04/30/2008

Indianapolis - Anita Wilhite Fisher's wish will come true.  At 96, Anita wanted to return where her career, and inspiration, began in 1935 - Riley Hospital for Children.  Anita, a retired registered nurse, and three nursing generations she inspired, will tour Riley Hospital as she reconnects with her past.

WHEN:           Thursday, May 1, 2008
                        11 a.m.

WHERE:         Riley Outpatient Center
                        575 West Dr.

Through "Never Too Late," an Indianapolis-based non-profit that grants wishes to seniors, Anita's wish to return to Riley Hospital for Children has become a reality.  "This wish has touched the lives of four different generations - one woman's passion and compassion showed through like a beacon of light, so much so, that one of her patients, her daughter, and her granddaughters chose the same honorable profession of nursing to help heal the wounds of others," said Bob Haverstick, executive director.  "This wish will allow Anita to step back in time and become young again in heart and spirit, triggering old memories as well as making new ones that will be treasured forever."

"When 'Never Too Late' contacted us, we were thrilled to be able to make her wish come true," said Dr. Richard Schreiner, Riley's Physician-in-Chief.  "Riley's well-established reputation of providing quality, compassionate care and support dates back to the hospital's infancy, thanks to committed persons like Anita Wilhite Fisher and all who have followed her."

Anita become a nurse for two reasons:  She helped her mom care for her sister who died of pernicious anemia in 1930 at the age of 15 and also because she was impressed by the starched uniforms, caps and professional nurses she saw everyday passing Connersville Hospital en route to school. 

To pay for nursing school, Anita had to work at Woolworth's from 1930-1933 because the family money saved for her education was lost during the depression.  In 1933, Anita began her nursing education and in 1935 became a student nurse where she worked at Riley Hospital for Children. 

While a student nurse at Riley, Anita met and helped Maxine Davis Evans who was undergoing several eye surgeries.  

"Anita was the sweetest and most caring nurse I had ever met.  She made quite an impression on me," Maxine said.  Maxine fondly remembers following Anita on her rounds and helping her collect dirty clothes and returning dirty orange juice glasses to a tray.  As a result of her experience with Anita, Maxine went on to proudly graduate from the Indiana University School of Nursing in 1949.
 
In 1936, Anita graduated from IU School of Nursing and continued to work at Riley Hospital as a registered nurse.  Later in the year, Anita got married and moved to Connersville where she continued her nursing at Fayette Memorial Hospital.   One year later, Anita and her husband moved back to Indianapolis where she worked as a floating nurse at all three hospitals on the IU campus - Long, Coleman and Riley.  Anita always chose to work at Riley Hospital when she could.

Throughout her nursing career, many people and generations were inspired by Anita's nursing demeanor and kindness and later followed in her footsteps - Maxine Davis Evans, Anita's daughter Gay Pangburn, 63, and two granddaughters, Denise Evanoff and Dawn McAtee. 

As one of the premiere children's hospitals in the nation, Riley Hospital continues to attract the best caregivers from around the nation.  In its 2007 "Best Children's Hospitals," Parent's magazine ranked Riley Hospital 11th in the nation overall out of nearly 250 children's hospitals. In 2006 Child magazine ranked the hospital's pulmonary medicine and neonatology departments in the nation's top 10.

For more information about Riley Hospital for Children please visit www.rileychildrenshospital.com