10/06/2026
Today, we join in the celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the Bradley Wellness Center, the Whitfield Healthcare Foundation’s very first capital campaign and a lasting testament to the vision of the late Dr. Paul Bradley.
To mark this milestone, we sat down with Tricia Edwards, a Foundation supporter and daughter of the late Dr. Paul Bradley, the gifted surgeon and namesake of the facility to reflect on her father’s legacy and what the Bradley Wellness Center has meant to their family over the years.
“Dad grew up in Dalton and loved this community, and he loved what he did. He always approached things scientifically and was always researching and learning through magazines and medical journals. He read an article about a company in California that built a wellness center in hopes of being proactive in reducing medical costs for employees. He took it straight to Mr. Burkett’s desk to say we need to be doing this, and the rest is history.
Our family is grateful for the way Dad’s legacy of caring for this community continues through Bradley Wellness Center. We are especially proud of how the facility has evolved physically and programmatically to meet the needs of the community. When the pool opened, that was Dad’s favorite place for exercise, and after he had to get a pacemaker, he experienced cardiac rehab. It has met the needs of the community, and our family.”
His granddaughter, Traci Wooten, fondly remembers accompanying her grandfather every Sunday to see the construction progress and report back to the family. There is a portrait of Dr. Bradley in the lobby that the family agrees looks just like him and even reflects the care that could be seen in his eyes. It was a privilege to meet daughter Tricia, and grandchildren Traci, Bill, and his wife Heidi in the lobby on Sunday to share these special memories as we honor four decades of impact. All are current members who frequent the BWC each week.
Happy 40th Anniversary to the Bradley Wellness Center, a true gift to our community and a powerful example of how one person’s vision can continue changing lives for generations!
