Thankful for physicians, nurses and other caregivers
Often patients and families ask us if there is a way to honor a caregiver or say thank you for exceptional care they received at Kootenai Health. In many cases, a life has been saved or improved significantly. We refer to these wonderful people as grateful patients.
At Kootenai Health, we are blessed by a number of grateful patients. Their passion continually helps us grow and enhance the services Kootenai provides to our community. Here are just a few of their stories:
A legacy of giving
Knudtsen is a family name synonymous with community leadership and giving. This family’s legacy started with Wayne Knudtsen, who worked years ago to generate support and awareness. Continuing with family tradition, Eve Knudtsen now serves on the Foundation board, and has seen first-hand how her family has benefitted from care at Kootenai Health.
“When my dad had a heart attack in the late ‘90s, he had to go over to Spokane to have two stents implanted because that service wasn’t available here yet,” Eve said. “It was hard on the family having him so far away. Giving to the foundation is a reinvestment to ensure we have the highest level of health care close to home. I have always been grateful for the level of excellent care my friends and family have received over the years. That is why I have made a commitment of time and resources to support the Kootenai Health Foundation.”
A series of fortunate experiences
In 2001 Terry Groswith fulfilled a childhood dream of moving to northern Idaho to be closer to his favorite family vacation spot, Priest Lake. Since then, Terry has used our doctors and hospital on multiple occasions to address chronic back issues and prostate cancer. He credits his good health to two community physicians, Dr. William Ganz with Neurosurgery and Spine Northwest, and Dr. Randil Clark with North Idaho Urology. Mr. Groswith recently stated, “I wanted to do something to recognize these doctors who I think the world of and decided to donate to the Kootenai Health Foundation in their honor.”
Feeling like family
Many times, the family may be impacted just as much as the patient. Melinda Kaiser experienced this firsthand when her brother (aged 58), who had autism, was admitted to Kootenai Health.
“My brother didn’t understand that he had a fractured knee and that he couldn’t get up out of bed during his stay at Kootenai. Thankfully all of the staff was caring, welcoming, and had a wonderful sense of humor,” she said. “I was particularly touched by the compassion and role of the patient safety attendants whose job it is to be with patients and keep them safe. They stayed up all night to be by my brother so I could go home and rest. I couldn’t have done it without them.”
When her brother passed away, three of her brother’s former care team came to be with her and say goodbye to him.
“I am deeply grateful for my experience at Kootenai, and I want to give back to recognize those that cared for me and my brother,” she said.
Melinda recently made a gift in honor of the patient safety attendants. The gift will help them obtain further training.
We welcome the opportunity to help these patients and families express gratitude in a meaningful way and we always notify caregivers when honored. If you would like to make a donation to the Kootenai Health Foundation to thank a caregiver, please call us at (208) 625-4438 or visit: kh.org/foundation