Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast hosted a community ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday, May 28 to celebrate earning its official Primary Stroke Center Certification. Awarded by The Joint Commission, the American Heart Association, and the American Stroke Association, this advanced designation ensures Walton County families have specialized, around-the-clock stroke care close to home.
The event, coordinated alongside the Walton Area Chamber of Commerce, brought together local leaders, community members and medical personnel. The milestone is uniquely critical to the region, as data shows that nearly 5% of adults in Walton County have experienced a stroke. A rate that is higher than the Florida state average. Between 2021 and 2023 alone, nearly 650 local residents were hospitalized due to strokes.
When a patient experiences a stroke, a lack of blood flow deprives brain cells of vital oxygen. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a stroke occurs every 40 seconds in the United States. For every single minute that passes without intervention, an estimated 1.9 million brain cells are lost.
"When someone has a stroke, time is of the essence to ensure the best possible outcomes," said Trey Abshier, president and CEO of Sacred Heart Emerald Coast. "Our team has taken important steps to provide access to life-saving care to everyone in our community and surrounding region."
To meet these critical needs, the hospital maintains a dedicated, specialized infrastructure. This includes acute stroke teams, precise clinical protocols and advanced patient support systems designed to limit complications and maximize long-term recovery.
A core focus of today's celebration was honoring the healthcare associates and local first responders who form the vital "chain of survival" for stroke patients.
During the ceremony, hospital leaders formally recognized a dedicated group of clinical personnel for their precision and speed in executing stroke alert protocols:
- Tracy Perk and Krisztina Matheny — Emergency Department Nursing Leaders
- Dr. Leif Skjerli — Emergency Department Physician
- Melinda Schlosser — Unit Coordinator
- Clinita Jones — CT Technologist
- Sonia Petrucci — Pharmacist
- Will Farnham — Speech Pathologist
- Shannon Knight — Physical Therapist
- Evan Huesers - Emergency Department nurse
The event also highlighted the exceptional collaborative work of local emergency medical services (EMS) teams, whose rapid evaluation and field transfers ensure patients are delivered safely and swiftly to the hospital's specialized intervention teams.
The hospital extended its deepest gratitude to local first responders who recently demonstrated remarkable coordination during a critical stroke emergency:
- South Walton Fire District:
- Firefighter/Paramedic Shawn Ramsey
- Firefighter/EMT Marcus Cabanas
- Destin Fire Control District:
- Captain Firefighter/EMT Michael Anderson
- Engineer Firefighter/Paramedic Steven Eagerton
- Firefighter/EMT Fisher Morrison
Following a reflection and prayer delivered by the Rev. Dr. Joseph Shimko, attendees joined hospital leadership for the formal ribbon cutting, followed by an open reception to thank the community for its ongoing support of local healthcare.
For more information regarding local emergency and specialized services, visit GetSacredHeartCare.com or the hospital's regional resource site at ascension.org/EmeraldCoastFL.
