Regina Nix Towery is a ‘people person’
Regina Nix Towery describes herself as a “people person,” which is why she decided to be a nurse.
Towery is a registered nurse for North Mississippi Health Services and a care manager for the West Point Family Medical Clinic, where she follows Medicare patients and acts as a “patient advocate” for them.
“I make sure that they get their medicines, I educate them if they have diabetes or hypertension, and I help them get their numbers to a better level. I'm the go-between between the doctor and the patient; if they need something, they'll call me,” said Towery. “I just keep them out of the hospital, out of the emergency room and out of the clinic if I can help it. I worked at [North Mississippi Medical Center – West Point] for 28 years and then I transferred to this job. I've been in this system for 31 years now.”
While she enjoys her work as a registered nurse, she didn't always have that as her plan.
“I kind of floundered around before I even went to nursing school. I didn't go till I was 23,” said Towery. “I worked with my dad in his barbershop, and I then joined the Navy. When I got out of the Navy, I came home and started going to nursing school. That's what I've done ever since and that's what I'll do until I retire.”
When she's not busy working, Towery has a nonprofit that she runs called Innovative Dreamers.
About eight years ago, she went to Guatemala for a mission trip. While she was there, she met a man with a dream of building a school for impoverished children. She and a team did some mission work for him and from there, she knew that mission work was her calling.
“I actually had a neardeath experience once from a procedure I had. When I was okay, I knew that I hadn't done what God called me to do. So I realized that mission work was my calling.” Towery said.
After a few trips down to Guatemala, Towery started getting sponsors for children that continues to keep on growing.
“We have about 130 children now, and we have kindergarten through 9th grade. We started out with 30 children, so over the past five years, we've really grown,” said Towery. “I have a room in my house that's called the Guatemala room, and my grandchildren know that the stuff in there is not for them, it's for the Guatemalan children. That's my heart: to serve Jesus through Guatemala. If I could do that full time, that's what I would do.”
She is married to Jaime Towery. Together in marriage, they have 3 children and 8 grandchildren.
When asked what it is about West Point that she loves the most, Towery's answer is the people.
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and is a recipient of T.K. Martin's services, will be painting at the event and have pieces in the L silent auction, along with several others who are part of the center's Express Yourself! Art program. Original pieces and merchandise such as prints and cards can be purchased.
“The artists I work with through this program put so much effort into their pieces and get so excited when they get to show them off. With the success of our first auction last year, they're ready to welcome you again and believe this will be an even bigger event,” said Gracie Conn, the center's art coordinator, explaining that proceeds benefit the artists and the program.
The Express Yourself! program provides individuals with disabilities inclusive art opportunities which include personal appointments, an evening program for children and summer camp. Supported by this auction and several generous donors, the initiative supports artists with a variety of different curiosities and disability levels.
Kasee Stratton-Gadke, T.K. Martin director, said, “We're thrilled to showcase our artists' work and their growth over the last year. This event helps fund the program and benefits the artists, so we hope to see a large showing from the community.”
The T.K. Martin Center for Technology and Disability provides comprehensive, multi-disciplinary evaluations and services to remove limitations through the application of assistive technology, allowing individuals to participate in educational, vocational and leisure activities to the fullest degree they choose.
Learn more about the center at www.tkmartin.msstate.edu and its Express Yourself! Art program at www.tkmartin.msstate.edu/projects/express.php.
Established in 1903, MSU's College of Education is home to six academic departments, one research unit and numerous service units. For more about the college, visit www.educ.msstate.edu.
MSU is Mississippi's leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.
Lighthouse's Gateway of Hope for Women and Children founder Ms. Donnie Berry along with the St. Matthew's Temple COGIC Clothing Closet will open and is available to all in need of clothing. Located at St. Matthews Temple COGIC on 294 5th Street in West Point, MS. Everything is free. We are providing clothing for men, women, and children in need. The mission will open from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. every Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. The mission is to assist in transforming women's lives whereby they can be confident, and well informed in leading their lives. We are providing light in dark places. If you have any questions, please call (662) 694-02520 or (662) 518-1221. p g g g care at the right time,” is warn- the COVID-19 federal emergency iing expectant mothers to make declaration is in effffffect. If state legarrangements to reach another islators fail to make the extension hospital once they start having permanent, coverage will roll back ccontractions. Meanwhile, preg- to two months when the emernant women who arrive in a crisis gency order is lifted. will be stabilized in the emergency Advocates for low-income rroom, and then transferred to an- women say extending that coverage other facility that provides matercould reduce maternal mortality. nity care, hospital spokeswoman But Republican lawmakers Christine Hemphill said. killed a bill in this year’s legisla
Greenwood Leflflore now tive session that would have let directs expectant mothers to a mothers keep Medicaid coverage hospital about 33 miles (53.1 kilofor a year after giving birth. Asked meters) away in Grenada. Brenda whether it could save lives, House Palmertree had two children there Speaker Phillip Gunn said “that bbefore moving closer to Green- has not been a part of the discuswood, and fifinds it diffifficult to sions that I’ve heard.” imagine driving that far while on Reeves’ offiffice did not respond the verge of giving birth. “If you to an Associated Press request for go into labor you can’t just stop it. comment on how his administraLike, ‘hello, stop for a minute I’ve tion plans to address the recent ggot to drive 45 minutes.’ It doesn’t closure of maternity care units. work that way” she said Social services are already