General News
They say that having somewhere to go is home. Having someone to love is family and having both is a blessing. Ask Peggy Sue Barnhill, M.D., and she will tell you she is blessed, indeed. The family medicine physician has one tight-knit family at home and another that she treats in her office. It’s a career that Dr. Barnhill has always aspired to. She’s known she wanted to be a physician since the sixth grade. “My mom was a nurse for our community physician, Dr. Green,” the Clarendon, N.C., native said. “Everyone loved him, and I knew I wanted to be just like him. I never really thought about any other careers.” For 24 years Dr. Barnhill has been treating her patients like family. She says her goal is to help them be healthy, be stronger and live longer. “I have a family that I treat,” she said. “I was there for the birth of the son about 18 years ago, and I still see him and the rest of his family. I love that family medicine is about treating the entire family. You feel like you are part of the family.” Dr. Barnhill mentions family a lot in conversation. It’s something very important to her, and she speaks of her own with great pride. She has been married to history professor John “Ashley” Barnhill for 25 years. The two like to fish together, and Dr. Barnhill says that Ashley is the “biggest and best catch” she ever made. The Barnhills are proud parents of three daughters. Reagan, 24, is a pulp and paper engineer in Louisiana. Chase, 22, is working for Habitat for Humanity in Wilmington while going to grad school, and Bailey, 19, attends UNC Wilmington, where she is working on a degree in education. Now that their children are out on their own, the Barnhills are looking to pursue some of their hobbies a little more. In addition to fishing, Dr. Barnhill likes to paint, garden, decorate and thrift shop. She and Ashley also love to travel to see horse and dog races. Though she’s never been overseas, she said she hopes to go. She would also like to revisit one of her favorite travel spots, George Washington’s Virginia home, Mt. Vernon.“I am in awe of the beautiful home and land of such a religious and brave leader who helped our country become the United States of America.” With all the travel the Barnhills do, Dr. Barnhill’s favorite place of all, she says, is home. Whiteville. “I love the people of Whiteville,” she says. “They’ve always been so supportive of me. Everyone treats each other like family. "Though she has been practicing in Clarkton for the past nine months, Dr. Barnhill returned to Whiteville in early 2022 to lead the new Cape Fear Valley Primary Care Vineland Family Medicine, located on Madison Street in Whiteville, which opened Jan. 3.
“I love my patients and serving my community. I am very excited that Cape Fear Valley Health is expanding into Columbus County!”
“I love my patients and serving my community,” Dr. Barnhill said. “I am very excited that Cape Fear Valley Health is expanding into Columbus County!” Stephen Fife, president of Bladen County Hospital, recruited Dr. Barnhill because of her huge following in Whiteville. “We are actively expanding our primary care network and our offerings,” Fife said. “We are continually trying to grow and add experienced physicians to our network.” It’s all part of Fife’s plan to bring quality healthcare to the residents of Bladen and now Columbus County. And for Barnhill, it is a chance to invite more people into her family.
