A longtime Adena Pike Medical Center Employee has cemented her legacy with a generous donation.
Mary Alice Cisco began her career at Pike Community Hospital (since named Adena Pike Medical Center) more than 60 years ago and has been a part of the facility’s heart and soul ever since. After all that time caring for the well-being of others, one would think a person couldn’t possibly do more, but for anyone that knows Mary Alice, her latest act of generosity and devotion to the hospital was not surprising at all.
The Adena Pike Medical Center Foundation Board has been working to raise funds to support the renovation of an inpatient room to one specifically for Hospice patients and their families. The room will include a pull out couch, microwave, refrigerator, table and chairs and overall more space than the average patient room giving family members a place to gather and visit with their loved ones during their stay at the hospital.
“At our last Board meeting we were discussing our fundraising goals and brainstorming ways to raise money, so this project could continue and be everything we hoped for,” explained Rebekah Clevenger, Adena Health Foundation Development Director. “We really didn’t know how we were going to come up with the needed funds at this time, but with construction continuing we knew it had to be done.”
According to Clevenger, it was at that moment when Mary Alice, who sits on the Board at age 92, spoke up and said “I’ll do it.” And like that, as she has done for so many years, Mary Alice was there to support the hospital she loves in whatever it needed.
Mary Alice recently presented a check in the amount of $15,000 to the APMC Board of Trustees and Foundation Board for the completion of the new Hospice Room.
“I never dreamed that when I started here, I would still be here 60 years later,” said Mary Alice. “While I am planning on working as long as I can, I’m not sure how much time that really is. I wanted to give back to the community in another way that let my legacy live on. I want families to be comfortable while their loved ones are staying here and have the best experience possible. This is my second home and I’ve always wanted to give back to this hospital as it has given so much to me.”
Once completed, APMC’s new Hospice Room will be adorned with signage honoring Mary Alice’s donation and her many years of devotion and service to the hospital.