Charlene McClanahan, director of oncology services at West Georgia Health, has received one of 10 Georgia Hospital Heroes awards. She was recognized for her work with cancer patients and families.

“Charlene McClanahan’s work with cancer patients and dedication to cancer prevention make her a deserving recipient of this award,” said Joseph Parker, president of the Georgia Hospital Association. “Her dedication is unwavering, and her desire to make a difference in people’s lives is extraordinary.”

McClanahan learned of the award at a surprise brunch held by co-workers at West Georgia Medical Center.

“I walked into the conference room and it was lined with staff and people I work with. I didn’t know what was happening. I don’t know that anything has shocked me more,” said McClanahan who did not know she had been nominated for the award.

“It meant so much to me that all those folks took time to share this with me. I felt so humbled to be in the midst of all those people who have done so many wonderful things,” she said.

McClanahan’s first career choice was as a pharmacist. She worked in the field for 34 years, 18 of those at West Georgia Health System. She has been director of oncology services for three years.

“Pharmacy is still my love although I don’t practice as much as I used to,” she admitted.

As a pharmacist, McClanahan often found herself working with cancer patients.

“I was in one of those families in a rural town who had to drive 80 miles on a two-lane road to get health care. It was horrible,” she said.

It became especially grueling for her family when her father was diagnosed with colon cancer while she was in school. He died just months after the diagnosis. He was 53.

“We know that 80 percent of cancer care is done in community hospitals. We provide support for patients and families during treatments. My vision is to have this comprehensive cancer center built and have all our services together to benefit our patients and their families,” she said.

As the director of oncology services, helping patients and families through the physical, emotional and spiritual challenges of cancer has been McClanahan’s mission. To help make patients’ cancer experiences as uncomplicated as possible, she created the position of the cancer care navigator, which offers patients one-on-one support and guidance through every step of the cancer journey. This way, patients can be fully involved in their treatment plans and have as much information as they need to be comfortable with every procedure.

“Every cause needs a champion to thrive. In our community, Charlene McClanahan is the champion for cancer awareness and treatment,” said Dr. Richard Freeman, radiation oncologist at West Georgia Health. “No one does more to try and reach out to people, so that they know what they can do to protect their health. This award is such an honor for her to be recognized at the state level for her commitment to our community.”

McClanahan also is in-volved with educating the community on cancer prevention. Her name is synonymous with cancer awareness events in town including one called, “Paint the Town Pink,” which highlights cancer survivors and provides breast cancer awareness to women. She also co-founded the support group Breast Friends for Life as a way to give breast cancer survivors a forum to express their experiences and concerns and to link women to important resources. She has worked with community partners to address health disparities in at-risk and underserved populations, hosting yearly free health screenings.

GHA’s Hospital Heroes Awards are presented annually to 10 people who display outstanding service to the health care field. In addition, one person is presented with a lifetime achievement award, signifying at least 30 years of service. McClanahan received the award at the Hospital Heroes Awards luncheon recently in Atlanta.

Sherri Brown can be reached at sbrown@ lagrangenews.com or at (706) 884-7311, Ext. 240.