Trauma Survivors Reunite With UPMC Care Teams at Heartfelt Reception

June 9, 2025

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Tears, hugs, and heartfelt gratitude filled the room as trauma survivors and their families reunited with the hospital staff who helped save their lives during UPMC Williamsport's second annual Trauma Survivors Reception.

Hosted by the trauma program, the evening honored the extraordinary journeys of patients who endured life-altering injuries and celebrated the surgeons, nurses, and support staff who played critical roles in their survival and recovery.

“This room is filled with stories of pain, perseverance, healing, and above all, of hope,” said Patti Jackson-Gehris, president, UPMC in North Central Pa. and UPMC Williamsport. “At UPMC, we often say we deliver life-changing medicine, but tonight, those words come alive. They take on faces, voices, and stories.”

Ronen Elefant, M.D., medical director, Trauma, chief, Acute Care Surgery, reflected on the trauma program’s rapid growth, emphasizing expanded partnerships and investments in critical specialties like neurosurgery, orthopedics, and interventional radiology that have strengthened care delivery and reduced the need to transfer patients out of the area.

“The data tells a powerful story: shorter transport times, faster arrival-to-OR intervals, improved neurologic outcomes, and better overall patient stability upon arrival. These aren’t just numbers — they’re lives changed, futures restored, and families made whole again,” said Dr. Elefant. “But tonight, nothing matters more than the people we are here to honor: our trauma survivors. You are the reason we do what we do. You’ve shown us all what it means to fight, to heal, and to thrive.”

Survivor recognition was led by Amanda Raymond, BSN, program manager, Trauma, who explained that “The National Trauma Survivors Network has embraced the red tulip as the official symbol of trauma survivors. It represents not only the unique challenges faced after a traumatic injury but also the remarkable resilience shown on the journey to healing.” Raymond went on to detail how the trauma team created custom stained-glass tulips as a special gift for the new survivors joining us this evening.

Chad Barner, trauma survivor, attended the event with his family. Afterwards he expressed his appreciation to the trauma team, sharing that his “stained-glass tulip is now hanging prominently in my shop about ten feet from where I fell. The sun catches it just right and it is a beautiful reflection of how devoted all of you are to helping complete strangers in dire need. Thank you to those hands that created it. The same hands that give such outstanding care to so many.”

UPMC Williamsport is the region’s only trauma center and serves as a hub for advanced care across north central Pennsylvania. Since earning its trauma designation in 2021, the program has continued to grow, expanding access to life-saving care closer to home for thousands of patients each year.

For more information about trauma care at UPMC Williamsport, go to UPMC.com/TraumaNCPA.