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Health

UNC Health Appalachian’s Local Chapter of “Walk with a Doc” Starts on June 7th

May 30, 2025 UNC Health Appalachian is proud to announce the launch of a local chapter of Walk with a Doc, a monthly walking program led by our Family Medicine residents designed to promote wellness and build community – one step at a time. On Saturday, June 7, the Boone community is invited to join a monthly physician-led walk that begins with a short health talk followed by a casual walk. The program is free and open to all ages and fitness levels. Whether you’re managing a chronic condition, looking for a reason to get outside, or simply interested in connecting with local healthcare providers in a relaxed setting, this is a great opportunity to take charge of your health.

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Petco Love and Watauga Humane Society Aim to Stop the Spread of Deadly Preventable Diseases Through Free Pet Vaccination Event on June 2nd

May 29, 2025 Watauga Humane Society will provide free vaccinations for Watauga County pets. The free vaccines are made possible through Petco Love’s national vaccination initiative, Vaccinated and Loved, which is providing an additional one million free pet vaccines to existing animal welfare partners, including Watauga Humane Society, for family pets in need. Parvovirus and distemper in dogs and panleukopenia in cats—the most prevalent deadly diseases affecting pets—are preventable with a simple vaccine. An estimated 30% of pet parents do not take their pet to a veterinarian annually for preventative care. To ensure the health and wellness of our beloved pets and to address this critical need, Watauga Humane Society and Petco Love have partnered to make pet vaccines free and accessible.

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UNC Health Appalachian’s Medical Oncology Services Are Relocating; Opening May 19th

May 13, 2025. UNC Health Appalachian’s Medical Oncology clinic will begin seeing patients at its new location at 1200 State Farm Road in Boone. Oncology Infusion and Radiation Oncology services will continue at the Seby B. Jones Cancer Center, located at 338 Deerfield Drive. Our new Medical Oncology location will allow us to offer expanded services, including more exam rooms and enhanced patient amenities, all designed to improve your care experience.

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Pottery Lot Hosts “Brain Tumor Awareness Day” — A Creative Community Fundraiser Inspired by Personal Experience

May 12, 2025 On Monday, May 19, The Pottery Lot will host Brain Tumor Awareness Day, a powerful day of community, creativity, and purpose. Through hands-on pottery classes and fundraising efforts, the event will raise money and awareness for those affected by brain tumors—both locally and beyond. The day features three hand-building pottery classes at 11:00 AM–1:00 PM, 3:00–5:00 PM, and 6:00–8:00 PM, open to all skill levels. The cost is just $35 per person, The Pottery Lot’s lowest class fee ever offered, with 100% of class proceeds donated to support brain tumor awareness, research, and care.

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Registration is open for App State’s 2nd annual Aging Well Conference on May 15–16

April 30, 2025 Appalachian State University will host its second annual Aging Well Conference on May 15–16 at Levine Hall of Health Sciences, located at 1179 State Farm Road in Boone. Sponsored by BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina Medicare, the event will bring together caregivers, health professionals, researchers and social service providers to explore innovative strategies for healthy aging. Conference topics include disease prevention, managing anxiety and depression in older adults, balancing exercise with physical therapy and lifestyle interventions to prevent cognitive decline.

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UNC Health Appalachian Announces Local Chapter of “Walk with a Doc” in Boone

April 28, 2025 UNC Health Appalachian is proud to announce the launch of a local chapter of Walk with a Doc, a monthly walking program led by our Family Medicine residents designed to promote wellness and build community – one step at a time. Starting on Saturday, May 3rd, the Boone community is invited to join a monthly physician-led walk that begins with a short health talk followed by a casual walk. The program is free and open to all ages and fitness levels. Whether you’re managing a chronic condition, looking for a reason to get outside, or simply interested in connecting with local healthcare providers in a relaxed setting, this is a great opportunity to take charge of your health.

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Key to the City: Boone Town Council Recognizes Trenton D’Agostino for His Success at the Special Olympics World Winter Games

April 25, 2025 During the April 23, 2025 Boone Town Council meeting, the Boone Town Council unanimously approved a resolution to award a “Key to the City” to Special Olympian, Trenton D’Agostino. D’Agostino was also given a plaque that detailed the Town Council’s appreciation for his achievements. An accomplished athlete, D’Agostino won two gold medals, one in the intermediate giant slalom snowboarding competition and another in the intermediate super G in the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin, Italy. As a Watauga County native, and as a graduate of Hardin Park Elementary School and Watauga High School, the Boone Town Council wanted to recognize these achievements with a tangible reminder of how proud D’Agostino’s community is of his journey.

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Community Health Report Released for Watauga County from AppHealthCare

March 10, 2025 “AppHealthCare, in collaboration with various agencies and community partners, has released the Community Health Assessment for Watauga County. This report highlights community-identified public health priorities and provides a foundation for work that will take place in the following years. The Community Health Assessment report is published every four years in partnership with the Watauga Compassionate Community Initiative, Appalachian District Board of Health and AppHealthCare, including many other partnerships, individuals and agencies. The Community Health Assessment report follows a data-gathering and evaluation process involving the community to identify and analyze community health needs and assets. After completion, partners collaborate to strategically address the key health priorities and then implement the plan to address the unmet needs.

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Runs for Buns Fundraiser for Conquering Colon Cancer at Beech Mountain March 7 and 8

February 20, 2025 Join Beech Mountain Resort for two days of raising awareness and conquering colon cancer! Friday, March 7, for an unforgettable evening with live music at the Not So Gala, Gala and on Saturday, March 8, for a fun day of skiing, snowboarding, contests, and more at Runs for Buns! There’s something for everyone! Participate and fundraise as an individual or team at Runs for Buns. Participate by completing as many runs as you can on Saturday, March 8. Fundraising is highly encouraged. Attend an Evening with The Brothers Comatose; the Not So Gala, Gala.
The Not So Gala, Gala will be held on Friday, March 7.

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Flu Cases on the Rise in the High Country, Expected to Peak in the Upcoming Weeks

February 20, 2025 Flu (influenza) cases are rising in the High Country as flu spreads widely across the state and is expected to peak in the upcoming weeks. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services encourages families to take advantage of early testing and antiviral treatments to prevent these infections from becoming severe, especially in children and the elderly. When given early, antiviral medications can help lessen the severity of flu symptoms. These treatments are most effective when initiated shortly after symptoms appear.

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Empty Bowls to Postpone Their Annual Event Until 2026 in Consideration of Local Potters and Restaurants Impacted by Hurricane Helene

February 13, 2025 In support of local potters and restaurants impacted by Hurricane Helene, the Hunger and Health Coalition and Watauga High School has chosen to postpone their annual Empty Bowls event until 2026. Empty Bowls is a community staple and longstanding partnership with art students at Watauga High School, local potters to provide pottery, and local restaurants to provide soup for patrons to enjoy. Typically, restaurants donate soup for the event, local potters donate their work, and Watauga High School students create clay bowls to raise funds to support the mission of Hunger and Health Coalition – transforming our community’s hunger into health.

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Feeding Avery Families 2024 Review

February 6, 2025. During 2024, Feeding Avery Families (FAF) provided $1.4 million worth of free food to our hungry neighbors in Avery County, NC. Miraculously, FAF food cost averaged only 17 cents per individual meal, thanks to securing top quality groceries at no or very low expense. In addition, dedicated volunteers kept operation costs low.

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AppHealthCare WIC Program Celebrates National Breastfeeding Award

January 28, 2025. The Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program, housed within AppHealthCare, recently received a national breastfeeding award from the USDA Food and Nutrition Service, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program. According to the USDA, “the award recognizes local WIC agencies that have provided exemplary breastfeeding promotion and support activities.” The award is given at three levels of performance: Gold, Premiere and Elite. The AppHealthCare WIC Program received the Premiere award recognition and is one of twenty recipients in the country.

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Parent to Parent Family Support Network Launches Survey for Families with Specialized Health Care Needs after Hurricane Helene

December 26, 2024 Appalachian State University’s Parent to Parent Family Support Network (P2P-FSN), a program of the Appalachian Institute for Health and Wellness, is taking action to connect families of children with special health care needs who were impacted by Hurricane Helene with resources to assist with their unique challenges. The survey focuses on identifying urgent requirements, including access to shelter, medical care, special education services and mental health support. The data collected will enable P2P-FSN to prioritize needs and deliver the most effective guidance to families in need. “Our goal is to ensure that families with children who have special health care needs are connected to resources to receive the support they need to recover and rebuild after a disaster,” said Mary Sheryl Horine, director of outreach and education for the Appalachian Institute for Health and Wellness.

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Watauga Medical Center Earns 2024 Leapfrog Top Hospital Award for Outstanding Quality and Safety

December 18, 2024 Highlighting its nationally recognized achievements in patient safety and quality, Watauga Medical Center was named a Top Rural Hospital by The Leapfrog Group. Announced today, the Leapfrog Top Hospital award is widely acknowledged as one of the most competitive awards American hospitals can receive. The Top Hospital designation is bestowed by The Leapfrog Group, a national watchdog organization of employers and other purchasers known as the toughest standard-setters for health care safety and quality. Top Hospitals will be honored tonight at the 2024 Leapfrog Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner in Washington, D.C.

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UNC Health Appalachian Names Nathan Nipper as its New CEO Starting January 1, 2025


December 14, 2024 UNC Health Appalachian has named Nathan Nipper as its new president and CEO. Nipper, who has served as the Boone-based health system’s Chief Operating Officer since 2022, will succeed Chuck Mantooth, who announced last summer that he would retire at the end of 2024. A search committee was formed last summer to identify Mantooth’s successor. The committee conducted a comprehensive search to find a leader who will build upon Mantooth’s legacy and guide UNC Health Appalachian into the future. Nathan is a talented and passionate leader who will continue UNC Health Appalachian’s efforts to improve the health and wellbeing of all patients in Northwest North Carolina and beyond,” said Jim Deal, chairman of UNC Health Appalachian’s board of trustees. “Nathan is committed to our community and this organization.”

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Crossnore Center for Trauma Resilient Communities and Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church Partner for New Initiative

December 6, 2024 Crossnore Communities for Children’s Center for Trauma Resilient Communities and the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church have partnered on a new initiative called “Building Healing-Centered Faith Communities.” The new initiative has a goal of creating safe church communities to offer a stable path for hope, healing, and mutual care in Western North Carolina. Created and developed by Crossnore using its renowned trauma-informed work in the service of children and families, the Center for Trauma Resilient Communities (CTRC) supports organizations using the science of trauma resilience to build healthy and healing environments for their staff, volunteers, and the children, families, and communities they serve.

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Nonprofit Mercy Urgent Care to Open Ninth Location in Boone in 2025

November 25, 2024 Mercy Urgent Care is proud to announce its newest location in Boone, opening in 2025 in the Watauga Village Shopping Center off Blowing Rock Road. Once open, this clinic will provide patients in Watauga County with access to walk-in care at a fraction of the time and cost of an ER visit. Headquartered in Asheville, Mercy Urgent Care is Western North Carolina’s only independent, nonprofit urgent care, offering high-quality, affordable and convenient medical care for non-life-threatening illnesses and injuries. Currently, its network includes eight locations across five counties. The Boone clinic will be its ninth facility — and its first expansion into Watauga County.

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UNC System Board of Governors Approves App State’s New Doctor of Nursing Practice Hybrid Program

November 22, 2024 Beginning in fall 2026, Appalachian State University will welcome its first cohort of students to a hybrid Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree program, designed to educate family practice nurse practitioners and respond to health care provider shortages, especially in rural areas. The DNP program, which received approval from the University of North Carolina System Board of Governors on Nov. 14, holds the distinction of being the university’s first doctoral degree program in the field of health sciences. App State currently offers doctoral programs in clinical psychology (PsyD) and educational leadership (EdD).

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Watauga Medical Center Earns an ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group 

November 21, 2024 Watauga Medical Center earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit watchdog focused on patient safety. Leapfrog assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grade to general hospitals across the country based on over 30 performance measures reflecting errors, accidents, injuries and infections, as well as the systems hospitals have in place to prevent them.  

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Appalachian Regional Healthcare Foundation Receives Donation from Blue Ridge Energy Propane and Fuels in Honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month

November 21, 2024 In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, Blue Ridge Energy Propane and Fuels presented a check for $3,689 to Appalachian Regional Healthcare Foundation. Giving back to help a cause that’s close to the hearts of customers and employees is what “Fueling the Fight” and its signature pink propane delivery tuck is all about for Blue Ridge Energy Propane and Fuels, the propane subsidiary of Blue Ridge Energy. The donation represents a penny for every gallon of propane delivered during the past twelve months by the company’s pink “Fueling the Fight” propane delivery trucks.

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AppHealthCare Celebrates 31 Year Career of Environmental Health Director Andy Blethen, Welcomes Incoming Director Monica McKinney

November 14, 2024. After 31 years of serving, leading and guiding public health environmental health efforts in Alleghany, Ashe and Watauga Counties, Andy Blethen retired from AppHealthCare on October 31, 2024. Andy was the Environmental Health Director with AppHealthCare for 17 years and employed with AppHealthCare since 1993. Andy began employment with AppHealthCare as an Environmental Health Specialist Trainee, starting part-time and was promoted to Environmental Health Director in 2007. Throughout Andy’s career, he has led the Environmental Health Department through many changes, including COVID-19 response and most recently, navigating Hurricane Helene response efforts. Andy is a champion for public health and advocate for the importance of healthy environmental health practices that protect our communities.

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AppHealthCare Recommendations for Well and Spring Disinfection and Testing

October 9, 2024 AppHealthCare urges safe water usage following Hurricane Helene and recommends disinfection and testing for wells and springs. We will be offering disinfection and bacterial test kits at no cost for private wells and springs. This will be a priority area for the AppHealthCare Environmental Health Team in the coming days and weeks as road conditions improve, power is restored and samples can be safely transported.
To request a disinfection or test kit, please complete this form and an AppHealthCare staff member will reach out to you once kits arrive. You can also call AppHealthCare at (828) 795-1970 Monday through Friday 8:00am-4:45pm and select option 3 on the phone menu to be connected to the Environmental Health Team. Please note there will be a limited number of kits available.

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Free Seated Tai Chi for Arthritis and Fall Prevention at the Watauga Public Library Sept. 9

August 27, 2024 The Watauga County Public Library is again privileged to partner with Healthy Aging NC Training Academy and the High Country Area Agency on Aging to bring free, highly beneficial Seated Tai Chi Classes to the community! Every Monday at 10 am, from September 9th – December 16th (except Veteran’s Day) we will have Seated Tai Chi classes at the Watauga County Public Library and live online. The in-person class will have a limit of 18 people, so sign up quickly.

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Charles A. Cannon, Jr. Memorial Hospital Earns “A” for Patient Outcomes

August 7, 2024 Charles A. Cannon, Jr. Memorial Hospital has been recognized by the Lown Institute for excellence in patient outcomes, receiving an “A” grade on the 2024-25 Lown Institute Hospitals Index for Social Responsibility. Cannon Memorial Hospital achieved this honor through strong performance across metrics of patient safety, clinical outcomes, and patient satisfaction, out of more than 3,600 hospitals nationwide. The hospital ranked #1 for Patient Outcomes and Patient Satisfaction in North Carolina and in the top 10 nationally on Lown’s patient outcomes metric. The hospital also performed well on Lown’s category and category metrics.

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