A Diversity Message from Neil Meltzer, President and CEO, and Dr. Sybil Pentsil, Chief Diversity Officer – March 2025

Thank you to all our team members for everything you do every day on all our campuses to make LifeBridge Health a safe and welcoming place for all. We are a diverse team that celebrates our individual uniqueness while working collaboratively to care for patients, community and each other. Keep reading to learn about some of the observances taking place this month.

Gender Equality Month
Gender Equality Month is celebrated every year in March. The whole month is dedicated to celebrating the social, political, cultural and academic achievements of women in the world. March is also important to raise awareness against gender bias in society.

National Women's History Month
During the month of March, we give a little extra attention to all of the amazing accomplishments of strong, determined women. Since 1987, the United States has formally recognized March as National Women’s History Month.

Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month
March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, and we are celebrating Creating Pathways to Independence. Join us in raising awareness, sharing stories and pledging to support inclusion, empowerment and opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities.

Ethnic Equality Month
Ethnic Equality Month is celebrated in February every year. It is a period to recognize the similarities all people have, yet acknowledge, appreciate and respect the differences in all of us.

Ramadan (2/28 - 3/29)
This year, Ramadan is expected to begin in the evening on Friday, February 28, 2025 and end on Saturday, March 29, 2025. The Islamic Calendar follows a lunar cycle, and while these are the calculated expected dates of Ramadan, they can differ from place to place based on moon-sightings or lack thereof.

Mardi Gras Carnival (3/4)
Mardi Gras Carnival 2025, also known as Fat Tuesday or Shrove Tuesday, is an annual celebration in the United States and in many countries around the world–mainly those with large Roman Catholic populations. Traditionally, it is known as the day prior to the religious season of Lent begins but it also serves as a day of celebration.

Ash Wednesday (3/5)
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a 40-day period of prayer, fasting and reflection. On this day, ashes are typically applied in the shape of a cross on the foreheads of believers as a symbol of mortality and penance. It occurs 46 days before Easter Sunday.

Purim (3/13-14)
Purim is a Jewish festival that celebrates the survival of the Jewish people in ancient Persia. Purim begins in the evening on Thursday, March 13, 2025, through Friday, March 14th, 2025, on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar.

Holi (3/14)
Holi is a Hindu festival that celebrates the arrival of spring, good harvests, and the fertility of the land. Holi 2025 will be celebrated on March 14, with Holika Dahan observed on March 13. The festival is marked by two main events: Holika Dahan (March 13, 2025): People gather around large bonfires in the evening, performing rituals to cleanse negativity and celebrate new beginnings.

Saint Patrick’s Day (3/17)
Saint Patrick’s Day, or the Feast of Saint Patrick, is a religious and cultural holiday held on March 17, the traditional death date of St. Patrick, the foremost patron saint of Ireland. Present day Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations have been greatly influenced by those that developed among the Irish diaspora, especially in North America. Until the late 20th century, Saint Patrick’s Day was often a bigger celebration among the diaspora than it was in Ireland.

Nowruz (3/20)
Nowruz is the Persian and Baha’i New Year, which also occurs on the vernal equinox. Nowruz, meaning “new day,” marks the first day of spring with over 300 million people taking part in the celebration of the vernal equinox. Nowruz starts at the precise moment that winter ends and spring begins on March 20, 2025 at 5:24 p.m. eastern time.

Feast of the Annunciation (3/25)
Feast of the Annunciation is a Christian celebration of the archangel Gabriel’s announcement to Mary that she would give birth to Jesus. This year, the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord falls on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. The Solemnity of the Annunciation celebrates the coming of the Angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary to announce to her the special mission God had chosen for her in being the mother of His only son.

Eid al-Fitr (3/30–3/31)
Eid al-Fitr is an Islamic holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, a holy month of fasting, prayer and reflection. Eid ul-Fitr is expected to take place on Sunday 30 March 2025 or Monday 31 March 2025, depending on the sighting of the moon. Unlike the Gregorian calendar we use today, the Islamic calendar operates on the lunar cycle.

Hola Mohalla (3/14-3/16)
Hola Mohalla is a Sikh festival that features martial arts, poetry and community gatherings. This year, Hola Mohalla will begin on March 14, and end on March 16. It is important to note the distinction between Hola Mohalla and the Hindu holiday of Holi, which usually falls around the same time.

Ostara (3/20)
Ostara is a Wiccan holiday and the March equinox or northward equinox is the equinox on the Earth when the subsolar point appears to leave the Southern Hemisphere and cross the celestial equator, heading northward as seen from Earth. This year it will be celebrated on March 20 at 5:01 a.m.

Calls to Action

REFLECT: Consider how health disparities impact the patients and communities we serve. What steps can you take to promote equitable care in your role?

RECOGNIZE: Acknowledge the barriers to health equity and the diverse needs of our patients. Celebrate the contributions of colleagues working to close these gaps.

RESPOND: Take action to advance health equity. Advocate for inclusive policies, challenge biases, and ensure every patient receives compassionate, high-quality care.