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As a licensed vocational nurse (LVN) at Hendrick Medical Center South (HMCS), Cedric Brooks is living his childhood dream of working in healthcare and helping others. In 2025, he was recognized for his compassion and dedication by receiving Hendrick Health’s Nurse Tech of the Year award for HMCS. In honor of Black History Month, we are proud to share his story. How did you become interested in nursing? His passion for healthcare began early. As a high‑school junior, he completed nursing prerequisites while attending both Holland Medical and Cooper High School. He then entered Cisco College’s Vocational Nursing Program and graduated from both Cisco and Cooper High School one week apart. He is now pursuing his Associate Degree in Nursing at Cisco College to become a registered nurse. What does Black History Month mean to you? For Cedric, it is about representation and honoring those who fought for equal rights and access to education. He believes diversity helps young people see what is possible and inspires them to achieve their goals.
For the first time in its 140-year history, the Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT) held its annual meeting in Abilene - and Hendrick Health was honored to play a central role in hosting this historic gathering. Hendrick Health's relations with the BGCT runs deep, back more than a century, shortly after the founding of our original hospital. This event's success was in large part to our employees volunteering their time and served as greeters and worship leaders. Their service and enthusiasm showcased the very best of who Hendrick Health. - Brad Holland President and CEO
Last week, we honored our advanced practice providers. These healthcare professionals are an integral part of Hendrick Health's team approach to quality patient care.
For Hendrick Health's 101st birthday, employees this week enjoyed delicious treats, a scavenger hunt, visits with therapy dogs and more!
This week, Hendrick Health celebrates National Nurses Week to show appreciation for their dedication and hard work. With more than 5.3 million nurses in the United States, we are grateful to the nurses who choose to cover the Big Country with skill and compassion!
A special visitor stopped by Hendrick Health to bring treats to our employees.
Hendrick Health has earned the 2025 Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award (GEWA) for employee engagement. It is the only healthcare organization – and only one of two companies worldwide – to be recognized as one of the most engaged workplace cultures for all 19 years of the award. This year, Hendrick is one of seven healthcare systems in the nation and three in Texas to receive the award. “Hendrick Health is proud to win the Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award for the 19th year in a row,” said Courtney Head, vice president for Hendrick Health. “This award reflects our organization’s ongoing commitment to creating a workplace where employees feel recognized, supported and empowered to do the best for their patients. Our leadership is dedicated to fostering a culture of engagement because it makes a difference in the employee experience, and ultimately, the care our patients receive.”
Hendrick Health celebrated the opening of Hendrick Body and Wellness, a physician-led bariatric surgery and medical weight-loss clinic.
We continued our celebration of Hendrick Health's 100-year history with a special presentation and release of our centennial book. Abilene historian Jay Moore, who authored "Hendrick Health: A Century of Healing Ministry," highlighted milestones found throughout the book to an audience of more than 275 individuals, many of whom are featured in its pages. Thank you to the men and women who lived out the mission of Hendrick Health, making it what it is today.
Hendrick Health is celebrating a century of caring for our communities, which began when West Texas Baptist Sanitarium opened Sept. 15, 1924. The first 11 patients were admitted the next day. “We are very excited about celebrating this incredible milestone with our Hendrick family and with the communities we serve,” said Brad Holland, president and CEO of Hendrick Health. “Throughout our history, our success has been directly tied to the support of individuals and entire communities.” The five-story hospital was the fulfillment of a dream of Rev. Millard Alford Jenkens, DDiv, (1872 – 1962), who served as pastor of First Baptist Church in Abilene from 1915 until his retirement in 1948. From the hospital’s very beginning, Hendrick board members were committed to operating a community hospital that served all, regardless of finances or religious creed. The hospital was also designed to equal care in Dallas-Fort Worth, in terms of equipment, services and skilled staff, so local patients would be able to stay in their own community for their medical needs. The hospital opened with 10 nurses and 18 physicians with admitting privileges.
