Monday night’s Governing Board Christmas Dinner was an opportunity to pause and recognize a remarkable chapter of service by Rebecca Hillane Lambert. Hillane has served as the Health Service Administrator Representative on the Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority Governing Board from July 1, 2009 through November 25, 2025. Over sixteen years, her leadership helped guide … Continued
The Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority (CIHA) is proud to announce that its Chief Optometrist, Dr. Sharhonda Harrill, has been named the North Carolina Young Optometrist of the Year by NC Eyes, the North Carolina Optometric Society. The Young Optometrist of the Year Award recognizes a North Carolina optometrist early in their career who has … Continued
The Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority (CIHA), alongside Tribal leadership, community members, and project partners, celebrated the opening of the new Cherokee County Clinic this week. The state-of-the-art facility, located at 2313 Tomotla Road in Marble, North Carolina, represents a significant milestone in enhancing local health services for members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee … Continued
When we talk about what makes Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority special, we often come back to one guiding principle: ᏗᏆᏤᎵᎢᏳᏍᏗ — like family to me. It is something we see lived out quietly, consistently, and compassionately by the people who work here every day not just in the way they treat our patients, but in … Continued
Written by Blythe Winchester, MD, MPH, CMD, AGSF November is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, and this month serves to bring awareness to a disease that affects more than 6 million people in this country. Dementia is a group of symptoms that happens when people have trouble with memory- this can range from misplacing items to forgetting … Continued
When CIHA’s Public Relations Department was preparing for the final Flashback Friday post to complete the “A New Generation of Care” campaign celebrating the 10-year anniversary of opening the doors of the new Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority facility, they envisioned a colorful collage of “first day” photos—some grand gesture showing happy employees and smiling patients. … Continued
As we honor Native American Heritage Month, we’re taking a moment to look back at some of the people who shaped early healthcare for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians — including a doctor, whose story is as surprising as it is memorable. In 1893, Dr. Hartman Oberlander arrived in Cherokee after two … Continued
Over the weekend, Dr. Gabrielle Lane, Physical Therapist at Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority completed the TCS New York City Marathon, her first-ever marathon, running in honor of cancer survivors, caregivers, and those still fighting. Dr. Lane joined Team Livestrong, a national group of runners dedicated to supporting individuals affected by cancer to raise money … Continued
This November, as we celebrate Native American Heritage Month, the Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority (CIHA) continues to honor the spirit of our community—those who built, cared, and sacrificed so that future generations could live healthier, stronger lives. This year’s observance carries an even deeper meaning as we continue the 10th anniversary celebration of our hospital … Continued
I lost my dad to liver cancer in 2013. There are times throughout the year when that thought creeps back to the forefront of my every thought, and October is one of those times — it’s National Liver Cancer Awareness Month. Every year, I’m reminded of those difficult weeks that led to his … Continued