Greetings with Gratitude

Well, here we are – halfway through 2019! I continue to be grateful for this place, for the patients that walk through our doors, for our 150-plus strong staff, and for faithful supporters like you.

This is a special year for Mercy as we are celebrating our 20th anniversary . It all started with a group of people who realized the need for accessible and affordable pediatric healthcare in Franklin. They prayed that a vacant building on 9th Avenue would be used for the Lord’s purposes. God answered that prayer with Mercy Children’s Clinic, which is now Mercy Community Healthcare.

The year-long celebration kicked off with a reception on April 16, the exact date our Articles of Incorporation were signed in 1999. Part of that celebration includes another answer to prayer as we have opened a healthcare center in Lewisburg, Tenn. Thanks to the Greater First Baptist Church and Rev. Herbert Johnson (one of our Board members) for offering temporary space until we found a permanent home at 122 E. Commerce Street, just off the square in downtown Lewisburg.

We have been welcomed into the Lewisburg and Marshall County communities with open arms and are grateful to so many city, county and state officials as well as the Marshall County Health Department for supporting us in this dream. We also appreciate Ms. Jean Parsons for believing in us so that we could occupy a building with such historical meaning to this community. At our recent Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting event , so many of our guests spoke about how that building formerly housed their doctor. We look forward to welcoming these patients back.
Our Lewisburg facility is fully staffed Monday through Friday.  Chief Medical Officer Dr. Alex Brunner is in the clinic each weekday except Tuesdays. Dr. Amy Vehec (pediatrician) is in the clinic on Tuesdays, and Ariel Campbell (family nurse practitioner) assists on Tuesdays as well. Another nurse practitioner, Faith Legrone, will join that clinic in the fall. We are also pleased to report that Steven Neely provides counseling services during the week. Thank you to these providers as well as Gina Reed (operations site manager), Hannah Swinney (registered nurse), Meagan Maynard (lab technician), Kim Young (care coordination), and Sarah-Jane Rivera (front desk) for having a heart for this ministry.

The real celebration of our anniversary will take place this fall. Please mark your calendars for Friday, Nov. 8, as we host a 20th Anniversary Dinner at St. Philip Catholic Church in downtown Franklin. We look forward to welcoming back many of those who are responsible for our founding and those who have prayerfully guided us through this ministry for the past 20 years. There are so many exciting things for Mercy on the horizon, and we cannot wait to gather our friends in one place to share the good things Mercy is doing and the path that God is directing for the future.

Until then, it’s business as usual, reflecting the love of Jesus by providing excellent healthcare services in Franklin , Lewisburg and surrounding communities. We invite you to be part of this exciting time in our journey.

With a grateful heart,

Cindy Siler
CEO
Will you join us? Mercy's Franklin Classic is Labor Day, Sept. 2

Make plans to attend the Franklin Classic, the annual 5K Walk/Run, 10K Run, 15K Run and 1K Kids Run through the streets of downtown Franklin.

SilverSneakers® by Tivity Health returns as our Presenting Sponsor. SilverSneakers is America’s leading fitness program for older adults, providing social and fitness opportunities at more than 16,000 locations throughout the country. The program is offered to Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement members through more than 60 health plans nationwide.

We are grateful to our many sponsors and community partners including Christ Community Church, which provides bounce houses, face painting and other games for our Kids Zone! And last year, Christ Community won the award for Largest Team. Below, hear Diana Bartarseh, Christ Community's Director of Discipleship and Equipping, discuss why they support the Franklin Classic.

Visit  FranklinClassic.org   to register and learn more about how to participate in this Labor Day tradition.


Now Scheduling Sports and Back-to-School Physicals

Need to schedule a sports or back-to-school physical for your child? Sports physicals ensure your child is in good health before they play, and back-to-school physicals check their overall health for any issues your growing child may be dealing with.

Call us to make an appointment!
Franklin: (615) 790-0567 | Lewisburg: (615) 814-3400

Meet Our New Pediatric Nurse Practitioner – Rai-Lynne Alexander

Join us in welcoming Rai-Lynne Alexander to our team as Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in our Franklin clinic! Prior to joining Mercy, she was a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner for Grace Pediatrics in Spring Hill and Erlanger Community Health Centers in Chattanooga.
 
Originally from Leiper’s Fork, Rai-Lynne earned a B.S. in biological sciences from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and a M.S.N. from Vanderbilt University. She is board certified in pediatrics through the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board.
 
"I was led into a career in pediatrics because of my desire to help disadvantaged children," Rai-Lynne said. "I did a pediatric rotation at Mercy as a student several years ago, and I knew this is where I wanted to be someday."
 
"Mercy is unique in that we offer care to everyone regardless of their life circumstances as well as in the level of integrative services we offer through on-site behavioral healthcare and care coordination. This makes it easier for me to care for the health of my patients as my colleagues are committed to addressing any social barriers and mental healthcare needs they may have."
 
To make an appointment with Rai-Lynne, please call 615-790-0567.

Meet Deon & Celeste Potgieter
The Potgieters are a family of four from South Africa, who unfortunately found themselves without health insurance. Hear how a number of people at Mercy guided Deon through an unexpected four-month illness.