A Winning Ticket: How an Employee’s Support Paid Off

Christy Carie has been a dedicated employee at Good Samaritan for 31 years, working in the laboratory. But her connection to the hospital extends far beyond her job. "I had my son here, I’ve had several surgeries here, and I’ve had cancer three different times, so I’ve utilized our cancer center and all the providers down there. Everybody’s been great," she shared.

Her involvement with the Good Samaritan Hospital Foundation began last year when she was invited to speak about the need for a new ultrasound machine for the Breast Cancer Center. "I went in and told my story about what I had been through and why I felt like it was definitely needed," she recalled. That experience strengthened her ties with the foundation, making the opportunity to support their fundraising efforts even more meaningful.

When Christy learned about the foundation’s golf cart raffle, she knew it was a cause she wanted to support. "I knew that it was to raise money for the cancer center, and of course, that’s a cause near and dear to my heart," she said. Though she had planned to buy a ticket, life got busy, and she nearly missed her chance. On the final day of raffle ticket sales, the Foundation was selling tickets in the Charles C. Hedde Health Education Center with the golf cart proudly on display. "The very last day it was available, I was walking out, and it caught my eye. I thought, ‘I’ve got to go get that done.’ So I went in, bought a ticket, and the rest is kind of history."

The moment she found out she had won was unforgettable. "I was actually at the sprint car races in Haubstadt when they called me. So I was already having a pretty good time, and yeah, I was just in complete shock—over the moon, I guess you could say!" she laughed. The prize was especially fitting for her family. "My son races motocross, and when we're at the track, it would be nice to have something to ride around on. So this is going to be perfect," Christy added.

For Christy, supporting the foundation goes beyond winning prizes—it’s about making a real 

impact in the community. "This is probably my number one cause that I like to help with, so I was thrilled when I found out that’s where some of the proceeds were going," she said. She encourages others to participate in similar fundraisers, not just for the chance to win but to contribute to meaningful change. "The more money we can raise for these causes, the better we can help our community," she added.

Christy is deeply grateful for the foundation’s work in funding vital health care resources. She passionately explains why investments in medical equipment, like the ultrasound machine she advocated for, are so crucial. "If we don’t have enough of this equipment here, patients may have to wait weeks to get a test done. But if another hospital can get them in sooner, they’ll go there instead. Once they do, their doctors will take over, and we don’t want to lose those patients because we have an awesome breast cancer center and overall cancer program here at Good Samaritan. It’s so much better being local."

Reflecting on her experience, Christy is thankful for everything Good Samaritan has provided her, both as an employee and as a patient. "I was fortunate to have everything done here, to an extent. There were some things I had to go away for, but I utilized all the services provided at Good Samaritan." And now, thanks to a last-minute decision to buy a raffle ticket, she has a brand-new golf cart to enjoy with her family—another bright spot in her journey with the hospital she holds so close to her heart.