If you ask customer Angie May how she feels about her Meijer pharmacy, she breaks into a big smile.
“I’m a fangirl for my Meijer pharmacy. They’re all like family to me,” she said.
So when she learned it was National Pharmacy Week, she took the opportunity to recognize three team members from the Meijer pharmacy in Rochester Hills, Mich..
While most people typically visit their local pharmacy from time to time, Angie and her family are frequent visitors. The May family started going to the Rochester Hills Meijer pharmacy 11 years ago, and they’ve been loyal customers ever since. Her daughters, Madison and Ashlyn, both have epilepsy.
“When you have epilepsy, the first line of defense is typically medication, and you need a great partner in that fight,” Angie explained. “This Meijer pharmacy has been exceptional, from working with our doctors and insurance companies, to calling all around the Detroit area to help get the medication we’ve needed. They’ve never once said, ‘Sorry, we can’t help you.’”
Pharmacist Carlin Shamow and pharmacy technicians Sherri Siems and Ricky Medina have worked at this Meijer pharmacy a long time – ranging from 13 to 30 years – and have been helping the May family from the very beginning.
“They’ve seen our girls grow up over the last 11 years, and always take time to ask how they’re doing,” Angie said. “They make them feel special.”
That level of care continued in 2020, when Angie’s mother was diagnosed with glioblastoma, a form of brain cancer. Angie managed her care until her passing 16 months later.
“That was such a difficult time, but they were right there with me. I could go to them for deeper insights about treatments she was receiving, and how her medications might make her feel,” she said. “They would always ask us how she’s doing, and how we were doing. It really started to feel like a family.”
When she learned about National Pharmacy Week, which recognizes the powerful impact those in pharmacy have on their patients, she wanted to do something special. She surprised the team with flowers, a cake and other treats, and shared words of heartfelt gratitude on behalf of her family. Her daughters even recorded special video messages to share with the team, since they couldn’t join in person. It was an emotional moment leaving Carlin, Sherri and Ricky feeling deeply touched. You can see a video of the special moment here:
Said Pharmacy District Manager Eleanora Huskey, “I’m a pharmacist also, and we take an oath to protect the community and make a difference in their lives. It makes me happy to know our teams are truly having an impact, in hard times and in good times, to ensure patients are getting the care they need.”
National Pharmacy Week is observed annually during the third week of October.