The Women of Covenant group, which strives to inspire and support Covenant’s female team members in an inclusive environment through mentorship, education, and collaboration, has donated $10,000 and a number of packages to the MaryEllen Locher Breast Center at CHI Memorial in Chattanooga. The group raised funds during this month’s company-sponsored Women of Covenant Conference, a five-day event designed to bring together team members and leadership for presentations, training, and networking. Conference attendees also donated items – including blankets, fuzzy socks, word puzzles, candy, hand warmers, and handwritten notes of encouragement – for inclusion in the care packages, which the group has donated to the Breast Center for patients undergoing treatment.
MaryEllen Locher was an inspiring and greatly loved community leader and news personality in Chattanooga, serving as the area’s first health reporter. Sadly, in this role, Locher developed cancer and began a battle that lasted nearly 20 years. MaryEllen passed away in 2005 from breast cancer at the age of 45. Prior to her passing, however, Locher founded Chattanooga’s local Make-A-Wish Foundation and helped to establish the MaryEllen Locher Breast Center, which opened in 2006.
“We are so grateful for Covenant’s support of the MaryEllen Locher Breast Center at CHI Memorial,” said Jennifer Nicely, president of CHI Memorial Foundation. “With four locations across our area plus two mobile mammography buses, more than 40,000 women are served each year with breast health services from screening mammograms all the way through diagnosis and treatment of cancer. With community support such as this from Covenant, we can ensure the latest in technology is available for patients in our region and we are able to provide a significant number of women these services for free who are uninsured or underinsured. Thank you for this generous support!”
“One of the biggest highlights of our 2022 Women of Covenant conference was seeing our team members join together to raise $10,000 for the MaryEllen Locher Breast Center of Excellence. We are proud to support this organization due to their commitment to making the breast cancer journey easier for women throughout our region by focusing on the mind, body and spirit. The Women of Covenant will continue to serve along with the MaryEllen Locher Foundation by supporting their mission to assist women whose lives are touched by this organization,” said Covenant’s Joey Ballard, executive vice president, People & Safety.
In addition to spearheading this year’s Women of Covenant Conference, the company recently revamped the Women of Covenant program to include all team member segments from across the organization to foster greater positive experiences, support, and mentorships for every female team member.
Learn more about Covenant’s commitment to diversity, equality, and inclusion here (page 24).
