Mandy Ward is a grateful family member and donor to Aurora Health Care Foundation. She was inspired to give back and share her story because of the care her mother, Shirley Ward, received at Aurora Medical Center – Bay Area. This is her story in her own words.
In 2012, I was at work when I received a horrifying phone call. It was my dad, who frantically told me my mother, Shirley Ward, was having a heart attack. They were in the emergency department at Aurora Medical Center – Bay Area.
I ran out of work and arrived within minutes. There was my mother, surrounded by about a dozen medical professionals working to save her life. Due to their quick response and skill, they were successfully able to stabilize her and rush her via Flight for Life to Green Bay to have life-saving surgery.
I’ll never forget the doctor coming out to tell us that she must have an angel watching over her. The type of heart attack she’d had is commonly called a widow-maker because it’s often fatal. What the doctor didn’t realize that day was that he and his team were our angels.
This was the first of many cardiac problems for my mom. Unfortunately, heart disease was not kind to her throughout her later years. I say “was” because the pillar of our family, the strongest, bravest, most loving woman to walk this earth, passed away on August 20, 2022.
That day in 2012 when the ED personnel worked quickly on my mother was the day that gave me 12 more beautiful years with her. It gave me a greater perspective of how lucky we were, as a family, to have such skilled hands right here in our community that gave her a second chance at life.
Her life changed tremendously that day. She focused more on her health, attended cardio-pulmonary rehabilitation, made friends with others who’d had similar experiences and built trust with the hospital and staff. My mom endured two more heart scares that landed her back in the hospital facing significant surgeries, internal bleeding, exacerbated chronic kidney disease, congestive heart and liver failure, and towards the end of her life, dementia that began to rob her of her ability to make rational decisions.
Long nights in the hospital were spent with nurses redirecting her, comforting her, and making her laugh and feel at ease. There were endless phone calls made by me making sure she was okay, and they were all handled with grace by whoever was on the other end of the call. Although my mother passed away at only 77 years old, I know that had it not been for the care provided at our local hospital, I would have been robbed of the ability to enjoy her and allow her to teach me how to be the best version of myself.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you to all who allowed me to have my mom for as long as I was able, for allowing my father to enjoy his retirement with his best friend and love of his life, and for giving her grandchildren loving memories that they will always cherish. Thank you for treating her with dignity, even on days that were overwhelming. I want you all to know that you made a profound impact on my family, as well as our community. Thank you.
Aurora Medical Center – Bay Area is supported by the generosity of donors like Mandy. Please consider supporting your local hospital by making a gift today.