and collects thousands of servings of cereal herself. While addressing the audience during the 2022 reveal ceremony, Carrie said “not only is Rowan proud, but everyone should be proud of the impact made on the community”.

UVALDE RESPONSE

One week following the tragic mass shooting, staff at Methodist Hospital and Methodist Children’s Hospital continued to pay respect by illuminating the hospital in the elementary school’s colors of maroon and white. Additionally, staff showed their support by wearing maroon to honor the innocent lives lost.