The Ledger

By Becky Holland

Have you ever had one of those moments in your life when you just knew you were exactly where you were meant to be?

Jeri Fountain, 58, Lab Manager at Bleckley Memorial Hospital, did. And that moment helped shape her future.

The married mother of two remembers it vividly.

“I was in ninth grade, and there was a health fair at Danville Elementary School. They needed help in the lab, and I went,” she said.

More than 31 years into her career, Fountain has no regrets.

“I enjoy helping our patients get well and giving our doctors what they need,” she said.

As lab manager, Fountain oversees one of the most essential — though often unseen — departments in the hospital. The laboratory handles everything from routine blood draws and specimen collection to running diagnostic tests that detect infections, monitor chronic illnesses, and guide emergency treatment decisions. Fountain ensures her team follows strict accuracy standards, maintains equipment, meets regulatory guidelines, and communicates results promptly to physicians and nurses. In many ways, the lab serves as the backbone of patient care — providing the answers doctors rely on to make life-impacting decisions.

Those who know her describe her as nurturing, compassionate, and communicative — qualities that matter in a setting where patients may be anxious or not feeling their best. Whether calming someone nervous about a blood draw or supporting her staff through a busy shift, Fountain leads with both professionalism and heart.

She is especially proud of her lab team.

“I think they are a good group of people, and we take our jobs seriously,” she said. “We get along, and we put our patients first.”

Outside of work, Fountain enjoys spending time outdoors.

“I love the beach, fishing, and hunting,” she shared.

In recognition of International Women’s History Month in March, Fountain reflected on the women who inspired her most.

“I would have to say my mom and grandma. Both of them put others first, and I think their love languages were doing for others and service,” she said.

She smiled as she remembered her grandmother. “My grandma had a garden. She didn’t work outside the home, but she shared her vegetables with others.”

That spirit of service continues with her mother.

“Mom still helps with Celebrate Recovery, feeding them, and she takes food to those in need, even with her own challenges,” Fountain added.

When asked what advice she would give her younger self about being successful in life, Fountain didn’t hesitate.

“I’d have to say something that my grandma always told me — treat people the way you want to be treated.”

It’s advice she has clearly carried with her — from a ninth-grade health fair to leading a hospital laboratory that serves her community every day.