How sweet it is

Dr. Roy Furr said, "How sweet it is." Call it a test of character or a call to duty or just a sticky sweet mess, but the employees and doctors at Upstate Carolina Medical Center know how to raise money in the fight against cancer-they smash pies into each others' faces.

For about the fourth year running (give or take a pie or two), Upstate Carolina raised money on Wednesday, May 10, for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life by letting employees vote on who they wanted to see get a pie in the face. Each vote cost $1. There were four categories: employee, department director, administrator, and doctor. This is undoubtedly the highlight of the hospital's annual celebration of National Hospital Week, which was the week of May 8.

"This is one of the hospital's most anticipated events," Cindy Richards, R.N., and pie-in-the-face organizer, said. "As the votes start coming in that morning, people start getting real nervous and start pulling out their check books, casting votes for someone other than themselves. The moment to moment scores travel throughout the hospital faster than you can say 'Relay for Life.'"

The actual pie-ing came during the middle of a patio lunch of grilled meats and side dishes, when as many of the employees as possible were on hand to witness the action. A makeshift PowerPoint presentation screen was set up in the cafeteria, so that the running scores were easily read, and last-minute donations could be received.

This year's top votes-getters were employee Jackie Goble, R.N., with $474; administrator (marketing director) Steve Wong with $439; ER Director Stephanie Gettys with $65; and Dr. Roy Furr with $34.

"Obviously, some people wanted some other people to get the pies no matter what the cost," Richards noted. "I'm not sure what motivates some of the voting, but as long as it brings in the money for Relay for Life, we don't ask."

But the money raising and fun didn't stop there. To capture a few more dollars and to find out who you're friends really are, the actual pies were auctioned off. The top bidder in each category got the honor of smashing the pie into the victim's face. The pies sold for...

 $210 by Plant Operations Director Allen Year, victim Steve Wong

 $130 by respiratory therapist Mancy McKinney, victim Jackie Goble

 $90 by husband Don Goble, victim Jackie Goble (she got two pies, lucky girl)  $85 by nurse Olivia Martin, victim Dr. Roy Furr

 $65 by nurse Joey Fuentes, victim CEO Joe Howell in an unscheduled pie-ing

In total, $2,517 was raised in this event for Relay for Life.

"As someone told me, getting a pie in the face is actually an honor," Wong said with chocolate cream pie sliding down his face. "It says something about a person's character when he or she is willing to sit there before a crowd of people and let someone else smash a pie in your face. Like we all say, 'It's for a good cause.'"