5000 lives touched by Baptist Health 100 Days of Service

LOUISIVLLE, KENTUCKY (JULY 20, 2024) - Baptist Health CEO Gerard Colman led the charge to clean up Iroquois Park Saturday – the latest service project to mark the health system’s centennial with 100 Days of Service.

The effort is on track to exceed that goal, with 86 days of service already logged by the system’s nine hospitals, medical group and headquarters staff, Colman said.

"We are celebrating our 100-year anniversary right here in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and southern Indiana. We wanted to memorialize our 100 years of service by providing 100 days of service to all the communities we serve," said Colman. "It's an exciting time for us. The community has really responded with so much caring and love for Baptist Health that we couldn't be more grateful." During those 86 days, Baptist Health staff and providers have:

• Touched nearly 5,000 lives.
• Partnered with 72 community agencies.
• Screened 2,500 people for heart, colon and stroke issues.
• Donated $36,000 worth of food.
• Supplied about 82,000 baby care items to new moms.

In the coming months, Baptist Health hospitals across Kentucky and southern Indiana will give flu shots, conduct blood drives, conduct lung cancer screenings, help prevent falls and raise awareness of mental health issues in their communities.

Park cleanup

Some 40 Baptist Health leaders and headquarters staff, along with friends and family, donated two hours of volunteer labor on Saturday, bagging up trash and clearing sidewalks and park areas of debris. 

The cleanup effort was chosen to focus attention on the importance of an active lifestyle in staying healthy, and to underscore that parks offer a no-cost recreation option for all. 

The sprawling 725-acre Iroquois park features an amphitheater which hosts concerts and other shows, a golf course and a 3.3-mile walking trail. Six Baptist Health hospitals have identified obesity as a top health concern for their communities.

In 2024, Baptist Health celebrates its 100th anniversary, and is marking each month with a health-related “gift” to its communities. 
The original Kentucky Baptist Hospital in Louisville opened its doors in November 1924 following years of rallying community support and fundraising. Baptist Health has since expanded to nine hospitals and more than 2,700 licensed beds, reaching nearly 75 percent of Kentucky residents and a wide swath of southern Indiana.