A Community Cornerstone
Dr. Richard Dabbs and Dr. Patrick Hyland’s legacy of compassionate care endures through the dedicated efforts of Drs. Cameron Diaz and Lacy Heberlig, and nurse practitioners Jill Saunders and Emily Wright
Words by Alyson Robbins and Jenny Lynn Davis | Images by Ryan McGill and courtesy of Linda Burns
In 1983, Dr: Richard Dabbs embarked on a commitment to a long-term provide public health services to children in Jasper, Alabama.
He practiced with the Jackson Clinic, which was affiliated with Drummond Company's Miner's Clinic. It didn't take long for him to realize the pressing need for more support, especially as there was only one other pediatrician in town at the time.
Meanwhile, Dr. Patrick Hyland was practicing pediatric medicine in Grove Hill, Alabama. One day, he received a call from Dr. Dabbs seeking his assistance in providing quality healthcare to families in Walker County and its surrounding communities.
Both Drs. Dabbs and Hyland had graduated from The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine and had been residents at the Children's Hospital of Alabama together. During this time, they formed a strong bond that would unite them in their mission for decades to come.
Shortly after Dr. Hyland arrived in Jasper, the two decided to establish their own practice, Dabbs & Hyland, PC. They initially rented a storefront in the strip mall that now houses Bill's Pawn Shop. Knowing that the shag carpet rental wouldn't be suitable for a long-term clinic, they soon purchased land on Pediatric Drive where the clinic still stands today.
On a frigid day in December 1987, Delta Transfer moved the physicians into their new facility, and for several decades, Drs. Dabbs and Hyland provided care for the children of the local community. They worked tirelessly to ensure consistent, high-quality pediatric care for the families they served, and established a foundation of trust with their patients and their staff.
Although Dr. Hyland passed away in 2019 following an aggressive battle with cancer, and Dr. Dabbs is semi-retired and no longer treating patients, those who visit the clinic today still receive quality care.
The Dabbs & Hyland legacy lives on through the clinic's current providers, Doctors Cameron Diaz and Lacy Heberlig, and nurse practitioners fill Saunders and Emily Wright, all of whom have strong ties to the community and are dedicated to their profession. They continue to meet the need for pediatric care that Dr. Dabbs initially recognized and spent a lifetime addressing.
Dr. Diaz, a Homewood, Alabama, native and graduate of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Medicine, joined the practice in November 2018 after completing her residency at the LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, Louisiana.
"I was looking to relocate closer to my home in Birmingham, and I was deeply impressed by the caliber of care provided at the Dabbs & Hyland clinic and knew I wanted to be part of that," she says.
Dr. Heberlig is the newest addition to the practice. A native of Warner Robins, Georgia, and a Medical College of Georgia graduate, she began practicing in Walker County in August 2023.
"I decided to go into pediatrics during my pediatric rotation in medical school. It was so much fun to be around children all day, and that joy solidified my path," she says. "After I finished my residency at Emory and moved to Birmingham to be closer to my fiance's family, I fortunately had the opportunity to come work at Dabbs & Hyland. I love the community and getting to know everyone. We have an amazing staff!"
Wright, too, discovered her love for caring for children during a pediatric rotation in nursing school. After obtaining her nursing degree from The University of Alabama and Nurse Practitioner degree from UAB, she worked for eight years at Children's of Alabama before moving home to Jasper in 2022 and joining the clinic.
"Working with a good group makes such a difference. Everyone here is friendly and helpful. And I feel like we are all a big family," Wright says. "It is very rewarding to give back to the community I grew up in, and it's so rewarding for a patient to hug you, love you, and recognize you out in the community."
Saunders is now the clinic's veteran, having been part of Dabbs & Hyland since she graduated from Samford University in 2014 with her nurse practitioner degree.
"This was my first job after getting my degree, and I fully plan to retire here," she says with a smile. "One thing that made me fall in love with this clinic was that they genuinely loved their patients and staff."
Working in pediatrics does come with its own unique set of challenges. Diaz, Saunders, Heberlig, and Wright all acknowledge the emotional toll of often seeing families at their lowest points. But despite the challenges, the team finds immense satisfaction in witnessing the positive outcomes of compassionate care.
The group also recognizes the monumental legacy left by Drs. Dabbs and Hyland and express their admiration for the genuine love and care the founding physicians had for their patients.
Saunders shares her hope for the future, saying, "Dr. Dabbs and Dr. Hyland were so beloved in this community, and those are truly enormous shoes to fill. While their legacy may be impossible to replicate, I would love for us to be known for some of the same things they were."
As the community looks toward the future of this essential practice, Dr. Diaz envisions that "Dabbs & Hyland, PC will be around for a long time," and says she hopes that the clinic can continue to grow and see more patients.
Drs. Richard Dabbs and Patrick Hyland laid the foundation for a practice that transcends time, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts of the community they served. Despite the passage of time, the clinic stands resilient, a beacon of continuity in the capable hands of Diaz, Heberlig, Saunders, and Wright.
Their commitment to upholding the standards of excellence set by their predecessors echoes the ethos of compassion and community that defined Dabbs and Hyland. As the torch passes to a new generation of caregivers, the clinic remains a vital force, driven by the same passion for pediatric care that inspired its inception.
The narrative of Dabbs & Hyland continues to unfold, with each patient, each smile, and each hug serving as a living tribute to the enduring spirit of healing and community that defines this cherished community cornerstone. 78