JOURNEYS
CentralNebraskaEdition
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President
Elizabeth Wise
Executive Vice President and COO, Bryan Health
John Woodrich
Interim President & CEO, Bryan Medical Center
Robert Oakes, MD
Chief of Staff, Bryan Medical Staff
Bob Ravenscroft
System Vice President, CMO & CDO
Kevin Rummel, MD Medical
David
2 After a Husker Game Cardiac Arrest, Lincoln Man Rebuilds His Life
5 Three Recent Nursing Retirees Reflect on Long Bryan Careers
8 Ask the Doctor 10 Family Ties: Four Generations Born at Bryan 14 2024 Annual Reports 18 Welcome New Cardiologist to Bryan
19 Eleven Years in, Kearney Regional Medical Center Grows with its Community
23 Reflections from Former Cardiac Providers, Present Bryan Donors and Perpetual Old Friends
25 A Family Kept Whole Through Emergency Treatments for Mom, Baby
28 Welcome these physicians to the Bryan medical community
Welcome Bryan Health’s new executive vice president and COO, Elizabeth Wise 36 Our 100th Anniversary Celebration: What We’ve Done and What’s Next Presenting partners:
Bryan Foundation 2025 corporate
Advisors
“Every day is a good day. There is something to learn, care and celebrate.”
– Amit Ray
For the last six months, Bryan Health has been in a consistent state of celebration.
We kicked off our 100th anniversary in the spring with a taste of something sweet, sharing thousands of birthday cake slices throughout our organization. Since then, we’ve continued to celebrate with over 100 Acts of Kindness in our communities, our NICU Reunion and many other special events.
We’re about halfway through this joyous celebration of Bryan Health; its past, present and future, and everything Bryan represents. The stories in this edition of Journeys carry many themes worth celebrating: family, community, loyalty and longevity among them. Every single day that we continue to serve Nebraskans — and anybody else who seeks our help — is a good day.
We’re excited to continue celebrating our anniversary with you in the coming months – and there’s so much to recognize. Our new Bryan Beyond 100 capital campaign provides an opportunity for
continued growth within our system. The new Kearney Cancer Center, opening in the fall, will provide expert cancer care close to home for Central Nebraskans. Our record-high patient satisfaction scores, which we are thrilled to receive. The expansion of our footprint to the Omaha metro area with the newly announced Bryan Elkhorn Campus, opening in spring/summer 2027. The wonderful providers and patients in Central Nebraska, who are receiving an exclusive edition of Journeys highlighting the heart of our state. As we move toward the end of another year, and the end of our anniversary celebration next May, let’s all keep the spirit of celebration in our hearts each day. Bryan Health. Forward. Together.
Russ Gronewold President and Chief Executive Officer,
Bryan Health
After a Husker Game Cardiac Arrest, Lincoln Man Rebuilds His Life
David Emery doesn’t remember much about his potentially life-changing experience. He was a bit late to a University of Nebraska Cornhuskers women’s basketball game against Michigan State University on a chilly January day. He and a friend hurried to their seats to meet their wives. He had barely caught his breath — just sitting down and turning his attention to the court — when he fell unconscious and collapsed. The next thing he knew, he was on a gurney in the back hallways of Pinnacle Bank Arena.
His wife, Janet, remembers the events vividly. Once her husband keeled over, she was shocked by the rapid response from on-site EMTs, campus police and bystanders. David had suffered a cardiac arrest, as his heart suddenly stopped. First responders quickly treated and revived him with an automated external defibrillator (AED).
Waking up on the gurney, David didn’t know where he was or why he was there. Janet kept repeating one thing over and over again to the paramedics: “Please take us to Bryan.”
The Immediate Aftermath
Janet said everything — from David collapsing to riding in an ambulance to the hospital — happened so fast. On-site EMTs, including Bryan Medical Center employee Shauntae Beaver, rushed to the seats as soon as they heard a commotion. Before they arrived, others had gathered to help: an advanced practice provider from Crete Area Medical Center, Tammy Schroeder; a retired anesthesiologist; and the Nebraska volleyball team’s doctor, among them.
“That’s why he’s still here,” Janet said. “Truly the only reason is the speed in which people responded.”
Once the couple arrived at the Bryan Medical Center emergency department, David was stabilized and kept overnight. The next day, he was transferred to the cardiac catheterization lab to have a stent placed in one of his arteries that was 99% blocked.
David recovered with the help of his cardiac rehabilitation team, pictured above from left to right: Kaylin Labenz, clinical exercise specialist, and Jessica Courter and Holly Leach, cardiac rehab RNs.
Only two days after his cardiac arrest, David was heading home from the hospital. The Emerys credit the great care he received at every point in his treatment at Bryan Medical Center.
A Hard Road to Recovery
Around a week later, David started a cardiac rehabilitation program at Bryan LifePointe Campus. David worked with Kaylin Labenz, a clinical exercise specialist, and Holly Leach and Jessica Courter, cardiac rehab RNs. Labenz guided his exercise regimen while Leach or Courter monitored his vital signs. David completed three months of physical therapy, roughly two to three sessions per week.
During his time in rehab, he formed strong relationships with Labenz, Leach and Courter. Along with the physical care, he said the trio also provided healing in deeper ways. The trauma of a sudden cardiac arrest had left his future unclear, as he worried about something happening to him again. The routine of strengthening his body during rehab, while working with people who made him feel comfortable, also helped heal his mind and soul.
“I can’t say enough good things about my experience with those women,” David said. “They helped me get my strength back, and they mean so much to me.”
Leach, who also served as David’s “mentor” throughout the program, said the emotional and psychological components are a crucial part of any physical rehab.
“I feel like we do more than just the physical part of things,” Leach said. “He talked a lot about the people who saved him at the arena, and I could see he was really deep in his thoughts. Once he was able to find and talk to those people, I could see he got the closure to be able to move forward.”
David’s vital signs and physical endurance steadily improved, meeting the goals that he set with his therapy team at the start of the program. As he continued his treatment, Grant Wallace, MD, implanted a pacemaker to regulate his heart rate. Through what Leach calls a strong attitude and level of commitment from David, he was able to graduate from rehab in late April.
“You’ve got to live your life and get back to doing what you enjoy,” Leach said. “So, if we can help do that here, then we've done our jobs.”
It Takes a Village
Lincoln often has the feeling of a big-small town. The Emerys have said they’ve encountered countless people who were at the game and witnessed David’s episode — some friends, some strangers. All have shown genuine concern about his condition and joy for his recovery.
The Emerys have reached out to the many people who were involved in saving David’s life, so they could express their deep gratitude. At the front lines of his care are Zachary Singsank, DO, and Dr. Wallace, who are David’s cardiologists at Bryan Heart. Janet and David praised the care David received from his doctors.
“They’re personable, they make sure your questions are answered, and they’re just fun to talk to,” Janet said.
The day after his cardiac arrest, Beaver, a cardiovascular technologist in the cardiac catheterization labs at Bryan Medical Center, recognized David’s name during her shift and introduced herself to the Emerys. She wanted to check on him because she rarely knows the outcomes of emergency patients she treats as a part-time EMT. In another stroke of fortune, Beaver was stunned to find herself working on David’s pacemaker placement a few weeks later.
“I was so surprised when I saw his name next up on the patient list,” Beaver said. “He rolled in, and I looked at him and said, ‘You have to be so tired of seeing me.’”
The routine of strengthening his body during rehab, while working with people who made him feel comfortable, also helped heal his mind and soul.
The expertise and hard work of so many people helped David get back to his life.
David and Janet Emery have returned to their lives together after David’s cardiac arrest.
The expertise and hard work of so many people helped David get back to his life. An avid reader, he volunteers a few days per week at the Victor E. Anderson library branch. He is spending as much time as possible with their two daughters and two grandchildren.
Moving Forward
A lot had to go right for David to have a full recovery: The luck of being in a place like Pinnacle Bank Arena, which has protocols in place to rapidly respond to emergency situations. The surrounding attendees, who had the awareness to clear the aisle so first responders could quickly reach David. A healthcare system like Bryan Health nearby to provide a comprehensive slate of services. These are factors the Emerys have not taken for granted throughout their experience.
Since graduating from rehab, David feels back to his full strength, physically and mentally. The Emerys feel it’s all thanks to Bryan, the place where Janet wanted her husband to be cared for in his greatest time of need.
“David and I had talked about if anything ever happened to either of us, we would want to go to Bryan,” Janet said. “You hear all these good things about what happens at Bryan, from the staff to the outcomes. It’s just where I wanted him to be.”
For more information on how to support patients like David, call 402-481-8605 or visit BryanHealth.com/ Bryan-Foundation.
“Since graduating from rehab, David feels back to his full strength, physically and mentally. The Emerys feel it’s all thanks to Bryan, the place where Janet wanted her husband to be cared for in his greatest time of need.”
Three Recent Nursing Retirees Reflect on Long Bryan Careers
The clinical staff throughout the Bryan Health system contains hundreds of people who exemplify the Bryan way through their compassion, selflessness and expertise. A few long-tenured nurses, with over 120 years of service combined, recently retired during the heart of Bryan’s 100th anniversary celebration.
These three nurses dedicated their professional lives to caring for patients at Bryan Health. Here are their stories and reflections on a career in health care and the legacy of Bryan.
Lavone Solomon
Lavone Solomon, LPN, retired from Merrick Medical Center in the fall after 50 years of service at the hospital. She was born near Beatrice, Nebraska, and moved to Odell, Diller and Wymore throughout her childhood. She grew up on farms breaking horses, a pastime she carried into adulthood.
Nursing was not her first choice growing up, but she said she decided to try it out and got hooked. She took her entrance exam in North Platte and then started working at the Litzenberg Memorial County Hospital in Central City in 1974. She went to nursing school in 1975 at Platte College, now called Columbus Community College, graduating a few years later.
Lavone had applied for work in Grand Island after earning her nursing license, but an administrator at the Central City hospital came to her house and talked her into staying in Central City. She started in acute care.
“You got a little bit of everything back in those days,” she said. “I had obstetrics, cardiology, orthopedics, you name it.”
Lavone wore many hats at the hospital. In 1978, she was asked to move to the surgery department. A few years later, she added the infection prevention team to her rotation.
Lavone said she enjoyed the diversity of the areas of nursing in which she worked, as she felt constantly challenged every day. She worked on the management side in the surgery department toward the end of her career, ordering supplies and coordinating schedules.
“I’m kind of a lifelong learner,” she said. “I don’t like to quit learning. I think that’s why I stayed in a small hospital, because there’s always something new. You never know what’s going to ring your doorbell or call your phone, and you have to answer it.”
Lavone said she’s noticed more support for the hospital since it joined Bryan Health in 2017, changing its name to Merrick Medical Center (MMC).
At the time of the interview, she was about a month away from retirement. She said she is looking forward to spending more time with her grandchildren and on activities she enjoys, such as fishing, gardening and hiking. As for the work, she said she will miss being with her patients and coworkers the most.
Lavone in 1976.
She has passed along her passion for health care, as her daughter works at MMC in supply management, and her granddaughter works in guest services. Lavone’s mom worked at the hospital, as did Lavone’s other daughter, cousin and sister-in-law.
Patty Evans
Patty Evans, RN, is from Sumner, Nebraska. She came to Lincoln for school, attending the University of Nebraska and Bryan School of Nursing. She graduated in 1981, working for a little while as a technician and nurse before moving to Valentine. She returned to Bryan a few years later.
She got married, moved to Columbus for a few years, and then moved back to Lincoln in 1990, staying for good this time. She worked for Bryan for the last 35 years in various departments, the last nine in Employee Health as a manager. She and her husband have four children — two boys and two girls.
She said health care was a field in which she always had interest. In high school, that interest was solidified after seeing her grandpa cared for in a nursing home.
“I saw the care that he did not receive, and I thought I could do a whole lot better,” Patty said. “That verified for me that I was going into the right field.”
Patty chose Bryan School of Nursing because the institution was well known for its diploma program and the number of clinical hours students receive while in school.
“I knew that I could get a job pretty much anywhere if I had a degree from Bryan.”
Some of the biggest changes she remembers from when she started at Bryan to the present day are the switch from paper to electronic charting and improvements in medication safety protocols.
Patty said her last day at Bryan was bittersweet. At the time of the interview, she was a few weeks into her retirement. She said the transition has been smooth, but that she expects some melancholy and nostalgia to set in with time.
“It’s the people that I’ll miss the most,” she said. “What I liked about Employee Health was that I got to see so many colleagues who you’ve gotten to know over the years coming in every day, and we had such a great team that I worked with, too.”
In her retirement, she looks forward to spending more time attending University of Nebraska sporting events, ushering at the Lied Center and completing fun gardening and church activities. Her daughter lives in Champaign, Illinois, and recently had her second child; Patty is excited to have more flexibility to visit her. Her other daughter, Katlin, works at Bryan as a care management social worker.
Reflecting on Bryan’s 100th birthday, she said she is honored to have spent much of her career working for the organization and feels comfort knowing she will be a consumer of care at the hospital moving forward.
Louis Lemon
Louis Lemon’s Bryan story begins in 1972, when he underwent open heart surgery at Bryan Memorial Hospital to fix a birth defect. He spent his 13th birthday at the hospital while he recovered. His experience at the hospital was life-changing in more ways than one.
“If I was scared or in pain, I always had someone there to give me what I needed,” he said. “When I left the hospital, I knew I was going to be someone who helped other people.”
Louis, an RN, retired in June from Bryan Health after 40 years in health care. He spent 28 of those years at Bryan Health.
His path began with that surgery in the ’70s. He remembers his surgeon, Dr. Stephen Carveth, taking time to connect with him and explain the procedure in a way he would understand. This was an early lesson for Louis in the person-to-person element of health care, one he would carry throughout his career.
“Just to be a small contributor has been meaningful, because there are so many people who make this organization work,” she said. “I’m very proud of the way that employees have carried on the mentality of being that helpful person for each patient.”
Louis graduated from Bryan School of Nursing in January 1985. As a registered nurse, he wore many hats, including as a cardiac ICU nurse and a cardiac catheterization lab nurse. He spent his first 12 years out of school in Texas before returning to Lincoln, and Bryan, in 1997 as the manager for both ICU units. A few years later, he returned to the cardiac cath lab in a more direct patient care role, where he remained for the rest of his career.
Louis has many familial ties to Bryan Health, as well. In addition to a niece, Karen Simms working at Bryan as a dietitian, his sister, Jan Tubbs, is a Lincoln General School of Nursing graduate and spent time as a Lincoln General Hospital nurse and a faculty member at Bryan College of Health Sciences.
Louis’ father later became a “test subject” for Bryan College nursing students. Jan had her students take her father’s vital signs, listening to his COPD and asthmaaffected lungs. His dad enjoyed that experience so much that Louis’ family established a scholarship in his honor, eventually expanding it to include Louis’ mother when she passed away in 2024.
The John and Wanda Lemon Scholarship helps foster the next generation of healthcare professionals like Louis. Louis was also a donor during his career at Bryan and plans to continue giving in his retirement.
Louis said the shift to his new way of life over the last few months has come with challenges.
“There are days when I wake up at 5:30 and think that it’s time to get ready and go into work,” he said. “Then there are other days when I hear from my former coworkers that it was a super crazy day in the unit. So, it’s kind of been a mixed feeling.”
Louis describes the downside of retirement as losing his sense of purpose. He’s recently tried to re-gain that purpose by volunteering at his local veterinary clinic. Louis owns cats and loves spending time with animals; he plans to cuddle dogs and cats as they wake up from anesthesia.
“It gets me back into caring for something,” he said. “It’s a way for me to give back and get me out of the house. I’m helping. That’s all I want to do, is give back and help where I can.”
As Louis begins his retirement years, he feels gratitude for everybody who ever helped him at Bryan, from his doctors and nurses who cared for him as a child to his colleagues who will continue his legacy of exemplary patient care.
“I am hopeful that in my 28 years of working at Bryan Health, I have been able to repay some of the debt for a life — both personal and professional—that this organization has helped provide me.”
Louis as a Bryan School of Nursing graduate in 1985.
Louis, center, with his colleagues as he is recognized for the DAISY Award.
Lavone, left, with Merrick Medical Center CEO Jodi Mohr at a ceremony celebrating Lavone’s 50th year of service.
Top Photo: Patty, lower left, with her Employee Health colleagues at a holiday celebration. Bottom Photo: Patty, her eldest son Nate and her husband Roger at the Bryan Family Zoo Night at Lincoln Children’s Zoo.
Ask the Doctor
At midpoint of 100th celebration, Drs. Gogela and Gross discuss past, present and future of health care at Bryan
Much has changed at Bryan Health in the last 100 years, and much more will change in the next 100.
We asked two medical leaders at Bryan, Steven Gogela, MD, and Kenneth Gross, MD, to reflect on technology, change and progress across the health system.
In which areas are we currently leaders in technology/level of care?
Gogela: In Lincoln and at Bryan we are fortunate to have a very wide range of specialty support and a vast array of technological adjuncts. For example, in my field of neurosurgery we have the tech, surgeon capability and staff comfort to tackle the vast majority of neurosurgical conditions (brain, spine, peripheral nerves, etc.).
Gross: Bryan’s cardiovascular services is one area that Bryan Heart physicians have been leaders, both historically and currently. Bryan Heart provides a full service of leading-edge medical care, including clinical research and the latest procedures, to patients across the state.
The Lincoln physicians and Bryan have historically been early adopters for new procedures and technologies. That comes from Bryan Health’s mission statement of improving health by collaborating with physicians and communities. Bryan administration’s good stewardship and generous donors provide resources for new facilities, new technologies and new treatments.
What has changed the most at Bryan during your time here?
Gogela: Bryan has long been at the forefront of surgical technology and has made a point to get surgeons equipped with the tools they need to advance modern surgical techniques. However, it does seem to be getting more difficult as the cost of these advances seems to skyrocket. The pandemic was a major disruptor in health care, but Bryan was able to reposition itself through this time as a power in the region, and now its catchment area for patients is massive. Bryan was able to emerge from a difficult pandemic as a larger force in the healthcare community.
The mindset has also become larger. Bryan used to be a small community hospital, and now it’s a huge organization. So, I think the mindset has shifted when we think through problems. The framework to solutions is on a much larger scale. We’re comparing our system, datawise, to major healthcare systems, no longer to only small regional centers.
Gross: The physical growth of Bryan has been impressive, both the growth of Bryan’s geographical presence and the number of medical staff providers.
Bryan has grown from one hospital to now Bryan Health’s six medical centers.
The medical staff has grown dramatically — both physicians and advanced practice providers. Physicians have become more active in leadership roles and responsibilities, becoming more equipped and engaged to provide better care for patients and create a great place to work.
Bryan Health has been able to attract great doctors from so many geographical areas and specialties. What do you think uniquely positions us to achieve this?
Gogela: I would say the sense of community is the largest draw to Lincoln and to Bryan. There is a real interconnectedness in patient care in our community, and we are all in the battle together, so to speak. Certainly, it helps for physicians to have Nebraska ties to have a reason to land here. But many who do so somewhat randomly find a hidden gem and stay indefinitely.
Gross: Bryan supports and collaborates with independent physicians and physician groups and the most up-to-date procedures and technologies these physicians bring to Lincoln.
My story is not uncommon — I grew up in Nebraska. I studied at University of Nebraska-Lincoln and University of Nebraska Medical Center. The good educational opportunities here prepared me and others to go to the best places in the country for further training. After being at Harvard for a while, I realized it was time to come back to Nebraska to practice medicine, raise a family and be a part of a community . Bryan and Lincoln were that place. Bryan supports the latest training and skills I learned in my area of expertise. Bryan collaborates with independent physicians and groups to create a unique environment to practice not found in many other places in the country.
In your view, how do we continue to stay on the leading edge for our next 100 years?
Gogela: Judicious utilization of capital on technological advances and further incorporation of artificial intelligence as it becomes more mainstream will lead us into the foreseeable future. When important technology is developed and tested, we must be willing to invest and dive in if it will advance our capabilities, outcomes or patient safety. Also, we must continue to keep the focus on serving the community and individuals who are our neighbors, friends and family members. Larger centers tend to make patients feel marginalized as simply a number in a giant machine. Personalized care demands more accountability and thoughtful care delivery.
Gross: Who can predict what the next 100 years or even the next 5-10 years will look like? Society and medicine are changing so rapidly. Bryan’s history of forward thinking and a caring culture have grown and maintained Bryan’s services and resources to what they are today. Bryan will continue to succeed by remembering these fundamentals.
“The only certainty is that our fields will continue to evolve, and we must match that evolution to remain at the forefront of medical care.”
What excites you about the future of medicine?
Gogela: The bar is continually raised. Medications improve. Surgical techniques become more refined. Technology and innovation spur all of it. The only certainty is that our fields will continue to evolve, and we must match that evolution to remain at the forefront of medical care. It’s going to be technology and AI-driven. There is going to be tremendous application in a huge number of fields, especially in terms of algorithms for diagnosing and treatment. We’re not going to have a computer perform operations, but it will help us along.
Gross: AI technology is getting to a point where it is increasing efficiency and accuracy of documentation, diagnosis, treatments and patient monitoring. Technology will continue to improve medical care and be used as a tool — not to usurp providers, but to enhance their care.
I also think there is a generation of providers and staff that will continue the tradition of caring and compassion. Bryan is a special place where caregivers give compassionate care; I hear that repeatedly and I have experienced it.
That’s the special sauce of Bryan — the leading-edge medicine with compassionate care. It is the heart and soul of Bryan, and it is something to be proud of, to celebrate and work to continue.
SFAMILY TIES
Four Generations Born at Bryan
ince the 1920s, when Bry an Memorial and Lincoln General hospitals began welcoming babies into the world, there have been countless examples of multiple generations forming lifelong ties to Bryan Health.
Maybe no family exemplifies these family ties at Bryan better than the Retzlaff family. Four generations of the family were born at Bryan. Marleen became the first member of her family born at a hospital in 1947. Marleen had her daughters, Lyn and Beth, at Bryan, and Lyn had her three children — Erin, Scott and Haley — there, too. Most recently, Erin has had her two sons, Ronin and Shiloh, at the hospital.
Across their lives, which largely have been spent around Lincoln, one constant for the family has been seeking health care at Bryan.
Where They Began
Before Marleen was born at Bryan, everybody in the family was born at their house, which still stands on the same land east of Lincoln that Marleen’s great-great-grandfather claimed in the 1850s.
Charles Retzlaff emigrated from Prussia in 1854, initially settling in Germantown, Wisconsin. Seeking to stake his family’s claim on unsettled land, he walked to an area in eastern Nebraska, put his stake in the ground, and walked back to Wisconsin. He and his wife traveled back to Nebraska on a wagon train, and they established their family’s new home.
The family farm, located close to what is now 138th and Van Dorn streets, has been home to multiple generations since. The land still includes many old farm buildings arranged in a courtyard fashion — including a large horse barn dating to 1901. Lyn and her husband, Neil, still live in the limestone house built by Charles in 1867.
The farm has been home to a variety of animals, including shorthorn cattle and peafowl, over the years. Bryan Memorial Hospital purchased eggs laid by the family’s chickens during the early days of the hospital.
“I remember being just a few years old when I went with my mom to the hospital to drop off our eggs,” Marleen said.
Maternal Care Across Generations
Technology, facilities and treatments at Bryan have changed dramatically since Marleen, a retired teacher, was born at the hospital. She, her daughter and her granddaughter have had very different childbirth experiences.
The Retzlaff family, pictured in front of the limestone house built in 1867 on their family farm. From left to right: Erin Clark holding newborn Shiloh; Marleen Rickertsen; and Lyn Wineman holding Shiloh’s older brother, Ronin.
When Lyn was born, the nurse who admitted Marleen was also pregnant and ultimately had her baby before Marleen did. It was during a snowstorm, and Bryan was overflowing with women in labor, Marleen said. At that point, Bryan Memorial only had two delivery rooms.
Lyn, founder, president and chief strategist for KidGlov, remembers being set on doing everything naturally as a young mom. However, baby Erin had other plans. Lyn’s due date came and went, and she eventually had to be induced five days later. For her second and third children, she ended up having one of the same nurses as she did for Erin’s birth.
Finally, Erin, who works with her mom at KidGlov as senior art director, had the opposite situation compared to her grandma in that she was the only delivery at Bryan on the day her first son was born.
“My labor took 37 hours, and I had all the students and staff on the floor with me,” Erin said. “So, I had time to get to know everybody.”
Erin tried to have a natural birth, like her mom, but eventually the doctors decided a c-section would be best. She was scared – having never undergone surgery — but she said the whole team made her feel calm.
“They had music playing loudly, and somebody said to me ‘we’re going to have a birthday today,’” Erin said. “It made me feel so much better.
“That’s the story of parenting, right? You prepare for everything, and then something you never prepared for happens.”
Erin and her husband, Kade, had asked that family members wait to come to the hospital until after the baby was born. Her younger sister, Haley, flew in at the last minute and insisted that she and the family secretly go to the hospital. They were in the waiting room when a special Bryan tradition informed them of Ronin’s arrival.
“We heard the lullaby come over the speakers, and we said ‘oh, that’s Ronin,” Lyn said. “We had been there for hours, but once we heard that we went home. We didn’t even see him, but we were there, and that was special.”
Past, Present and Future
which still stands on the land claimed by Charles Retzlaff in the 1850s.
Top: Courtesy of JoelSartore.com.
Bottom: Courtesy of the Retzlaff family.
Outside of births, the family has been going to Bryan throughout its entire history for various ailments, from broken bones to strokes.
“When you have faith that a place is going to do the right thing and feel confident that you’re going to be well cared for, why would you not go there?” Marleen said. “That faith has been built up in me over all my years, so it’s just automatic now.”
Throughout their many birth experiences as a family, the three women said they have all received positive, compassionate health care.
“Obviously the doctors are amazing, but I think I remember the nursing more because we spend so much time with them,” Erin said. “They were so talkative and helpful to me and my husband, and they made sure to teach us some basics before our son was born. They took extra care to make sure we knew what we needed to know, even though we didn’t know what to ask for all the time.”
Today, the four generations of the Retzlaff family are thriving; Shiloh, 3, and Ronin, 1, are the eighth generation on the farm, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. The long-cherished home holds many reminders of where this family has been and the promise of a continued legacy.
Though much has changed, and will continue to change, the constant that is Bryan Health will last for this generation and many generations to come.
The Retzlaff family farm,
Marleen, the first member of her family born at Bryan, holds her great-grandson, Shiloh, the most recent family birth at Bryan.
Our Commitment, Our Impact External Support for Students and Patient Care
Bryan Health and its 7,428 employees across Nebraska generated $2.7 billion of economic impact for our state in 2024.
Induced Impact: What
Unreimbursed and Charity Care by Entity Lincoln Area (Bryan Medical Center, Bryan Physician Network and Bryan Heart):
million
Total external support
Gifts
Bryan employee giving
Number
Where donor gifts and grants were designated
Bryan Medical Center: $5,669,197
Crete Area Medical Center: $185,977
Kearney Regional Medical Center: $414,159
Bryan College of Health Sciences: $3,379,673
Grand Island Regional Medical Center: $110,106
Merrick Medical Center: $76,460
Other entities: $319,543
This summer, Alexandria Mansfield and Elizabeth McLaughlin donated the proceeds from their lemonade stand to the Bryan Medical Center pediatrics department. The young donors are pictured here with pediatric nurses Jamie Hatch, Madison Egger and Ashley Flink.
2025 Foundation Highlights
There’s so much to celebrate at the Bryan Foundation — here are a few standout moments from the year.
• A retired employee, Betty Ohs, established an endowment to support an annual conference for healthcare professionals at Bryan Health. This conference made its debut this year.
• The Nissen family made a six-figure gift in memory of their parents, Jim and Ginger Nissen — a long-time board member and his wife — to support the Mental Health Professional Education Conference.
• The 2025 Employee Campaign saw employees take their giving to the next level. Our dedicated Bryan team gave over $720,000 during this year’s campaign.
The Bryan Centennial Cup Event kicked off the Bryan Beyond 100 Campaign (more information on the next page) with a bang. Held on the day of the Kentucky Derby, donors arrived at the April Sampson Cancer Center dressed to the nines and ready to contribute to the future of health care.
Because of their significant gifts to the Bryan Foundation, Dr. Russ Semm — pictured in 2015 — and the Alpha Phi Sorority at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln — members pictured on a 2023 tour — will receive awards for National Philanthropy Day.
A lot can happen in 100 years — Bryan Health’s story is filled with milestones, innovation, and lives changed for the better. As we reflect on a century of serving our communities, one thing is clear: the journey is far from over. Our region is growing, our communities are evolving, and the need for compassionate, high-quality care has never been greater.
That’s why we’re moving forward with bold vision and renewed purpose.
We have launched the Bryan Beyond 100 Campaign — a historic $100 million fundraising initiative that will shape the future of health care across our region. At the May Centennial Cup event, we announced we were more than halfway to our goal.
This campaign is more than a goal, though — it’s a call to action, a promise to our communities and an invitation to be part of something truly transformational.
HELP SHAPE THE NEXT CENTURY OF CARE
Bryan Beyond 100 is a comprehensive campaign focused on expanding access, deepening impact and preparing for the next century of care. It allows donors to support what means the most to them personally while collectively helping to write the next chapter in Bryan Health’s legacy.
Here’s how we’ll get there:
Creating Healing Spaces
We’re building for the future — renovating and expanding facilities to meet growing needs. A major transformation of the Bryan East Campus will include:
• Emergency Services
• Women and Children’s Tower, with a dedicated focus on the NICU
• Bryan College of Health Sciences with state-of-the-art classrooms and labs
Education & Workforce Development
Our investment in people is an investment in care. We’re empowering the next generation of healthcare professionals through:
• Scholarships
• Simulation Training
• Continuing education for those already making a difference
Programs & Patient Support
Expanding programs that support people — patients, families and healthcare professionals:
• Specialized training for caregivers (e.g., sexual assault nurse examiners)
• Support groups and patient navigation services
• Resources to remove barriers so all patients have the best chance to focus on healing and wellness.
If you’re in a position to give, join us. Let’s go beyond what’s expected.
Sen. Eliot Bostar speaks at the Bryan Centennial Cup event.
C. José Friesen, MD, joined Bryan Heart in April. Dr. Friesen specializes in invasive cardiology, performing catheter-based cardiac procedures to help diagnose or treat heart-related problems and seeing patients for preventative medicine.
He grew up in Henderson, Nebraska, on a farm where his family raised cattle, corn and hay. While his dad was in El Salvador for the Peace Corps, he met Dr. Friesen’s mom. They got married and settled in Henderson, his dad’s hometown.
Dr. Friesen said farm life is what interested him in the subject of biology; he knew he didn’t want to be a farmer, so his love of science instead turned him to medicine. He attended University of NebraskaLincoln for undergraduate school, where he said he was drawn to human physiology. He taught a few labs in that subject for Professor David Woodman while in school.
“There is where I really started appreciating the intricacies behind the heart,” he said. “I still look back fondly to the cardiac labs that I learned in and helped to teach.”
He went to University of Nebraska Medical Center for his medical degree and stayed for his residency and fellowship in cardiology. He then practiced in Grand Island and Hastings as part of CHI Health for more than 15 years before joining Bryan this year. Dr. Friesen moved to Lincoln full-time in June, but he goes to Grand Island and Hastings weekly for clinics. He joins his wife, Elizabeth Friesen, MD, at Bryan, where she has worked as a hospitalist since 2020.
“I trained with a lot of people at Bryan and had strong friendships there,” he said. “Plus, obviously, with my wife working here, I was really excited about working together again for the first time since we were in residency.”
At Bryan, Dr. Friesen has been treating a wide variety of patients, ranging from straight-forward to highly complex cases.
“It’s busy, but for the most part, treating patients has remained the same,” he said. “The patients and the staff here have been very kind in welcoming me to Lincoln. When you’re coming from a smaller town, you think people might be colder here, but that hasn’t been the case at all.”
In the last 12 months, Bryan Health has served cardiac and vascular patients from every county in Nebraska except for one.
Bryan Heart Clinics
Platte Valley Medical Clinics
Both Groups’ Clinics
C. José Friesen, MD, joined his wife, Elizabeth Friesen, MD, at Bryan Health earlier this year.
He said he has also enjoyed working with his new colleagues, cardiology and non-cardiology alike, citing the “sense of collegiality” at Bryan.
“My wife has always said that to me, and I’ve found it to be true,” he said. “Everyone’s pulling in the same direction and working as a team for the patients’ best interests.
Dr. Friesen looks forward to establishing roots with his family in the Lincoln community and forming new relationships while maintaining his central Nebraska presence. He has three sons — Dominic, Jack and Max. He and his wife enjoy traveling together.
Eleven Years in, Kearney Regional Medical Center Grows with its Community
“I’ve always joked that there are two things that I really enjoyed and appreciated but would probably never do again: completing medical school and building a hospital.”
Scott Smith, MD, completed the former at University of Nebraska Medical Center. He was an integral part of the latter in his hometown of Kearney. Eleven years since the opening of Kearney Regional Medical Center, the hospital has helped to reshape health care in the region – and, for the last three years, in the Bryan Health system.
From Idea to Reality
Dr. Smith grew up around the Kearney medical community, as his father was a family practice doctor in the city for 43 years. He said he and his wife didn’t think they would end up in Kearney, with both being originally from the city. After finishing his residency at University of Kansas Medical Center, he joined Platte Valley Medical Clinic. He’s spent much of his over-30-year career involved with the administrative side of medicine, on the advice of his father.
Scott Smith, MD, was one of the original founders of Kearney Regional Medical Center.
“My dad has pearls of wisdom every now and then,” he said with a smile. “He told me I should get involved with medical leadership in some fashion during my career.”
In the early 2000s, Platte Valley Medical Group started looking for ways to deliver health care in a more efficient, higher-quality and more cost-effective way. Some of the early community needs they identified were a cardiac cath lab and endoscopy center. Kearney had strong health care, but Dr. Smith said there needed to be more accessibility for patients.
“Back then, there was an inability to react to what our patients in the community and surrounding communities needed,” he said. “We were very limited to capital to purchase and replace equipment.
“Some of us got this idea that we could build and run a hospital. We ran into a lot of roadblocks and put ourselves and our families’ futures in Kearney at risk. Needless to say, we all had a lot of sleepless nights.”
The eight founding doctors of KRMC include Drs. Smith, John Allen, David Benavides, Sean Denney, Troy Potthoff, John Schulte, Brent Steffen and Merlin Wehling. Larry Speicher was KRMC’s first CEO. KRMC recently installed a founder’s wall commemorating these individuals.
The group started meeting to figure out their approach for the new hospital. Dr. Smith said they initially went toward a boutique approach with limited bed space and specific services.
“Everything was driven by what we could afford,” he said. “The timing of our hospital was terrible; the 2009 recession stopped our ability to finance the hospital and subsequent government regulations prevented doctor ownership of hospitals. But we were committed to our vision of a physician-led hospital in Kearney with a focus on quality care and filling our communities’ needs. We wanted to build a place where we wanted to come to work again.”
When the hospital opened in May 2014, it didn’t have an emergency room. Instead, two doctors alternated overseeing a triage room, working nights and caring for walk-in, emergency patients. Dr. Smith was one of those doctors for several years until they could open an ER.
Six of the nine founders of KRMC stand in front of a mockup of the Founders Wall on April 26, 2024. From left to right: Dr. Troy Potthoff, Dr. Sean Denney, Dr. Merlin Wehling, Larry Speicher, Dr. Scott Smith and Dr. John Schulte.
KRMC Founders Wall, installed in the hospital lobby in August.
Joining Bryan Health
What came next, Dr. Smith said, had a lot to do with community needs and adding necessary elements to function as a full-service hospital, such as an emergency room and labor and delivery. Since then, the hospital has been in a consistent state of growth to attempt to accommodate the demand.
“It hasn’t changed since we opened the doors that we are over capacity, no matter what we build,” he said. “As soon as we open something new, we are talking about our next expansion.”
The leadership and staff at KRMC also overcame many challenges throughout its early years. The disastrous 2019 flooding in the region was only feet away from flooding the hospital and clinic building, which Dr. Smith said would have resulted in the center’s closure. Then, a year later, the COVID-19 pandemic caused further disruption.
“Had the government not stepped in, we wouldn’t have made it,” he said.
At this point, KRMC leadership started to look for a partner with a shared vision that could provide support and help reduce risk. Dr. Smith said they wanted this partner to be in-state, and they wanted one that supported local governance. Bryan Health was the right fit.
KRMC officially joined the Bryan Health system at the start of 2022. Some immediate changes at the hospital were integrating Bryan’s electronic health record system, Epic, and becoming a non-profit hospital. KRMC staff now have access to resources they didn’t previously; Kearney doctors and nurses can collaborate with their counterparts in other Bryan communities, and vice versa. Three years into the relationship, it is achieving what was envisioned.
Finding Solutions for a Better Future
The new two-story Inpatient Addition at Kearney Regional Medical Center expands the hospital’s capacity and services, featuring an Infusion Clinic, Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation, and shell space for future growth on the first floor. The second floor is dedicated to orthopedic care, including 25 beds for patients recovering from specialized procedures. The addition is expected to open later this year.
Dr. Smith said one of the greatest healthcare needs in Central Nebraska is more specialty care, citing difficulties in recruiting specialists to the region.
“You’re asking specialists to come to smaller communities, which requires them to be on call more frequently,” he said. “It is what it is. There are a lot of rural communities that we serve and other communities that need us to come, but we must have more providers. I think that’s going to be the continued struggle for us to deliver care to our rural communities.”
Health systems across the country feel continued pressure to focus on preventive health. Dr. Smith said that it’s now easier because there are more payment options for preventive care.
“I think about how it wasn’t 25 years ago that we were fighting to get screening mammography approved by insurance,” he said. “Preventive medicine has been dictated by payers, and they’ve started to finally realize that maybe doing some of these things up front might save money down the road.”
With artificial intelligence tools and other emerging technologies gaining traction, Dr. Smith said there’s much to be excited about for the future of medicine. However, he feels that healthcare should continue to be a people-to-people profession.
“Taking good care of patients requires a human touch,” he said. “Technology and knowledge will always improve, but the same principles remain – you treat people with respect and empathy, you listen, and you do the best you can. That’s being a doctor.”
Dr. Smith’s desire for KRMC is to continue growing as a strong tertiary care center for the entire region and emphasize recruiting. He said that has improved since becoming part of Bryan.
This fall, KRMC will open its new inpatient unit and the Kearney Cancer Center, marking further impactful additions to the community. Dr. Smith said the new cancer center is another example of identifying a community need and filling the gap between health needs and access to care. Additionally, construction of the Oak Park campus in the coming years will add more diagnostic and primary care space, extending KRMC’s physical footprint into the northern part of Kearney.
Excitement for What’s Next at KRMC
The Kearney native loves his city, and he’s excited to witness continued growth of the community. He and his wife have never regretted returning to their hometown to raise their three kids and plant deep roots in their community.
KRMC started with a simple idea and steadily grew into the medical center it is today. KRMC is well-positioned to become a western tertiary hub for Bryan Health and even exceed the vision of its original founders for years to come.
“I fully expect that 20-30 years from now, Kearney Regional will still be delivering great health care,” he said. “That’s the legacy I want, is for KRMC to grow this to the point where people can get all levels of care – primary, specialty and sub-specialty care at the highest possible quality, close to home.
That’s really what KRMC is all about.”
The
Welcome to the Kearney Cancer Center!
The new Kearney Cancer Center welcomed community members with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house on Sept. 27. The new center is a partnership between Kearney Regional Medical Center and Cancer Partners of Nebraska. Located between KRMC and Yanney Park, the 25,000 square-foot facility is designed to provide expert cancer care close to home, with a focus on comfort, innovation and personalized support. The center offers medical and radiation oncology, nurse navigation, on-site lab and diagnostic imaging, and access to national clinical trials. The infusion center features semi-private infusion bays with outdoor views. In addition, a store called Image Vitality offers certified mastectomy fittings and compression garments and is open to the general public. For more information, visit
What’s new at Merrick Medical Center
• Bryan Heart vascular surgeon Sarah Ongstad, MD, has expanded her outreach to serve patients through the Merrick Medical Center Outpatient Specialty Clinic. Since joining Bryan Heart in 2019, Dr. Ongstad has built a reputation for exceptional vascular care across Nebraska and Iowa.
• Sleep plays a vital role in overall health, and MMC is excited to relaunch and enhance its sleep medicine program to better diagnose and treat sleep disorders that impact quality of life.
• In 2023, psychiatrist Ryan Santin, MD joined the Central City Medical Clinic, making the clinic one of the very few rural health clinics in Nebraska to integrate psychiatric medication management directly into primary care. MMC has since become an approved provider of Spravato, a medication for treatment resistant depression and/or major depressive disorders.
What’s New at Grand Island Regional Medical Center
• Construction is well underway at 3553 Medical at Prairie Commons. The new three-story, 66,000 square foot medical office building will be home to Bryan Health on the first floor and Nebraska Medicine on the second and third floors. The project will expand healthcare access at GIRMC.
• Bariatric Services at GIRMC provides exciting resources for its patients. Christopher Seip, MD, has prepared an online session for patients interested in bariatric surgery, where they can learn more about the procedure and answer frequently asked questions as they navigate their weight loss journey. Additionally, gastric sleeve surgeries—in which a portion of the stomach is removed to make it smaller—are now conducted robotically using the DaVinci system. This provides improved pain control postoperatively and a smoother hospital stay. Finally, the Nourishing Greatness support group helps bariatric surgery patients post-surgery, offering a space for them to bond and hear from others with similar stories.
Reflections from Former Cardiac Providers, Present Bryan Donors and Perpetual Old Friends
Two cardiologists and a cardiovascular sonographer walk into a room.
Instead of the start of a corny joke, this is the dynamic between three old friends and colleagues who have made a big impact on Nebraska health care.
Charles Wilson and Chris Caudill, the cardiologists, and Jim Peter, the sonographer, started working together at Bryan Memorial Hospital in the mid-1970s. In different roles, they were part of a practice that helped change the landscape of cardiac care in Nebraska throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s.
The trio reunited on a summer day in 2025 to reflect on their careers and the strong bonds between them.
“It was all fun and games,” Peter joked, “and, occasionally, we did some serious work.”
The Early Days
Charles Wilson, MD, was born and raised in Nebraska. He went to college in Nebraska and then attended medical school in Chicago. He completed specialty training at the Mayo Clinic, where he met Chris Caudill, MD. Dr. Caudill grew up in Ohio, attending The Ohio State University. His time at Mayo was interrupted by joining the Air Force for two years. He ended up at University of California, Davis, to complete his cardiology training.
From left to right: Charles Wilson, MD; Chris Caudill, MD; and Jim Peter.
Dr. Wilson settled at Bryan Memorial Hospital in 1972. Remembering his Mayo Clinic pal, he eventually lured Dr. Caudill to Lincoln to join Bryan in 1974.
Jim Peter was also born and raised in Nebraska. He started working at BMH in 1965 as a dishwasher, holding that position on and off through high school and college. In 1972, he started his healthcare path as a driver for the Mobile Heart Team, a new emergency unit which was only the sixth program of its kind in the nation.
Peter shifted to the cardiopulmonary lab in 1974. He helped develop on-the-job cross-training for workers in the lab to advance their skills. He slowly added new skills to his repertoire, going from a registered cardiopulmonary tech in non-invasive cardiology to a diagnostic medical sonographer. Later in his career, Peter worked as an administrator for the Nebraska Heart Institute.
The trio enjoyed working together over the years and collaborated on multiple significant advancements for their cardiac practice and Bryan as an organization. They all played crucial parts in the effort to expand cardiac services to rural areas across the region. Peter traveled throughout Nebraska and northern Kansas to meet with hospital administrators and doctors in an effort to provide services such as Holter monitors, echocardiograms and cardiac catheterization services in these communities.
“We went from 400 heart caths a year to several thousand heart caths a year in about a 10-year period,” he said.
As they worked, staff on the unit became registered sonographers and cardiopulmonary technicians. Peter said many people he hired are still working at Bryan today.
Creating More Healthcare Opportunities
Dr. Caudill remembers sitting down with his Bryan cardiac colleagues one Sunday and discussing the possibility of doing outpatient clinics around Nebraska. That idea expanded over the next 7-10 years; Dr. Wilson said, at one point, there were 43 clinics where Bryan doctors traveled to treat patients, from Nebraska City to Valentine. The doctors split the cost of travel with the hospital.
“There was an imaginary line we drew — short of that, you drove; beyond that, you flew,” Dr. Caudill said. These clinics were an opportunity for Bryan to establish relationships within rural Nebraska communities. The doctors said it opened the door for other specialties associated with Bryan, both surgical and medical, to eventually enter these communities.
“It was a big thing for us, and a big thing for Bryan,” Dr. Caudill said.
This isn’t the only example of these men being on the leading-edge of medical care. Dr. Wilson recalled one day seeing a new procedure to unblock the coronary artery.
“Dr. Caudill called me up and said, ‘Did you see that?’” Dr. Wilson said. “Well, within a few months, Chris did one himself. It was the first one done here, and it certainly was one of the first few done in the state. After that, a huge part of the practice became doing interventional procedures.”
The men said they couldn’t have done so much of their groundbreaking work without consistent faith and financial support from administration, especially Gene Edwards, the president and CEO of BMH at the time. If the department could show that what they were asking for was well researched and had the support of the whole staff, it would usually get approved. This is one benefit of the leadership at Bryan, Dr. Wilson said; it was much easier to work with locally based leaders who valued innovative health care in the community.
“I think there were times when I was close to getting fired, because we were always asking for money,” Peter joked. “But seriously, the administration was, by and large, always on board.”
Bryan’s cardiovascular services, now known as Bryan Heart, have grown steadily over the years in its physician numbers and its reach. Peter said that culture of growth was established during the early era of the three men’s careers.
“It wasn’t just us in cardiac care,” Peter said. “The rising tide lifted all the boats of gastrointestinal, orthopedics, pathology, etc.”
Relationships for Life
In their retirement, the men have stayed around Lincoln, the place that became their professional and personal home. They said that as the city has grown, it hasn’t lost its sense of a strong, united community.
The men have also continued to give back to Bryan Health as generous donors. Each have endowed scholarships at the Bryan College of Health Sciences. Drs. Wilson and Caudill support nursing students, while Peter’s scholarships goes to the sonography program. Peter also donated a heart sculpture by Valery Wachter titled “Nebraska Wildflowers” that sits on the grounds of Bryan Medical Center.
Through the ebbs and flows of life, the trio have remained in touch. Every now and then, they’ll get together and talk about their lives and careers. Peter said he is grateful to have worked with the two doctors.
“It’s easy to be complimentary of these guys,” he said. “They’ve always had my back, and I could always go to them with questions. They were great to work with, and they are good men.”
To learn more about establishing a legacy gift with the Bryan Foundation, call 402-481-8605 or visit BryanHealth.com/Bryan-Foundation.
A Family Kept Whole Through Emergency Treatments for Mom, Baby
The Christiansens — husband and wife Adam and Katie, with son Cooper and daughter Parker — are a Nebraska family through and through. Katie is from West Point, Nebraska, a small town about 75 miles northwest of Omaha. She works at the Nebraska Children and Families Foundation. Her husband, Adam, is from Pender, Nebraska, which is a 20-minute drive north of West Point. The couple met in college at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where Adam currently works as an academic navigator.
The couple knew before they were married that they wanted kids together. From the beginning, reaching their goal was an “emotional rollercoaster,” the Christiansens said. They tried for four years, going through in vitro fertilization (IVF), intrauterine insemination (IUI) and other treatments before having their daughter Parker in 2021.
When she had Parker, Katie significantly bled and ended up in the emergency department two days after giving birth. Due to COVID-19 restrictions at the time, Adam had to wait in the hospital parking lot with his newborn daughter while Katie received care.
When they were trying to have a second child, they lost two embryos in the thawing process. Finally, Katie became pregnant again, and she experienced more bleeding while carrying Cooper. Otherwise, Cooper looked great on ultrasounds leading up to his delivery date.
Things were going about as smoothly as they could for an expecting mother, until they weren’t.
“I need your surgical consent to save your wife’s life.”
Katie’s water broke on a Saturday, and she and her husband went to Bryan Medical Center for delivery. Katie said her nurses were great at trying different positions to get baby Cooper to emerge. When it came time to push, Cooper’s blood pressure and oxygen levels were shifting, so the decision was made to vacuum him out. Once Cooper emerged, there was something wrong. He wasn’t moving.
“He was just limp at that point,” Adam said. “I was looking at the nurses, and they told me to give it time, but I had a feeling something wasn’t right.”
The Christiansens—Adam holding Parker, and Katie holding Cooper.
At that point, the delivery team was going to remove the placenta, so they told Adam to go with baby Cooper to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and come back in a bit. He was there for about five minutes when he was urgently called back to Katie’s side. He was met right out of the elevator by one of the doctors, Rachel Anderson, DO, of Women’s Health Care Center of Williamsburg.
“She handed me a form and said ‘I need your surgical consent to save your wife’s life.’”
Katie was suffering from placenta accreta, a rare condition (affecting around 0.2% of pregnancies) where the placenta grows too deeply into the wall of the uterus, causing severe bleeding. The care team performed an emergency hysterectomy, which took almost four hours. She lost seven liters of blood and underwent five transfusions.
At the same time, Adam was told that his son had not received enough oxygen during the birth, resulting in hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). To treat HIE, the doctors use a cooling blanket on babies for about 72 hours, cooling their bodies and slowing their brain activity to prevent brain damage.
At this point, Adam was torn between his wife and his newborn son. It was a terrifying period for him; he was faced with the unthinkable idea that he might lose one, or both, of his loved ones.
“I was sitting there, researching what they were telling me about Cooper, and I didn’t really have any idea what was going to happen with him or with Katie,” Adam said. “You never expect your wife or your baby to be in that situation.”
A Letter from Cooper
Eventually, Adam went home for the night to be with his daughter, who was at her grandparent’s house and had no idea anything was wrong. He returned early the next morning, where Katie was still in the ICU but had woken up from surgery. He told her about everything that happened over the last 24 hours.
“It was kind of like a movie,” Katie said. “I woke up and was like ‘Where am I? What am I doing here?’ Not having my baby with me was really hard.”
One of the NICU nurses, Rachel Kreikemeier, came down with a picture of Cooper in the cooling blanket, “wrapped up like a little mummy,” the couple said. It came attached with a note, written by Rachel, in the voice of their newborn.
Katie ultimately went for four days without seeing Cooper and was discharged from the hospital almost a week after arriving.
“It was insanely emotional,” Katie said. “I was in a wheelchair connected to different things; I look back at pictures and it doesn’t even look like me. Then, the first time I see my baby, he’s in an incubator and I can’t hold him.”
Mikayla Schultz, RN, was the primary nurse assigned to Cooper. The Christiansens remember the feeling of relief well when she came down to Katie’s hospital room to tell them Cooper’s brain MRI was clear.
The couple recently took Cooper to a neurologist for a follow-up on his brain health. The doctor told them that the cooling blanket worked wonders for Cooper; scans showed no signs of any brain damage. The blanket needs to be applied within a few hours of birth to be effective.
“We love where we come from in rural Nebraska, but if we weren’t in Lincoln, Katie and Cooper might not have made it,” Adam said. “We were in the right place.”
Cooper continues to progress well, passing hearing tests and wearing a helmet to help with his skull development. Cooper is the “happiest, chillest baby,” in the words of his parents.
“We say that he must have known how he came into the world, because he has made everything so easy on us since then,” Katie said.
“He was comfortable with her; it was like he knew who she was from her time caring for him.”
Super Cooper
Since her traumatic birth experience, Katie has struggled with balancing the urge to know everything that happened to her with the tremendous emotional and mental burden that comes with that knowledge. Reading back through her mom’s diary of that period and looking at her medical records have been difficult steps for her healing process.
“I don’t remember much, so most of what I know comes from Adam and our family,” she said. “It’s really hard, as a mom, not knowing exactly what happened to you and your child.”
Cooper, living his best life.
Perinatal depression, which can occur for parents during or after pregnancy, affects one in seven women and one in 10 men, according to the Nebraska Perinatal Quality Improvement Collaborative. At Bryan, women are screened for mental health concerns throughout their maternal journey. Adam received a screening as well from the NICU, which he said was eye-opening.
Katie has now been in postpartum therapy for a while but struggled at first to recognize that she needed it or where to turn in the first place. Even coming back to Bryan Medical Center has been hard. Sometimes, talking about their experiences has been the hardest, but most necessary, part.
The family reunited with so many members of Cooper’s care team at the NICU reunion this summer. There, Schultz and baby Cooper shared a healing experience of reconnection.
“She held him, and he just melted into her,” Katie said. “He was comfortable with her; it was like he knew who she was from her time caring for him.”
One of their doctors, Todd Martin, MD, gave their son the nickname “Super Cooper.” For his first birthday, celebrating a year since potential tragedy turned into triumph, the Christiansens threw a “Super Cooper” party.
“My God, that kid has been through so much,” his mom said. “But he’s thriving now.”
Cooper reunited with his primary NICU nurse, Mikayla Schultz, at the NICU reunion this summer.
Welcome these physicians to the Bryan medical community
Over 1600 providers across the state have privileges at a Bryan facility. Join us in celebrating new additions to the system!
Yazan Alzedaneen, MD, Complete Endocrinology, part of Bryan Physician Network
Specialty: Endocrinology
Medical Education: The Hashemite University, Jordan
Residency: University of Maryland Medical Center
Fellowship: MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, D.C.
Alyssa Averhoff, DO, Lincoln Pediatric Hospitalists
Specialty: Pediatrics
Medical Education: Des Moines University
Residency: University of Nebraska Medical Center
Derek Bates, DDS, MD, Nebraska Oral and Facial Surgery
Specialty: Oral Surgery
Medical Education: Mayo Clinic; University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry
Residency: Mayo Clinic College of Medicine & Science
Jake Bianco, MD, Central Nebraska Orthopedics
Specialty: Orthopedic Surgery
Medical Education: University of Nebraska College of Medicine
Residency: University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita
Fellowship: University of Nebraska Medical Center
Heath Diel, MD, Kearney Regional
Medical Center
Specialty: Anesthesiology
Medical Education: University of Utah
School of Medicine, Salt Lake City
Residency: University of Utah Hospital, Salt Lake City
Fellowship: University of Utah Hospital, Salt Lake City
Blake Kooima, DO, Inpatient
Physician Associates
Specialty: Internal Medicine
Medical Education: Des Moines University
Residency: University of Nebraska
Medical Center
Anna Bock, MD,
Family Practice Associates
Specialty: Family Medicine
Medical Education: University of Nebraska Medical Center
Residency: University of Nebraska
Medical Center
Jessica Farlee, MD, Women’s Health Care Center of Williamsburg
Specialty: Obstetrics and Gynecology
Medical Education: University of Nebraska Medical Center
Residency: Texas Tech University Health Science Center, Lubbock
Timothy Govaerts, MD, Prairie Center
Internal Medicine & Nephrology
Specialty: Nephrology
Medical Education: University of Nebraska College of Medicine
Residency: University of Nebraska College of Medicine
Fellowship: University of Michigan
Marcell Brikho, DPM, Platte River Foot and Ankle Surgeons
Specialty: Podiatry
Medical Education: Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, Illinois
Residency: Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital, Michigan
Fellowship: Nebraska Foot and Ankle Reconstructive Surgery
Justin Burr, MD, Cancer Partners of Nebraska
Specialty: Radiation Oncology
Medical Education: University of Nebraska Medical Center
Residency: University of Nebraska Medical Center
Drew Forro, DO, Bryan
Orthopedic Trauma, part of Bryan Physician Network
Specialty: Orthopedic Surgery
Medical Education: Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine, Lillington, North Carolina
Residency: Larkin Community
Hospital, Florida
Fellowship: University of Oklahoma
Manisha Deb Roy, MD, Inpatient Physician Associates
Specialties: Internal Medicine; Hospitalist
Medical Education: Weill Cornell Medicine–Qatar
Residency: NewYork-Presbyterian Queens
C. José Friesen, MD, Bryan Heart
Specialty: Cardiology
Medical Education: University of Nebraska Medical Center
Residency: University of Nebraska
Medical Center
Fellowship: University of Nebraska
Medical Center
Colleen Hanna-Slagle, MD, Doctors of Children
Specialty: Pediatrics
Medical Education: Harvard Medical School, Boston
Residency: Baylor College of Medicine, Houston
Lukas Émile Hashem, MD, Bryan Orthopedic Trauma, part of Bryan Physician Network
Specialty: Orthopedic Surgery
Medical Education: University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Residency: University of Western Ontario
Schulich School of Medicine, Canada
Fellowship: The CORE Institute, Phoenix; Florida Orthopaedic Institute, Temple Terrace
Carlo Gammaitoni, MD, Bryan
Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, part of Bryan Physician Network
Specialty: Trauma Surgery
Medical Education: Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania
Residency: New England Medical Center/ Tufts University, Boston
Fellowship: R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, Baltimore
Brandon Henslee, MD,
Nebraska Urology
Specialty: Urology
Medical Education: University of Nebraska Medical Center
Residency: University of Missouri, Columbia
Kathryn Kennedy, MD, Cancer Partners of Nebraska
Specialty: Gynecologic Oncology
Medical Education: UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
Residency: Tulane University, New Orleans
Fellowship: University of Rochester, New York
Eric Miller, DO, Lincoln Radiology Group
Specialty: Radiology
Medical Education: Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine, Lillington, North Carolina
Residency: University of Arizona, Tucson Fellowship: University of Texas MD
Anderson Cancer Center, Houston
Evan Lenertz, DPM, Platte River Foot and Ankle Surgeons
Specialty: Podiatry
Medical Education: Des Moines University
Residency: St. Mary Mercy Hospital, Livonia, Michigan
Fellowship: Nebraska Foot and Ankle, Hastings
Melanie McCormick, MD, Bryan
Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, part of Bryan Physician Network
Specialty: Trauma Surgery
Medical Education: University of Nebraska Medical Center
Residency: University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
Fellowship: Regions Hospital, St. Paul, MN; University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
Ryan Mikus, MD, Nebraska Emergency Medicine
Specialty: Emergency Medicine
Medical Education: University of Nebraska College of Medicine
Residency: University of Nebraska Medical Center
Marco Pares, MD, Bryan Neurology, part of Bryan Physician Network
Specialty: Neurology
Medical Education: Baylor College of Medicine, Houston
Residency: Houston Methodist Hospital
Lorelii Lewis, MD, NorthPointe
Family Medicine, part of Bryan Physician Network
Specialty: Family Medicine
Medical Education: Loma Linda University School of Medicine, California
Residency: University of Minnesota – St. John’s Hospital, St. Paul
Elvin Mirzazada, MD, Bryan Neurology, part of Bryan Physician Network
Specialty: Neurology
Medical Education: Ege University, Bornova, Turkey
Residency: St. Louis University School of Medicine
Shravan Mallapu, MBBS, Madonna
Rehabilitation Physicians
Specialty: Internal Medicine
Medical Education: Kurnool Medical College, Andhra Pradesh, India
Residency: Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center, New York
Brent Moravec, MD, Advanced
Radiology of Grand Island
Specialty: Radiology
Medical Education: University of Nebraska Medical Center
Residency: Baptist Memorial Hospital
Fellowship: University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City
Vinayak Nagaraja, MD, Platte Valley
Medical Clinic
Specialty: Interventional Cardiology
Medical Education: Mysore Medical
College and Research Institute, India
Residency: Royal Australasian College of Physicians, Sydney, Australia
Fellowships: University Hospital of North Midlands, England; Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Bryce Noll, MD, Pathology Medical Services
Specialty: Pathology
Medical Education: University of Nebraska Medical Center
Residency: University of Colorado
Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora
Fellowship: University of Texas MD
Anderson Cancer Center, Houston
Caden Nowak, MD, Consultants in Infectious Disease
Specialty: Infectious Disease
Medical Education: Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit
Residency: HCA HealthOne Sky Ridge
Medical Center, Lone Tree, Colorado
Fellowship: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Kaleb Thomas, MD, Lincoln Nephrology and Hypertension
Specialty: Nephrology
Medical Education: University of Nebraska College of Medicine
Residency: University of Nebraska Medical Center
Fellowship: Stanford University, Palo Alto, California
Ryan Pavelka, DO, Kearney Regional Medical Center
Specialty: Emergency Medicine
Medical Education: A.T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine, Mesa, Arizona
Residency: University of Nebraska Medical Center
Tiana Peterson, DO, Crete Medical Clinic
Specialty: Family Practice and Obstetrics
Medical Education: Kansas City University
Residency: Lincoln Family Medicine
Alexander Praus, MD, Gastroenterology Specialties
Specialty: Gastroenterology
Medical Education: American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine
Residency: University of Nebraska
Medical Center
Fellowship: University of Nebraska Medical Center
Nathan Richling, MD, Holmes Lake Family Medicine & Internal Medicine, part of Bryan Physician Network
Specialties: Family Medicine; Addiction Medicine
Medical Education: University of Nebraska Medical Center
Residency: University of Nebraska Medical Center
Barbara Roth, MD, Bryan Psychiatry, part of Bryan Physician Network
Specialty: Psychiatry
Medical Education: St. George’s University, Grenada, West Indies Residency: University of Colorado, Aurora; Creighton University School of Medicine
Drew Thompson, MD, Inpatient Physician Associates
Specialties: Internal Medicine; Hospitalist Medical Education: University of Nebraska College of Medicine
Residency: Grand Strand Medical Center, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Seth Wardyn, MD, Central Nebraska Orthopedics
Specialty: Orthopedic Surgery
Medical Education: University of Nebraska Medical Center
Residency: University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health
Sciences, Fargo
Fellowship: University of Kentucky
Carley Warner, DO, Bryan Women’s Care Physicians, part of Bryan Physician Network
Specialties: Obstetrics; Gynecology
Medical Education: Kansas City University
Residency: Good Samaritan Hospital, Cincinnati
David Waters, DPM, Platte River Foot and Ankle Surgeons
Specialty: Podiatry
Medical Education: Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine at Kent
State University
Residency: St. John Hospital & Medical Center, Detroit
Brady Webb, DPM, Platte River Foot and Ankle Surgeons
Specialty: Podiatry
Medical Education: Barry University
School of Podiatric Medicine
Residency: Rochester General Hospital, New York
Fellowship: Nebraska Foot and Ankle Reconstructive Surgery
Swetha Yadav, MD, MPH, Cancer
Partners of Nebraska
Specialty: Hematology; Medical Oncology
Medical Education: Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, India
Fellowship: University of Alabama at Birmingham
In Loving Memory
We remember long-time Bryan physicians
Welcome these Advanced Practice Providers
These advanced practice providers are now working within the Bryan Health system:
Ashley Anderson, PA-C, Platte River Foot and Ankle Surgeons
Raeann Anderson, APRN-NP, Bryan Heart
Claire Baweja, APRN-NP, Bryan Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, part of Bryan Physician Network
Jessica Blake, APRN-NP, BraveBe Child Advocacy Center
Jasmine Braman, APRN-NP, Bryan Women’s Care Physicians, part of Bryan Physician Network
Tyler Brandt, CRNA, Associated Anesthesiologists
N. Joanna Bui, PA-C, ENT Specialties
Erin Burr, PA-C, Nebraska Orthopaedic Center
Alicia Clough, PA-C, Platte River Foot and Ankle Surgeons
William Devine, APRN-NP, Bryan Heart
Guila Dunning, APRN-NP, Bryan Psychiatry, part of Bryan Physician Network
McKenna Flint, PA-C, Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center of Kearney
Allissa Flynn, PA-C, ENT Specialties
Jordan Grooms, PA-C, New West Sports Medicine & Orthopedic Surgery
Benjamin Grossnicklaus, CRNA, Kearney Regional Medical Center
Jonathan Guenther, CRNA, Associated Anesthesiologists
Ashley Harris, APRN-NP, BraveBe Child Advocacy Center
Brenden Heckenlively, APRN-NP, Bryan Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, part of Bryan Physician Network
Brian Hoesing, PA-C, Nebraska Orthopaedic Center
Drake Kee, PA-C, Kearney Regional Medical Center
Lacey Jensen, CRNA, Associated Anesthesiologists
Christopher Linke, PA-C, Grand Island Regional Medical Center
Ashley Long, CRNA, Associated Anesthesiologists
M. Katie McLaughlin, PA-C, Cancer Partners of Nebraska
Sophie Mellema, PA-C, Central Nebraska Orthopedics
Natalie Milhouse, PA-C, Lincoln OB GYN
Shelby Miller, APRN-NP, Cancer Partners of Nebraska
Alexa Neill-Scheer, APRN-NP, Gastroenterology Specialties
Madeline Noecker, APRN-NP, Nebraska Orthopaedic Center
Cami Oswald, CRNA, Grand Island Regional Medical Center
Amanda Raber, CRNA, Kearney Regional Medical Center
Emily Reinhard, PA-C, Platte Valley Medical Clinic
Olivia Roers, PA-C, Bryan Heart Vascular Surgery
Jessica Siepelmeier, APRN-NP, Nebraska Hematology Oncology
Baker Steinkuhler, CRNA, Associated Anesthesiologists
Faith Turner, PA-C, Platte Valley Medical Clinic
Abbey Vales, PA-C, Nebraska Emergency Medicine
Deana Vandivier, CRNA, Associated Anesthesiologists
Kali Welling, PA-C, Doctors of Children
Camrie Werning, CRNA, Associated Anesthesiologists
Joshua Wild, CRNA, Associated Anesthesiologists
Richard C. Sposato
Richard C. Sposato, MD, died March 27 at the age of 83. The eldest of 12 siblings, he and his wife of 60 years, Elizabeth, had 12 children of their own.
Dr. Sposato attended medical school at St. Louis University, where he met his wife. He began his career as a neurologist in the U.S. Navy, rising to the ranking of Lieutenant Commander. Upon his return to civilian life, he and his family moved to Lincoln, where he practiced neurology for several decades.
Dr. Sposato is survived by his children, 13 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Frederick A. “Fred” Mausolf
Frederick A. “Fred” Mausolf, MD, died April 25 at the age of 83. He practiced ophthalmology in Lincoln for nearly 40 years.
Before moving to Lincoln, he served in the Army from 1974-1976 and was a professor at the University of Chicago from 1976-1979. He was a lover of art, music and food, and had a passion for life that he passed along to his only son, Eric.
Timothy Gardner
Timothy Gardner, MD, died April 10 at the age of 64. He attended Oregon State University and Baylor College of Medicine, graduating with honors.
Dr. Gardner and his family relocated his family to Lincoln in 2008, where he practiced at Bryan Heart and, later, CHI Health Heart Hospital until retiring from full-time practice in 2021.
Dr. Gardner was a devoted Chiefs fan, multiple times featured on the news in connection to his fandom. He loved fishing, traveling and learning about history. He is survived by this three sons, three siblings and countless other loving family members.
Dina Howell-Burke
Dina Howell-Burke, MD, died May 15 at the age of 78. A minister, radiation oncologist and singer, she practiced on the Bryan medical staff for almost 30 years.
In her 60s, she traveled to Chile to study the CyberKnife treatment for cancer. She brought the non-invasive treatment to Nebraska.
Dr. Howell-Burke is survived by her husband, Jim, and their nine children and 16 grandchildren.
Dina Howell-Burke
Timothy Gardner
Frederick A. “Fred” Mausolf
Richard C. Sposato
Trustees & Leaders
Bryan College of Health Sciences
Kelsi Anderson, PhD
Melissa Bartels, MSN, RN, CCRN
Laurie Bellows, PhD
Jason Cottam
Pete Ferguson
David Griffiths
Amy Knobbe, PhD
Beth Lau, MD
Aubree McKee
Melissa Newton
Juan Paulo (JP) Ramirez, PhD
Bob Ravenscroft
Ashley Schroeder
Jeff Schwehm, PhD
Alethea Stovall, PhD
Carrie Webber
Joel Weyand
Karen White, CRNA
John Woodrich
Bryan Health
Bob Caldwell
John L. Decker, Jr.
Stephanie Dinger
Kathy Farrell
Tony Goins
Russ Gronewold
Ken Gross, MD
Tom Heacock
Jasmine I. Kingsley
Reg Kuhn
Gail S. Perry
Beau Reid
Chris C. Roth
H. Russell Semm, MD
Aina Silenieks, MD
Clay Smith
John Woodrich
Bryan Foundation
Kayla Abel
Loel Brooks
Jill Davis
Mike Dewerff
Greg Dynek - Past Chair
Dan Grasso
Russ Gronewold
Jennifer Hilkemann
Chris Hove
Ben Kiser
Reginald Kuhn - Chair
John Laflin
Quinn Lawton - Secretary/Treasurer
Judy Lichti
Crystal Livingston
Scott McHam, DO
Jake Muhleisen
John Olsson - Vice Chair
Bob Ravenscroft
Deb Schorr
Layne Sup
Eric Sutton
Stacia Thiesen
Nelle Woods-Jamison
Mike Works
Bryan Medical Center
Lorenzo Ball
Melissa Bartels, MSN, RN, CCRN
Pablo Cervantes
Janet C. Chung
Alissa Clough, MD
Connie Edmond
Russ Gronewold
Ken Gross, MD
Jack J. Huck
William M. Johnson, MD
Michaella Kumke
Melissa Newton
Robert A. Oakes, MD
Gayle Page
Erin C. Pemberton, MSN
Max L. Rodenburg
Krystal Siebrandt
Aina Silenieks, MD
Lisa Smith
John Woodrich
Bryan Physician Network
Stephanie Boldt
John Dittman
Pat Ganyo
Jessica Heckman
Rubab Husain, MBBS
Torri Janecek, DO
Ben Pankonin
Matt Wittry, DO
Bryan Heart Board of Managers
Mathue Baker, MD
Mike Dewerff
Stephanie Eells
Jack Huck
Matthew Johnson, MD
Matthew Kapalis, DO
Aina Silenieks
John Steuter, MD
John Woodrich
Welcome Bryan Health’s New Executive Vice President and COO, Elizabeth Wise
Crete Area Medical Center
Lupe Avelar - Secretary
Russ Ebke, MD
Pat Ganyo
Maria Isquierdo
Justin Kozisek - Vice Chair
Julie Lacy - Ex-Officio Member
Dave Newmyer - Treasurer
Eric Post, DVM - Chair
Grand Island Regional Medical Center
Eric Barber
Rev. Dr. Luke Biggs
Ryan Crouch, DO
Teresa Grabowski
Russ Gronewold
Cindy Johnson
Molly Johnson, MD
Greg Sextro, MD
Krista Stoecker, MD
Drew Waterman
Tom Werner, MD
John Woodrich
Kearney Regional Medical Center
David Benavides, MD
Brenda Benjamin
Joey Cochran
Sean Denney, MD
Russ Gronewold
Jeff Hinrichs
Douglas Koch
Mike Morgan
Kari Nickman
Scott Smith, MD
Merlin Wehling, MD
John Woodrich
Merrick Medical Center
Blake Cover, MD
Shannon Hannappel
Patrick Ganyo
Rich Lloyd, PhD
Jodi Mohr
Nathan Perry
Elizabeth Wise is Bryan Health’s next executive vice president and chief operating officer, beginning her service Oct. 6. Wise succeeds John Woodrich, who recently announced his intentions to retire in January 2026. Woodrich has served Bryan in executive roles since 2009. He will continue to serve as the interim chief executive officer of Bryan Medical Center for the remainder of the year.
“The Board of Trustees, and our entire Bryan team, are extremely appreciative of John’s record of accomplishments,” said Russ Gronewold, Bryan Health’s chief executive officer.
“Through his leadership, Bryan Health’s statewide reach has grown significantly, and we’ve earned the trust of patients across Nebraska. While he has championed many projects — April Sampson Cancer Center and the 5055 Building on the Bryan East Campus are just two — John’s most important legacy will be the leaders he has coached and mentored the past 16 years.”
Wise, a native of New Jersey, most recently served as president/CEO at the University of Maryland Medical System Upper Chesapeake Health (UMMS UCH). Her tenure there was marked by significant milestones, including the successful opening of the new University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Medical Campus. Wise was a driving force in transformational growth, with expanded access to care and a clear commitment to improving the health of the community.
“We are pleased to welcome Elizabeth to lead our CEOs and entity senior leadership teams,” Gronewold said. “Elizabeth has held executive roles as a chief nursing officer, chief operating officer and chief executive officer. Having nursing, clinical, operational and strategic perspectives is unique and will be invaluable for our team, medical staffs and our patients.”
Prior to her most recent role, Wise worked at other health systems in New Jersey, Delaware, Washington, D.C and Pennsylvania. A fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives, she earned her bachelor's degree in nursing from Seton Hall University and an MSN and MBA from Rutgers University.
“I am very excited to join Bryan Health,” Wise said. “The spirit of innovation, incredible medical staffs and the daily impact the team has on those who trust Bryan for their care is evident. It has been enjoyable to learn all that is being celebrated during Bryan’s 100th anniversary, and I am looking forward to being a part of the team that continues to provide access to superb health care and meet both industry challenges and patient needs as Bryan enters its next 100 years.”
Wise and her husband Calvin look forward to immersing themselves in all that Lincoln and Nebraska have to offer.
Entity board officers gather at their June retreat.
Our 100th Anniversary Celebration:
What We’ve Done and What’s Next
We’re halfway through Bryan Health’s celebration of 100 years of health care that began at Bryan Memorial and Lincoln General hospitals. Let’s check in on some fun highlights and upcoming events for the celebration.
Cake Day
In March, on Lincoln General Hospital’s official 100th birthday, our Nutrition and Dining Services team served thousands of cake slices to visitors and staff. It was a sweet reminder to celebrate the little joys in life, such as enjoying a treat with your friends and colleagues.
Reunion
We celebrated our smallest patients and the wonderful team who cares for them at this summer’s NICU reunion. Families and providers got the chance to catch up and exchange hugs over ballpark food at Haymarket Park.
100 Acts of Kindness
Bryan Health committed to 100 Acts of Kindness in our communities during the celebration. So far, our generous employees have completed over 80 acts. Due to the success of the program, we are relaunching it as “Kindness Beyond 100,” with a new goal to reach by the end of our anniversary celebration.
Time Capsule
In September, we removed a time capsule from 1986 from the walls of Bryan East Campus in Lincoln. It was brought to Fairview and opened in front of Bryan trustees, leaders and staff, both past and present. Some of the items discovered inside included medical equipment and Bryan publications from the time that capsule was placed.
What’s Next?
There’s still so much to celebrate at Bryan Health! As we near the holiday season, we’re excited for the festive, cold air to descend over Nebraska. We have a year-end blood donation goal of 400 units. By the time the 100th celebration ends in May, two more classes from Bryan College of Health Sciences will have graduated. We will continue to celebrate Kindness Beyond 100 as we perform more Acts of Kindness. Next year, the Bryan Young Professionals group will place a new time capsule to be opened at the organization’s 150th anniversary.
And Much More!!!
Be part of Bryan’s next 100 years. To find out about volunteer opportunities in your community, call:
Volunteers and Customer Care at 402-481-3032 (Lincoln)
Crete Area Medical Center at 402-826-6581
Grand Island Regional Medical Center at 308-675-4424
Kearney Regional Medical Center at 308-455-3738
NICU
