Special to IFN
Pam Gill and Lisa Warren, nurses at Iredell Health System, presented a Guardian Angel pin to the daughters of Wanda Bryan on April 22. Just four days later, Wanda passed away after a hard-fought battle with colon cancer.
A shining light. A great role model for all nurses, young and old. A good friend. Kind, witty, and caring. The IV GOAT. An awesome nurse.
These are just a few of the sentiments shared about those who interacted with Bryan, who served as a registered nurse for more than 39 years. It’s why her friends and colleagues chose to honor
her as a Guardian Angel.
The Guardian Angel Program allows grateful patients and their loved ones, through a gift of gratitude, to recognize someone who made a positive impact on them at Iredell Health System.
Bryan’s nursing journey, beginning in the mid-80s as a critical care nurse, made a lasting impact.
“She was an awesome nurse,” said Warren. “She was always going above and beyond for her patients. Even after her initial contact with the patient was complete, she’d follow up with them or their families.”
“We first started working together in critical care,” added Gill. “If you were having a bad day, just to be in her presence made you feel better. She was always this can-do person. I always knew I could call on her and get direction.”
Bryan’s dedication to the profession extended beyond the walls of a healthcare facility. While on a trip to the beach, she received an award from Surf City after performing CPR and saving someone’s life after they nearly drown.
Bryan went on to hold several positions at Iredell Health in the Cath Lab, as a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) nurse, and a nursing supervisor. She also worked for UNC Health Rex Hospital, Blue Cross Blue Shield NC, Miller Family Practice, and a multiple sclerosis prescription drug company.
Her time at Iredell Health was full of jovial moments.
“She spent the majority of her time as a PICC nurse,” explained Gill. “Her and Dr. Aryeetey got a good laugh one day because a patient told Aryeetey she was going to see that ‘pig’ nurse. She said ‘That’s okay. I’ll answer to that.’ ”
Many would describe Bryan as more than a glass half-full type of person.
“Her glass was always full. That’s the reason why people liked being around her,” said Gill. “She would never leave until the day was done. It didn’t matter how many PICCs were ordered. It’s a sterile procedure that takes a lot of setup and one can take up to two and a half hours to complete. Patients that have to have a PICC line every time they came would start asking for her by name. You never had that.”
Bryan’s legacy lives on in her three girls, Emily Harris, Lindsey Galliher, and Rachel Adkins.
Following in their mother’s footsteps, Galliher is a registered nurse in the emergency department
at Iredell Memorial while Harris is a pulmonary medicine nurse practitioner.
“I always remember coming to see mom at work,” said Galliher. “We would eat the sherbet in the ICU and meet mom for lunch in the cafeteria. We felt like her co-workers were our family too. We’ve heard so many funny stories from her and the many nurses she worked with over the years. Everyone has always told us and continues to tell us how much they loved her and how much they loved working with her.”
“She was empathetic. She loved her patients, and they loved her,” Gill said. “The fact that people come in and ask for her, and the number of lives she has touched, that’s the legacy.”
Wanda Bryan is truly a Guardian Angel.
The Guardian Angel Program was created in 2024 to recognize hospital staff members who made an impactful difference in the level of care a patient received during their visit to the hospital. It’s part of the broader Grateful Patients and Families fund that was created in 2022 to provide an opportunity to express appreciation while giving a helping hand to patients in need. Grateful Patients & Families of Iredell is an annual fund with the Iredell Health Foundation that supports numerous unmet patient needs throughout Iredell Health System.
Any donation, large or small, is accepted. Projects completed through this fund have included purchasing blanket warmers for radiation therapy and wound care centers and implementing a
clothing closet for patients leaving the hospital without clothing to wear.
If you would like to honor an Iredell employee and support patients and families through the Guardian Angel Program, visit iredellhealthfoundation.org or call 704-878-7669. Recipients receive notification of the gift and recognition, but the donation amount will remain undisclosed. Donors will receive an acknowledgement with tax deduction information after donating.
About Iredell Health System
Iredell Health System includes Iredell Memorial Hospital; Iredell Davis Medical Center; Iredell Davis Behavioral Health Hospital; Iredell Mooresville; Iredell Home Health; Iredell Wound Care & Hyperbaric Center; Community and Corporate Wellness; Occupational Medicine; the Iredell Physician Network and more. Iredell Memorial Hospital is the largest and only nonprofit hospital in Iredell County. The comprehensive healthcare organization has 391 licensed beds; more than 2,000 employees; and has approximately 365 healthcare providers representing various specialties. Centers of excellence include Women’s and Children’s; Cardiovascular; Cancer; Surgical Services and Wellness & Prevention. The health system’s Iredell Mooresville campus is home to the area’s only 24-hour urgent care facility, as well as an ambulatory surgery center, imaging center, rehabilitation services, and physician practices. The mission of Iredell Health System is to inspire wellbeing. For a comprehensive list of services and programs, visit www.iredellhealth.org.