Dignity Health Bakersfield Invites Community to Honor Health Care Heroes and First Responders During COVID-19 Surge

BAKERSFIELD, CA - January 8, 2021 -

Dignity Health Bakersfield invites the community to join us in honoring those called to care during the pandemic through a campaign called Operation White Lights. As we begin this new year with new hope, Operation White Lights encourages the public to display white lights and white ribbons in support of health care workers and first responders everywhere.

“Everyone who works in health care has demonstrated unwavering courage in the face of this pandemic,” says Robin Mangarin-Scott, Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Dignity Health Central California. “Their strength and humanity is a light of hope for so many patients and families impacted by COVID-19. Operation White Lights is a way to lift up our healers and let them know the community cares about them.”

Mercy and Memorial Hospitals encourage community leaders, businesses, and residents to join Operation White Lights by displaying white lights and ribbons on homes, businesses, cars, or worn on lapels as a gesture of support for care teams and first responders throughout Kern County and by sharing messages of gratitude on social media.

Additionally, Mercy and Memorial are displaying tunnels of white lights at employee entrances during the month of January and will display luminarias with messages of gratitude and encouragement at the end of the month at each hospital in celebration of our health care heroes.

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About Mercy Hospital Bakersfield
Founded by the Sisters of Mercy, Mercy Hospitals have a history of caring for our community that goes back more than 100 years. We provide a broad range of medical and surgical services including minimally invasive and outpatient options. Our family of services includes the area's only inpatient oncology unit, the Orthopedic, Spine, and Hand Center, Family Birth Center, the Lactation Support Center and retail store, and many others. Mercy Hospital Downtown is a 194-bed facility located in downtown Bakersfield. Mercy Hospital Southwest is a 78-bed facility and the only hospital located in the rapidly growing area west of Highway 99. Mercy Hospital is a member of Dignity Health and is a trusted community partner, serving residents of Bakersfield and Kern County with quality, compassionate care since 1910.