A Letter to Our Community from Oaklawn President & CEO Dr. Summer Liston-Crandall
Over the past week, I’ve found myself reflecting on what makes Marshall such a special place.
Like many parents in our community, I spent part of the week cheering from the bleachers. I had the opportunity to watch my son and his teammates compete on the football field and my daughter perform on the volleyball court. As a parent, those moments are meaningful and memorable.
But as I watched both of them, I was reminded that those successes don’t happen because of one great game or one strong performance.
They happen because of years of investment.
They happen because of coaches who encourage, teachers who inspire, teammates who support one another, parents who give their time, and community members who create opportunities for young people to grow and succeed.
Throughout the weekend, our community came together once again. From Homecoming celebrations to the Home Tour, residents and visitors alike experienced the pride, history, and hospitality that define Marshall.
Everywhere I looked, I saw the same thing:
People showing up.
Showing up for students.
Showing up for neighbors.
Showing up for something they care about.
It struck me that the same thing is true of Oaklawn.
For 101 years, this community has invested in its hospital the same way it invests in its schools, its families, and its future. Through generations of change and growth, people have continued to show up.
They have volunteered, donated, served, governed, cared for patients, supported caregivers, and helped ensure that quality healthcare remains available close to home.
As I begin serving as Oaklawn’s CEO, I want to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who has contributed to that legacy.
I am grateful to our Board of Directors for their confidence and support. I am thankful for the leadership of Gregg Beeg and the strong foundation he, along with countless others, has helped build. And I am deeply appreciative of my family, mentors, colleagues, board members, and team members who have supported me throughout my journey.
My connection to Oaklawn is both professional and personal.
This organization has been part of my life for many years. It has challenged me, shaped me, and provided opportunities I never could have imagined when I first began my career here. More importantly, it has allowed me to work alongside extraordinary people who care deeply about our patients and our community.
That is one of the reasons I feel so optimistic about Oaklawn’s future.
Our greatest strength is not a building or a balance sheet.
It is our people.
It is the physicians, nurses, therapists, technicians, support staff, volunteers, and leaders who dedicate themselves every day to caring for others.
Healthcare today is facing significant challenges. Community hospitals across the country are navigating workforce shortages, financial pressures, rising costs, and increasing complexity. Oaklawn is not immune to those realities, and our future will require focus, discipline, innovation, and partnership.
Yet our mission remains unchanged.
At a time when many communities are losing local healthcare services and local decision-making, Oaklawn remains an independent community hospital committed to serving our neighbors close to home.
Every day, people trust us with what matters most: their health, their families, and sometimes their lives.
That responsibility is bigger than any one leader and bigger than any single moment in our history. It is a responsibility we share.
As I step into this role, I do so with gratitude for those who brought us to this moment, humility about the responsibility ahead, and confidence in the people who will help shape Oaklawn’s future.
I have confidence in our physicians and providers, our team members, our Board of Directors, and the community we serve.
Most importantly, I have confidence that by working together we can strengthen Oaklawn for future generations, just as previous generations strengthened it for us.
When I think about Oaklawn’s role in this community, I know it means something different to every person.
For some, it is where a child was born.
For others, it is a caregiver who brought comfort during a difficult time, a physician who delivered life-changing news, or a team member whose kindness made all the difference.
For many, Oaklawn has simply been there, quietly and faithfully serving through life’s most important moments.
That is what strong communities do.
They invest in one another.
They celebrate together.
They support one another through challenges.
And they understand that the things that matter most do not happen by accident. They happen because people care enough to contribute, stay engaged, and remain committed.
For more than a century, this community has done exactly that for Oaklawn.
Now it is our turn to be good stewards of that legacy.
The decisions we make and the investments we make today will help shape what Oaklawn looks like for the next generation.
As we look ahead, I do so with tremendous optimism. Not because the road will always be easy, but because I know this community. I have seen what happens when Marshall comes together around something it believes in.
I’ve seen it in our schools, on our athletic fields, throughout our neighborhoods, and every day within Oaklawn.
My commitment is simple: to work every day to honor the trust placed in me, support our team, strengthen this organization, and ensure Oaklawn continues serving this community for generations to come.
In return, I ask for your continued partnership.
Continue advocating for Oaklawn.
Continue sharing your ideas and feedback.
Continue holding us accountable.
And continue believing in the value of having a strong, independent community hospital right here in Marshall.
Because Oaklawn’s future will not be written by one CEO.
It will be written by people working together, supporting one another, and investing in a shared future.
That is how strong communities thrive.
That is how Oaklawn has served this community for 101 years.
And that is how we will ensure it serves this community for the next 101.
Thank you for your support of Oaklawn and for continuing to show up for this community, for one another, and for the generations that will follow. Let’s turn the page together and write the next chapter.
