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Fauquier Health Names Mercy Award Honoree

June 04, 2025
Joel Barkman, Christine Helsel, Rebecca Segal

Fauquier Health recently recognized 12 employees as Mercy Award nominees. The highest honor a Lifepoint employee can receive, the Mercy Award is named in memory of Scott Mercy, Lifepoint’s founding chairman. Mercy believed that a group of people working together toward a common vision can accomplish great things.Nominations for the Mercy Award are submitted by staff at Fauquier Health to recognize commitment to patients, fellow employees, and the community at large. This year’s Mercy Award winner is Christine Helsel, COTA/L, a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant at Fauquier Health. Christine’s nomination highlighted her as “full of hope, joy and compassion.”

“The Mercy Award commends individuals who consistently go beyond the call of duty in serving our patients and our community,” said Rebecca Segal, FACHE, Fauquier Health CEO. “Christine’s work with her patients and in the community is truly inspiring. The comments from her patients and co-workers make it clear that Christine has a special connection with them.”

The nominations for Christine shared her devotion to her patients, including a pediatric patient who struggled with mastering daily living skills, social interaction and had significant sensory issues. Christine worked with this patient to help them gain skills for independent living and to feel more comfortable interacting with others. Christine even helped her participate in a musical showcase in front of an audience. So successful was Christine’s work with this patient that they are now looking at pursuing a college education.

Also highlighted in Christine’s nomination was her work in the community to raise funds for adaptive bikes for children with disabilities. She plays an integral role in organizing the annual Warrenton Pediatric Bike-a-thon for those children to enjoy their bikes and to raise funds. “Every child should have a bike,” said Christine.

About Fauquier Health

Fauquier Health is a community health system dedicated to high-quality, patient-centered care. Nationally recognized as a Top General Hospital by the Leapfrog Group – the only one in Virginia – and accredited by the Joint Commission, Fauquier Health has achieved recognition as a Certified Primary Stroke Center, as a Center of Excellence for Joint Replacement and as an accredited Chest Pain Center. Fauquier Health includes a fully accredited, 97-bed acute care hospital; The Villa at Suffield Meadows, an assisted living facility; and multiple physician’s offices, including primary care, gastroenterology, general surgery, OB/GYN and specialty practices.

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