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Local Daycares Show Appreciation for MercyOne Nurses This Nurses Week

May 7, 2020

Des Moines, Iowa, May 7, 2020 –Nurses Week, a week celebrating the nursing profession nationally and annually during the second week of May, is looking different this year due to the effects of COVID-19. This didn’t stop more than a dozen local daycares from Ankeny, Des Moines, Johnston, Urbandale and West Des Moines from sending hundreds of appreciation cards, coloring pages and posters to celebrate MercyOne Des Moines nurses.

“It is really special to know that daycare providers and the children they are caring for took the time to write these beautiful messages of thanks,” said MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center Chief Nursing Officer Cindy Penney. “Thank you for making Nurses Week even more special!” Daycares who sent appreciation messages include:

  • 2 For U Childcare and Preschool, Ankeny
  • A Child’s World at Jordan Creek, West Des Moines
  • Alphabet Academy, West Des Moines
  • Ankeny Christian Childcare
  • Creative Kids Learning Center, Ankeny
  • DMACC Child Development Center, Ankeny
  • Generation Next, Johnston
  • Koalaty Time, Urbandale
  • La Petite Academy of Ankeny
  • Lil Scholars, West Des Moines
  • Lil Tots Ankeny
  • Little Endeavors, Ankeny
  • MercyOne Des Moines Child Development Center
  • My Learning Safari, LLC, Ankeny
  • Tender Years Daycare and Learning Center, Ankeny
  • The Tree House Growing and Learning Center, Ankeny
  • Vine Street Child Care, West Des Moines

“Caring for people in times of sickness and health is what we do on a daily basis and we feel so honored to be recognized by the community in this way,” said MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center Manager of Nursing Education, Mackenzie Rittler-Cheney. “We would also like to give our thanks to our daycare workers who have found ways to care for children while health care workers do their work. We would not be able to do it without you!” We are grateful for all the community support we have received during the COVID-19 pandemic and are happy to be able to celebrate our nurses in this way during Nurses Week. For those interested in supporting our nurses, physicians and staff during this time can visit MercyOne.org/desmoinesfoundation/give/covid for more information.

Three Nurses and Cards
  Cards for Nurses Week  Group of Nurses

About MercyOne Central Iowa

MercyOne Central Iowa operates four not-for-profit, Catholic hospital campuses, with a total of 875 beds, along with more than 20 additional facilities that house more than 50 primary care, pediatric, internal medicine and specialty clinics. Founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1893, MercyOne Central Iowa has the longest continually operating hospital in Des Moines and is also one of the largest employers in the state — with more than 7,000 employees and a medical staff of more than 1,000 physicians and allied health associates. MercyOne Central Iowa is a member of MercyOne, which was founded in 1998 through a collaboration between CommonSpirit Health and Trinity Health — two of the country’s foremost, not-for-profit Catholic health organizations. MercyOne has more than 20,000 colleagues in Iowa and surrounding states.

About MercyOne Des Moines Foundation

MercyOne Des Moines Foundation secures vital funding that ensures equal access, clinical excellence and high-quality care for all in Greater Des Moines. Learn more at MercyOne.org/desmoinesfoundation.