By Shane Reeves, PharmD, CEO

At TwelveStone Health Partners, caring for patients means recognizing the whole person. Clinical excellence is essential, but people facing chronic or complex health conditions often carry emotional, spiritual and practical burdens as well. Employees who serve them may also need encouragement as they navigate demanding work and challenges in their own lives.

That is where TwelveStone Chaplain Chip Sekulich plays an important role.

Chip serves patients, families and employees with an open-door policy and a genuine willingness to meet people where they are. Sometimes someone needs prayer during a difficult season. Other times, they simply need a trusted person who will listen without judgment and keep the conversation confidential.

Chip makes room for both.

More Than an Open Door

While Chip is always available to those who reach out, he does not wait for people to come to him. He regularly checks in with patients and employees; remembers the prayer requests they have shared and follows up to see how they are doing.

That personal attention matters. It lets people know their concerns were not forgotten once the conversation ended.

One employee described what Chip’s outreach meant to her:

“Chip’s personal outreach, checking in on a prayer request for my children meant the world to me. This is one of many reasons that TwelveStone is a special place to work.”

That experience reflects the way Chip approaches his role. His care is personal, consistent and rooted in relationships. He pays attention to the details of people’s lives and creates a safe place for honest conversations.

Supporting Patients and Families

For patients receiving infusion therapy, the physical demands of treatment may be only one part of what they are facing. A chronic or complex condition can affect a person’s emotional health, family life, work and sense of hope.

Chip offers another layer of support during those difficult moments. He may pray with a patient, spend time listening to a family member or reach out after learning that someone is struggling. His role is not to replace medical care, but to care for the parts of a person’s experience that medicine alone cannot always address.

He also understands that every patient has different beliefs and needs. His outreach is offered with respect, allowing each person to decide what kind of support would be most meaningful to them.

Going the Extra Mile

Chip’s commitment to serving others recently led to his selection as the recipient of TwelveStone’s 12 Tribes Employee of the Month Award.

The award recognizes employees who embody the organization’s culture and consistently go beyond what is expected in service to others. Chip’s certificate includes the words of Matthew 5:41:

“If anyone asks you to go one mile, go with him two.”

Matthew 5:41

That verse reflects the way Chip approaches his role. He does not simply respond to immediate needs. He remembers, follows up and continues walking with people through difficult circumstances.

His nomination noted that his presence has directly benefited the wellbeing of fellow employees and undoubtedly affects the many patients and families Team TwelveStone serves each day.

Chaplaincy may not always be visible in the same way as clinical treatment, but its impact is deeply felt. Through prayer, confidentiality, encouragement and simple human presence, Chip strengthens the culture of care that defines TwelveStone.

Congratulations to Chip Sekulich on receiving the 12 Tribes Employee of the Month Award. His service reminds us that going the second mile often begins with something simple: opening a door, listening carefully and making sure another person knows they matter.