Tate named NAMC 2026 Mercy Award Winner

FLORENCE, Alabama – North Alabama Medical Center (NAMC) has announced that Donna Tate, RN, has been

recognized as the facility’s 2026 Mercy Award winner. The Mercy Award recognizes one employee from each of Lifepoint Health’s facilities who profoundly touches the lives of others and best represents the spirit and values on which the company was founded.

The Mercy Award is an annual recognition program that honors the life and contributions of Scott Mercy, Lifepoint’s founding chairman and chief executive officer. The award is considered the highest honor a Lifepoint employee can receive.

“At North Alabama Medical Center, we are committed to advancing Lifepoint’s mission of making communities healthier, and our devoted team members are critical to this work,” said Mike Howard, Market President and CEO of NAMC. “Donna is a true servant-leader who inspires us all to lead with our hearts. Her impact extends far beyond our hospital walls, as she tirelessly gives back to our community and ensures that compassion and care reach those in need wherever they are.”

As the Manager of Case Management at NAMC, Tate is known for a ‘merciful spirit’ that defines her commitment to patients, providers, and staff. She has built a reputation as a champion for the residents of Florence and the broader Shoals area, seamlessly blending her clinical expertise with a deep commitment to community advocacy.

Tate is widely recognized by local leaders as a servant-leader who works tirelessly behind the scenes to lift up the most vulnerable populations. Her profound impact on the local community includes:

• Crisis Support for the Unhoused: During a bitter winter freeze, Tate discovered a local woman living in her vehicle. She immediately mobilized resources, raised funds, secured emergency housing, and gathered essential supplies. Recognizing the vital bond between the woman and her dog, Tate even coordinated restricted shelter permissions so the two could remain connected.
• Life-Saving Civic Action: While attending a local public event, Tate’s clinical instincts were put to the ultimate test when a companion suffered a sudden cardiac episode. Without hesitation, she performed immediate, life-saving CPR, stabilizing the patient until emergency services arrived.
• Animal Welfare Advocacy: A fierce advocate for those without a voice, Tate dedicates countless volunteer hours to the Shoals Spay and Neuter Coalition and Florence-Lauderdale Animal Services. She routinely spends late nights preparing and personally transporting overlooked shelter pets across state lines to ensure they find loving, permanent homes.
• Grassroots Civic Engagement: Beyond hands-on volunteer work, Tate is deeply invested in the future of Florence, actively participating in city initiatives and advocating for positive local change to improve the lives of her neighbors.

“Donna’s passion for helping others is not only demonstrated at work but also extends into the community,” said Susan Bryant, director of Case Management at NAMC. “She’s been a foster dog mom for many years and is very active with rescuing animals and working with the animal shelter. Her roles have intersected several times when patients who had no one to care for their pet while they were hospitalized reached out; Donna intervened, taking action to help relieve that anxiety.  Her actions truly reflect her heart.”

Each facility winner, including Tate, will be considered for Lifepoint’s 2026 companywide Mercy Award. The companywide winner will be announced this summer and honored during a ceremony in Nashville, Tenn., in September.