#ValuesSuperStars: Dr. Shelley Ashcroft – Taking Care of Her Own
As she frequently does, Dr. Shelley Ashcroft, took a moment to check on a member of her team at the end of a long day. It was then that she realized this was not just another day for her teammate, what she saw an urgent need to take care of one of her own.
“A [teammate] was struggling emotionally with the fatigue from working in the hospital,” said Terra Rose, one of Ashcroft’s teammates. “Dr. Ashcroft was patient and kind, and [she] reached out to me to ask for help for our colleague. I saw her spend a considerable amount of time [with this person].”
Terra said she wasn’t surprised by Dr. Ashcroft’s response.
Dr. Ashcroft is “an amazing leader and positive support,” as well as someone who always “greets everyone with a kind and warm welcome,” Terra said while explaining why she felt it was important to recognize Dr. Ashcroft as one of our UNC Health #ValuesSuperStars. “It’s nice to reach out to say, ‘Hey, we see you, and we appreciate you, and thanks for all you do.’”
Dr. Ashcroft, a therapy services manager for the mental health team at UNC Medical Center, said she believes showing compassion is part of being a good teammate. “My team is everything to me,” she said. “If I am able to support them, then I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing.”
As we all continue to work together to improve the health and well-being of all North Carolinians, Dr. Ashcroft shared this reminder: “This is a time of grace – [of] giving each other a little bit of support and having [teammates] to trust to say, ‘Here’s what I’m going through today. How can you help me? And how can I help you in return?’ We’re certainly in this together.”
Thank you, Dr. Shelley Ashcroft, for being one of our #ValuesSuperStars and part of our One Great Team.