Sherman Family Honors Memory of Mother With Donation

Inside the infusion therapy center at Spectrum Health Reed City Hospital, patients come and go’each with a unique story and all leaving a memory behind. But the life of one patient, who was a regular visitor to the center, left an indelible mark.

Betsy Sherman was diagnosed with oral cancer in 2008. In Betsy’s case, the disease required roughly 30 visits to the hospital for treatments. When Betsy succumbed to the disease in November, 2009 at the age of 62, she was surrounded not just by her immediate family, including husband Don, daughter Amy, and son Rob, but also by her hospital family – the doctors and nurses of the center and her former hospital co-workers.

Despite their grief, the Sherman family found joy in giving back. When they learned the center needed new, more comfortable infusion therapy chairs, they decided to raise the funds to purchase one in Betsy’s memory. Just one month after Betsy’s death, the family launched a campaign to collect $1,500 for the special chair. To help spread the word, a family friend launched a Facebook page.

“We remembered that on her last visit, Betsy sat in one of the special chairs the center hoped to purchase. They were trying them out with cancer patients,” recalls her husband Don. “From that experience, the idea to create a memorial fund to buy a new chair in her name was born.”

Anyone who has met the Sherman family cannot help but be touched by their warmth of spirit and compassion. And now many more patients will feel the comfort of their generosity.

Pictured left to right – seated: Don Sherman, standing left to right: Heather Ringler,’ Nancy Cook, Irene Balowski, Mary Lucht, Lyni Nowak, Amy Wirick, Kelly Gawne, Linda Rubin, Sam Daugherty, Robbin Miller, Gloria Rowell

Spectrum Health Reed City Hospital is a 25 bed acute care hospital located in Reed City, Mich. that has adopted the Planetree approach to care giving.” A model of patient centered care in a healing environment, staff is committed to improving medical care from the patient’s perspective, empowering patients and families through education, information and encouraging healing partnerships with caregivers. Spectrum Health Reed City Hospital offers a newly renovated emergency department with private treatment rooms, an expanded medical imaging department, a regional cancer treatment center and an Eden Care award winning 54 bed rehab and nursing facility.” Spectrum Health Reed City Hospital has been recognized for its quality care by the Michigan Quality Improvement Organization and has earned the Governor’s Award of Excellence for Improving Care in the Hospital Setting for 3 consecutive years, the Total Benchmark Solution quality award for 2005 and the 2006 and 2007 VHA Leadership Award for clinical excellence.