WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center held a Black lives demonstration Monday afternoon as part of a national movement called #whitecoatsforblacklives.
Health care workers across the U.S. have held demonstrations as part of the movement.
“We at Novant Health exist to save lives, all lives and to us Black lives matter. We are out here supporting white coats for Black lives here at Forsyth Medical Center,” said Dr. Lawrence Nycum, chief clinical officer for Novant Health for the Greater Winston-Salem market. “We’re also supporting this in our other facilities around the greater Winston-Salem market.”
Nycum said Novant Health will be in support at multiple locations such as Novant Medical Center Kernersville, Novant Medical Park Hospital, Novant Health Clemmons Medical Center also in their Charlotte market, Thomasville market, Rowan as well as in the Wilmington and Brunswick area.
“Healthcare professionals across Novant Health will collectively observe moments in silence, kneeling in support, and advocating justice for black lives,” a company spokesperson said in an e-mail.
Nycum said physicians in one of their markets brought the idea up for the demonstrations and team members have had an open dialogue since.
“We have a diversity inclusion equity team lead by Tanya Blackman one of our executive vice presidents and over the last week we thought this would be a good thing to show support for team members of color with all of the events going on all over the country,” he said. “We exist to save lives, all lives and to us Black lives matter because they are part of our demographic, they are people who come for health care in our organization in our hospitals, in our ambulatory surgery center and so we want to make sure people have access to the best care, the best doctors, the best facilities so we can help.”
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