Sister Monica - a visionary, role model and friend

My sister is named Monica.  Which perhaps is why I've always had an affinity for Sister Monica Heeran, well that and the fact that she is absolutely amazing woman. Happy to see that the Catholic Sentinel agrees!

Visionary nun observes 100,000 patient visits at clinic she founded 

When Sister Monica Heeran shakes patients’ hands and introduces herself, she makes everyone feel that their health is the only thing that matters right now.
“Every patient feels they are the most important person to walk through the doors,” said DaLeesa Meashintubby, executive director of the Lane County Volunteers in Medicine, a clinic Sister Monica founded a decade ago.  ...
Sister Monica, an 80-year-old member of Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace, is the former CEO of PeaceHealth’s Sacred Heart Medical Center in Eugene. She retired more than 10 years ago after six decades of healthcare ministry.
It was a time when the number of uninsured was on the rise, Sister Monica said.
While Sister Monica was trying to figure out what she would like to do with the next phase of her life, she was invited to check out a clinic founded by Dr. Jack McConnell in Hilton Head Island, S.C., which was connecting the talents of volunteer medical practitioners with the uninsured population. The model was so successful that Volunteers in Medicine clinics, with their “culture of caring,” have popped up all over the country. Oregon has two clinics – the one in Springfield, founded by Sister Monica, and the VIM Clinic of the Cascades in Bend. Sister Monica returned to Eugene, inspired to start a clinic in Eugene. ...
Over the years, Sister Monica’s role at the clinic has changed. She just finished up serving as interim executive director while the clinic filled the position. She also helps with fundraising. She has served on the board for the duration.
But in the near future, Sister Monica hopes to pare down her time at the clinic, preparing for a form of official retirement. ...
Meashintubby said that she has learned more from Sister Monica than she has any other manager. The executive director calls the nun a “visionary.” 

Read the entire article here

Simply put ... Sister Monica rocks.  I've been honored to be in a small faith sharing group with her since I entered and work with her on a community committee.  She is indeed a visionary, a role model and a friend. I hope to have as much wisdom, energy, and grace when I'm in my 80s!