Colton Vermillion: A Helping Hand

What is your role at PruittHealth?
I am the Community Relations Representative for the hospice division in Florence, South Carolina. My job is to develop, establish, and maintain business partnerships with referral sources. I am also very active in community engagement events with a desire to enhance humanitarian efforts for our local communities.

Tell me a little bit about your background and where you are from.
I grew up in a small, rural town called Rosedale, Indiana, where the farmland never ends. As a child, I was very active in sports and always embodied a passion for the healthcare industry. I started my healthcare career path as a certified nursing assistant during my senior year of high school. Beyond that, I graduated from Indiana State University with a Bachelor of Science. I then completed 2 semesters of my doctoral degree in physical therapy school before switching gears and pursuing my master’s in business administration, which will be finished early 2021. I moved to South Carolina 3 months ago to begin my career with PruittHealth. Since I was young, I wanted to relocate to the south because you just cannot beat southern hospitality and the mild winters.

How did you get interested in this career path?
Hospice work requires special individuals to work in this type of environment. I chose to pursue hospice after experiencing first-hand, with my grandparents, just how big the difference in end-of-life care is with the support of hospice. There is no comparison. The type of compassion, empathy, and support is second to none when provided by a hospice staff as we have here at PruittHealth. I wanted to be involved in the lasting impact hospice has on the patients and families before, during, and after a patient has passed away.

Does PruittHealth do anything special for Thanksgiving?
I cannot speak on behalf of the other segments; however, our Hospice division makes sure to leave a lasting impact during Thanksgiving. During the holidays, we believe it is important for our patients and their families to spend quality time together. To help ease the stress and burden of extravagant cooking, we help by providing meals to our patients and their families. Our patients at our other facilities are provided special holiday meals as well.

What are you most thankful for this Thanksgiving?
I am thankful for my family and friends home in Indiana as well as the new family and friends made here in South Carolina. The PruittHealth staff has welcomed me with open arms and made me feel right at home as part of their family. I am also grateful for continued good health because I have witnessed first-hand the devastating impacts of this pandemic. It is a blessing to have the opportunity to do the work I do while having the endless support from an organization that encompasses the same passion I have for loving, giving, and caring. I constantly feel blessed and I am always thankful.