HOUSTON — January 2, 2018 — For the past 25 years, Nexus Health Systems has delivered a neurocontinuum of care through multiple campuses located just outside of Houston, Texas. Treating pediatric and adult patients who have experienced an acquired or traumatic brain injury, sudden accident or illness, Nexus has pioneered a holistic care model for patients who may have found traditional rehabilitation settings unsuccessful.
Celebrating their milestone, tenured employees, and most importantly, the successes of their patients over the past 25 years, Nexus Health Systems held an anniversary ceremony in December. Chief Operations Officer Joel Talley opened the ceremony thanking the audience made up of staff, patients and family members, remarking, “Today we really get to celebrate 25 years of returning patients to lives of productivity and meaning, which is an impressive vision started by Dr. Cassidy in 1992.”
As the event continued, founder Dr. John W. Cassidy spoke about the early years of Nexus Health Systems, which began on the 26-acre neurorecovery campus upon which the day’s festivities took place. “As a family, we Nexans need to pause and reflect on the more than 30,000 patients and families we have taken care of in the past quarter century,” Dr. Cassidy explained. “And it is also a time for us to celebrate the commitment to our mission that all of you uphold.”
Dr. John W. Cassidy later introduced president Erin Cassidy, who commented on how much the health system has grown in 25 years. She also spoke of the rebrand Nexus Health Systems completed earlier this year to commemorate the anniversary and unite all their facilities across Texas and in California under the Nexus name. Cassidy also recognized tenured employees, two of which have been with the health system for over two decades: Rosondra Johnson (20 years) from Nexus Neurorecovery Center and Amanda Collier (22 years) with Nexus Physician Services. In all, there were nearly 100 employees who were recognized for reaching either their five-, ten-, fifteen-, or twenty-year milestones with Nexus.
Just like the staff recognition, tenured residents were also celebrated with special anniversary jackets. One resident who has been with Nexus since the start, Chris Noel, said, “I love my jacket. Y’all are my family – everyone here is my family. Mine, all mine.”
Nexus ambassador, Patricia Wilburn, known as “Mamma Pat”, was awarded the Nexus Appreciation Award. Wilburn accepted and shared the following with the audience: “Thank you for working for my son and having faith in us. It really makes a difference when you have people to support you. Nexus is the most wonderful place to be – it turns your life around. I was told my son was going to be a vegetable, and I always say he is my laughing vegetable because God proved that he would not be a vegetable and so did Dr. Cassidy.”
The final part of the ceremony was Nexus’ annual GOPTIC awards – standing for their six internal core values: genuine, ownership, positivity, teamwork, innovation and compassion. Cassidy and other company leadership took a moment to identify and award team members who were nominated.
Marquayvion Johnson, rehab technician at Nexus Neurorecovery Center and winner of the Nexus Genuine Award, said “To the residents: It’s just a bump in the road, it’s not the end – keep progressing. I do this for you all, every day. I don’t think about it, it’s from my heart.”
Other GOPTIC award winners included Rita Guillory from Nexus Children’s Hospital – Houston, Stacey Halsch and Abe Carloto from the corporate office, Saundra Kratzer from Nexus Specialty Hospital, Lanee Malone from Nexus Neurorecovery Center and Cherryl Trajano from Nexus Children’s Hospital – Orange.
The event ended with an official cake cutting marking the 25th anniversary and a ribbon cutting with health system leadership, team members and residents. Dr. Cassidy offered a final statement, “I never imaged 25 years so long ago. I have measured my time day-to-day, but I woke up today and it’s been 25 years. So again, thank you to everyone who has helped Nexus grow to what we are today.”
