No one wants to celebrate a birthday by getting chemotherapy, but the 4 Central staff at North Mississippi Medical Center made the best of that situation this week. Wayne Brasfield’s birthday is May 24, the day he was scheduled to begin his ninth round of chemotherapy since being diagnosed with lymphoma in November 2021. Wayne lives in Stewart and received his first six rounds as an outpatient at Cancer Care locations in Tupelo and Starkville. He has been admitted to the Tupelo hospital for the last three rounds.

After working a 12-hour shift, unit coordinator Liberty Duffy and registered nurse Marsha Hughes filled his hospital room with balloons, streamers, signs, a birthday cake, cupcakes and other goodies. They stayed over for the birthday surprise until his scheduled arrival at 9 a.m. “They made me tear up,” Wayne says. “It takes a lot for this ole boy to cry.”

Wayne contends that NMMC’s 4 Central staff is “the best in the hospital.” “I haven’t ever had anything like this before,” he adds. “I’ve made some good friends while I’ve been up here.” #ConnectNMMC #WhatConnectedFeelsLike