Then and Now: Year in Review
Well, 2024 is coming to a close, as are our 50th anniversary celebrations. With every new year there is a time of reflection on the past year. Personally, it was a year of celebrations, travel, learning, and spending time with friends and family. Professionally, it was the same.
I came up with the idea for this Then & Now blog series in the summer of 2023 while looking through old GGC pictures looking for inspiration for new PR photos. I noticed that while many of the people in those photos still work at GGC, the equipment and technology have been upgraded, and there have been tremendous advances in the field of genetics – even in the 8 years since I joined the Center. So, to help celebrate this 50th anniversary year, I thought it would be fun to learn more about what has changed, what has stayed the same, and how GGC became GGC.
The series started by learning about the first test offered at GGC, chromosome analysis, which is still used today but has seen significant technological advancements. Developing camera film in the lab’s darkroom is no longer needed, and cutting chromosomes is now done by a computer. Since then, the blog series has covered every aspect of GGC, from the four divisions and GGC’s campus to how Greenwood became home to GGC. Which one was your favorite?
The year was busy. We had our normal operational activities, and then when you add all the fun celebrations… I’m tired just thinking about it! But as I reflect on the year at GGC and the blog posts, certain events, people, and feelings stand out the most….
In March, GGC hosted a 50th-anniversary celebration during the annual American College of Medical Genetics (ACMG) meeting in Toronto, inviting former employees, industry colleagues, and current employees. Planning a party in Canada while in South Carolina is not the easiest task, but reuniting with those who had or currently have a hand in making GGC what it is today was amazing.
In April, GGC held an Employee and Family Day at the Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia. We spent the day feeding giraffes, watching the monkeys, and enjoying each other’s company. Meeting your coworkers’ families in the wild (pun intended) is so much fun!
For those of you who are not local to Greenwood, every spring, Greenwood’s uptown is adorned with beautiful topiaries for the annual Festival of Flowers. This year, ‘Gene,’ the 8-foot double helix topiary, made its debut uptown.
Coinciding with the Festival of Flowers was the opening of GGC’s exhibit at the Greenwood Museum. I had visited the museum many times over the years for various events. I already knew GGC’s impact on Greenwood and South Carolina, and I had seen all the pictures GGC had displayed; however, seeing all the familiar faces adorning the walls for this public display cemented GGC’s place in history.
The museum opening was also a launch party for the book ‘The Early Years: A History of the Greenwood Genetic Center’, written by GGC co-founders Dr. Roger Stevenson and Dr. Hal Taylor. The book documents GGC from its inception in 1974 through 2000. This book is a must-read! For example, what do Dr. Stevenson, New Mexico, and a cat have in common? Check out the book, and you’ll understand why that story sticks in my mind after reading it!
October 3, 1974, was the date Dr. Stevenson arrived in Greenwood. (Read the ‘The Early Years’ to see why Dr. Taylor came later.) Unfortunately, the celebration planned for October 3, 2024, was postponed due to Hurricane Helene, but we rescheduled it, combining the celebration with our annual holiday party on December 7th.
I always enjoy our annual holiday party—any excuse for a new dress is right up my alley—and this year was no different. The highlight of the night for me was this video commemorating 50 years of GGC. I’ve always known Dr. Stevenson and Dr. Taylor’s purpose in establishing GGC: compassionate care and high-quality genetic services for those impacted by genetic disorders. But it hits differently when the families talk about GGC’s swift action in saving a newborn’s life or how GGC discovered a new mutation in a child after the family had been waiting seven years for a diagnosis. GGC’s purpose in 1974 is still our mission in 2024.
And while I’m not actually the one making diagnoses, seeing patients, or discovering new mutations, I looked around at my coworkers-turned-friends and felt immense pride that I can call myself a member of the GGC family.
Post by Caroline Pinson