McLeod Health honored (from left to right) Dr. William M. Hazelwood, Kaye Floyd-Parris and Dr. Michael D. Pavy with the commissioning of a portrait in their honor.

Celebrating years of dedication and service to others, McLeod Health held a portrait unveiling on October 29th to honor three outstanding individuals – Kaye Floyd-Parris, Dr. William M. Hazelwood and Dr. Michael D. Pavy.

McLeod has a long-standing tradition of acknowledging the life-time achievements of McLeod Physicians, Nursing Professionals and Organizational Leaders. One of the most significant opportunities for recognizing meritorious service and paying tribute to the fine character of these individuals is through the act of commissioning a portrait in their honor by the McLeod Health Board of Trustees. The artist’s rendering of these individuals are placed on permanent display in areas representative of both the location of their service as well as commemorating their expertise in the field.

Most recently, a portrait unveiling was held at McLeod with family members, colleagues and friends in attendance.

John R. Braddy, Chairman of the McLeod Health Board of Trustees, stated, “Dr. Pavy and Dr. Hazelwood set the bar for other physicians through their dedication, compassion and quality care of their patients. They have not just worked at McLeod for most of their careers, they have loved this hospital and their patients…and their patients have loved them in return. These two physicians have defined the high values of McLeod Health and been leaders in their fields. McLeod and this community are both better because they chose to spend their careers here.

“It has also been my honor and privilege to serve alongside Kaye Floyd-Parris on the Board of Trustees for more than 12 years. There is no one that I know of who has loved this institution and been a better advocate in the community for it more than Kaye. She served the board over the years with love, compassion, wisdom and enthusiasm. As the first female chair of the board, her leadership was infectious to those around her. She was an incredible role model for Charlie Bethea and me as to what servant leadership looks like. We will continue to be inspired by her love and dedication,” added Braddy.

Charles J. Bethea, former Chairman of the McLeod Health Board of Trustees, recognized Floyd-Parris’ service on the McLeod Health Board of Trustees for nearly three decades. In addition to her dedication to the board, Bethea detailed Floyd-Parris’ extensive community involvement from welcoming newcomers to Florence in her role as a realtor to her support of the McLeod Foundation and projects that benefit cancer programs and services.

Shirley Meiere, a Trustee and Past Chair of the McLeod Health Foundation Board, spoke on behalf of Dr. Hazelwood. She called his dedication and service to McLeod Regional Medical Center inspirational. She also related his unique way of comforting patients by singing hymns to them and how he personally relates to them as a lung cancer survivor.

Dr. Rajesh Bajaj, Co-Medical Director of the McLeod Center for Cancer Treatment and Research, reflected on Dr. Pavy’s career at McLeod as an oncologist and his role in the development of the McLeod Cancer Center. Dr. Bajaj shared many of Dr. Pavy’s accomplishments in regard to the Cancer Center over the past 38 years and how he mentors his fellow physicians as well as continues to stay up-to-date on the latest advances in oncology.

About the Honorees

Kaye Floyd-Parris is recognized for her role in the development of McLeod as a leading tertiary care center for the region and her outstanding community contributions, Floyd-Parris served on the McLeod Health Board of Trustees for nearly three decades and as Chairman of the Board from 2011 to 2014. Since 1980, she has been heavily involved in Griggs-Floyd & Grantham, Inc., where she serves as President. The Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce recognized Floyd-Parris as a recipient of the President’s Award for Excellence, and the Business Person of the Year She also received the Women of Achievement Award from the Girl Scout Council and was recognized by her peers as the Realtor of the Year by the Florence Board of Realtors. Her community involvement is widespread, with a special emphasis on cancer fundraising. Floyd-Parris was instrumental in starting the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life event in Florence. A graduate of the McLeod Health Foundation Fellows program, she served as one of the chairs for the McLeod Mobile Mammography Unit Campaign and has assisted in the McLeod Health Foundation Cancer Benefit Dinner. In 2016, the McLeod Health Foundation recognized Floyd-Parris and her husband, Julius, with the Philanthropist of the Year award. She is also a Charter Member of the Dr. F. H. McLeod Legacy Society. In both her professional and personal roles, she continues to serve as an ambassador for newcomers to our area.

Dr. William M. Hazelwood is recognized for his outstanding community contributions, both in physician leadership and support of arts and cultural programs and organizations vital to the area. He has provided meritorious service to his family, community, church and support of patients through philanthropy, medical care and volunteerism.Dr. Hazelwood, a previous McLeod Medical Staff Merit Award winner, has offered outstanding service to the McLeod organization for more than four decades and the quality of his clinical care is also well known. Dr. Hazelwood is a doctor’s doctor, sharing concern and care for his patients, both from the human side as well as the physician’s side. According to his colleagues. Dr. Hazelwood consistently steps up to help with the patient load. His personal experience with lung cancer is also reflected in the great compassion he feels for patients suffering with respiratory diseases. Dr. Hazelwood joined the McLeod Medical Staff in 1977. He cared for patients at Pee Dee Pathology Associates in Pulmonary Medicine and Internal Medicine (1977-1987) and at Florence Diagnostics Associates (1987-2006). In 2006, he joined the McLeod Hospitalists team. Today, he continues to care for patients at McLeod Regional Medical Center as a Critical Care Intensivist and as Medical Director of Respiratory Therapy and Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy.

Dr. Michael D. Pavy is credited with the development of a leading tertiary cancer care center for the region, and recognized for his outstanding community contributions, both in physician leadership, cancer research trials and the provision as a mentor to new physicians and residents. His commitment to the culture and values of McLeod Health are evident. Dr. Pavy started on his path to medicine at the State University of New York Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse, New York. After receiving his medical degree, he attended the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) in Charleston to complete his residency in internal medicine. In the second year of his residency, he made the decision to become an oncologist. Following his residency, he completed a fellowship in Medical Oncology at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. After Dr. Pavy began caring for patients at McLeod in the early 1980s, the nursing unit dedicated to cancer patients was established, and a support system for patients and their families was strengthened with the addition of Hospice and hospital social workers assigned to cancer patients. For nearly four decades, Dr. Pavy has built on existing services in cancer care and established many new programs to form the outstanding McLeod Cancer Center that exists today.