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F ew people can say they work for an organization whose mission statement has remained the same for 371 years. That, however, is precisely the case for not only the sisters but the entire staff of Providence St. Mary Medical Center. In 1650, in the village of Le Puy, France, Father Medaille directed a small group of sisters to "go out into the city, divide up the neighborhoods, find out the needs, and then do your best to meet those needs and discover other people who want to do good works with you." All these years later, that unique mission is still what guides the work of caregivers at Providence St. Mary. "We are continually asking what the needs of the community are right now," says Judy Wagner, the hospital's chief mission officer. "We often use the expression 'serving the dear neighbor without distinction.' Everyone needs help at some point in their life." From the beginning, the sisters' work was both intentional and strategic, and that concept remains relevant today. "Their devotion to serving the dear neighbor is focused on working collaboratively to create change and to alleviate conditions that cause ignorance, poverty or suffering," Wagner explains. FOLLOWING IN THE FOUNDING SISTERS' FOOTSTEPS Sister Terry Maher manages the Spiritual Care Department at Providence St. Mary. A Sister of the Precious Blood, Maher joined the staff at a time she describes as "the middle of the chaos." It was May of 2020, and the pandemic was raging. Maher says she and the chaplains had to learn how to visit and help patients differently during COVID-19 because they couldn't go into their rooms, just as families could not visit their loved ones. The staff became a conduit between the patients and their families, reaching out to bridge the loneliness often experienced by patients. "We dealt with people struggling with both health issues and life issues, because it's all connected. While not everyone is religious, most people are spiritual," Maher says. Reaching out into the community is something Sister Christine Schleich is also familiar with. She belongs to the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange and retired from Providence St. Mary in 2017 after 25 years of service. Schleich originally joined the staff as part of a program to address the prenatal concerns of women with high-risk pregnancies. In keeping with the mission of Father Medaille, she helped in the quest to find an unmet need and then develop a program to address the problem. It's worth noting that the critical prenatal service continues to this day, now operating as part of a federally qualified health clinic. THE FUTURE BRINGS MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE Looking ahead to the future of Providence St. Mary, Schleich is excited about the new facility, which will be built in Victorville. "It will be able to serve a larger community. It was always my dream that we would have a hospital that would address the needs of not just Apple Valley but all the people living in the High Desert," Schleich says. Maher agrees, saying, "There is much work to be done, and the more people we can serve, the better." Maher currently works with five other chaplains of various faiths to try and get patients to a place of either healing or acceptance. "My religious community looks at how we can be a reconciling presence in a fractured world," she says. Goals like these make Providence St. Mary much more than a hospital. By meeting the needs of the community, St. Mary builds important and lasting partnerships. Wagner sums up the ambition of their mission, saying, "We want to impact and change the lives of everyone for the better. It goes back to our vision statement of health for a better world." It's clear that carrying on this noble challenge has stood the test of time. A Mission for the Ages Community outreach is a calling that began nearly four centuries ago. For more information about Providence St. Mary Medical Center 's mission, values and vision, visit providence.org/about/our-mission. Health Matters: Providence St. Mary Medical Center | 9

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