Sister Mary Kay Liston Receives Volunteer Award of Excellence

By Patti Eischen

Sister Mary Kay Liston, CSJ received the Neddine Parker Award of Excellence from the Truman Medical Center-Hospital Hill in Kansas City for her commitment to the health care provider’s mission.

Sister Mary Kay is the hospital’s archivist. She began volunteering there just seven years ago. At the time, no archive existed at the medical center. She has set up a system, and a central location for cataloging and storage of archival material and artifacts that were previously stored all over the hospital.

As part of Sister Mary Kay’s work, she has mounted two exhibits on nursing: one for the lobby and a permanent one for the Nursing Administration department, which honors graduates of the first two, now long-closed general hospitals.

“The most rewarding part of the work is the opportunity to meet people who have worked here and presently work here to learn about the past,” she explained. "Two senior doctors, still with us and in their 80s and 90s played significant parts in founding TMC. They know the history, still have fine minds and have identified people in hundreds of photographs.”

“There are many TMC volunteers who have been here 20-25 years, whom I thought deserved it,” Sister Mary Kay explained. “Truly, I was flabbergasted when my name was announced.”

Lisa Martin, director of volunteer services for the hospital, commented, “We’re so very fortunate that Sister Mary Kay has chosen to share her time and talent with us. Her commitment to chronicling the history of this hospital, particularly that of the nursing students of General Hospital 1 and 2, means a great deal to the clinicians, their families and the greater Kansas City community.”