From homeless ministry to helping patients, this mother, grandmother loves helping others

Charlotte Copeland uses her job in registration, at IU Health Simon Cancer Center to treat others with kindness.

By TJ Banes, IU Health Senior Journalist, tfende1@iuhealth.org

She shares her workspace with a Betta fish named, “Charlie” – short for “Charles Barkley,” former basketball pro. Charlie is about the fourth fish to join Charlotte Copeland during her 15 years with IU Health Simon Cancer Center. She purchased the original fish for its graceful, gentle movement – hoping to bring calm to the patients she serves.

Anyone who spends much time in Copeland’s presence recognizes her will to serve. In total, she has worked with IU Health for 25 years – including areas of ophthalmology, ambulatory administration, and now the cancer multi-disciplinary clinic. On any given day, Copeland is connecting with patient’s who recently received a cancer diagnosis or are navigating the journey to treatment.

“Some have had a bad day, want to leave quickly and request a call back for a follow up appointment; others are comfortable talking,” said Copeland. She can usually read the mood and sometimes, she offers a bottled water and expedites the checkout process; other times, she talks of their kids and grandkids and vacations. She sees many of the same patients repeatedly.

“One thing they have in common is they all love their doctors so that’s easy to talk about,” said Copeland. Physicians and patients also appreciate Copeland.

Recently, she was nominated for her gentle manner of service and was awarded the prestigious Dr. Robert P Nelson, Jr., MD Humanitarian Award. Dr. Nelson was an immunologist at Indiana University Comprehensive Cancer Center for more than 20 years. When he died in December 2021, a humanitarian award was created to recognize others who represent his gift of service. Copeland received the award the day she returned from a two-week mission trip to Mexico. She posed for pictures with Dr. Nasser Hannah, a thoracic oncologist at IU Health.

The mission trip to Mexico was Copeland’s third. She joins “Youth in Mission” to build homes. Back in Indiana, Copeland works with “God’s Love Church” distributing food and clothing to those who are unhoused. A graduate of Broad Ripple High School, Copeland studied nursing at Marian University for three years.

The oldest of three girls, Copeland grew up in a home that emphasized service to others.

“I used to try to be around my grandmother and her sister to learn and glean from their knowledge. They were wise and mature. My father was a pastor, and my mother played the organ in our church. I was a Sunday School teacher for years and served on all the boards. It was just the way I was raised,” said Copeland. She has been married for 27 years to Curtis Copeland. They have four sons, a daughter, and three grandchildren.