HOISINGTON — Guardian angels come in many forms. Never was that more true than over the last year for Leo and Marjorie Moeder of Hoisington.
Leo, also known as “Red”, was recently a patient at Clara Barton Hospital, in the Therapy Services department, receiving both physical and occupational therapy. Marjorie has also received care in the past. They were so moved by the care they received from the department, that they made a donation to the Clara Barton Hospital Foundation in their honor, through the Guardian Angel giving program.
“The team is professional, but friendly enough that you can’t help but get close to them,” said Marjorie. “We’ve developed friendships that go well beyond our treatment; they all feel like family.”
The Guardian Angel program was developed by the foundation to allow patients and families to thank anyone who provided exceptional care at Clara Barton Hospital and Clinics. A grateful patient can make a donation to the foundation and choose to commemorate a caregiver or other Hospital employee that went above and beyond expectations of care. Gifts to the foundation are used to support the hospital, which is a not-for-profit, meaning that all monies earned above expense go directly back into the improvement of services and equipment.

Honorees of the Moeders’ gift include Mark Blackwell, physical therapist and Therapy Services director; Peggy Crowe, occupational  therapist; Darlene Nulton, certified occupational therapy assistant; physical therapists, Tamara Dody, Danelle Leiker, and Eloise Penka-Doran; physical therapy assistants, Mary Massey, Sandy Reavis, and Holly Gilliam; and therapy aides, Cindy Strickland and Allie Hipp. The nine providers were each individually recognized with a certificate and a lapel pin, bearing the Guardian Angel image.
“They instilled hope that they would work to make sure we had the best possible recovery,” said Marjorie, when asked why she chose to honor the entire department. “Each one was involved in our treatment, so they each need to be recognized.”  
Marjorie worked at Clara Barton for 17 years before going to work in healthcare in Wichita, so she recognizes the need for this type of program, saying, “After working for so long in the industry, I know that this is a thankless job, and healthcare workers don’t get honored the way that they should be. I’m proud to say that this team deserves this recognition.”
The honor comes at a pivotal point for the department: used to working in cramped conditions, Therapy Services will soon be moved into the new addition to the hospital. The construction project began in April, and will provide a 300% increase in space for the department and bring an outsourced laundry contract in-house, to save the hospital over $250,000 a year.
The project, set to be completed in October, is an exciting step into the future for the Hospital. “This expansion is an investment in our community, guaranteeing that the hospital is always moving forward in its efforts to provide quality care to our friends and family,” shares Curt Colson, president and CEO of Clara Barton Hospital.
The hospital, along with the foundation and auxiliary, is hosting an Open House at the hospital on Sunday, Aug. 31, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., as part of the foundation’s capital campaign to raise funds for the expansion – “Complete the Dream… Continue the Vision.”