Turning Gratitude into Impact: New Scholarship Established at MercyOne Continues a Nurse's Dedication and Legacy

When James Glessner worked his shift on the evening of November 23, 2021, he became aware of a subtle tightness and pain in his chest and arms. As a member of his company’s safety team, he had been trained to recognize the signs and symptoms of a heart attack but wasn’t convinced that he was experiencing one. When his shift ended and the discomfort did not subside, he knew he shouldn’t take any chances and called 9-1-1. Jim was transported to MercyOne Clinton Medical Center by ambulance, a 45-minute drive from his home in Savanna, Illinois.

In the early morning hours, it was discovered that he had a complete blockage in his right coronary artery. Under skillful care, the MercyOne Clinton Medical Center cardiac team opened the blockage and placed two life-saving stents.

For two and a half days, Jim was a patient at the medical center and spent the Thanksgiving holiday recovering. Once discharged, he attended eight weeks of cardiac rehab through Christmas and New Year to exercise and build strength while his heart performance was carefully monitored.

Grateful for his care at MercyOne, Jim contacted the MercyOne Clinton Foundation to discuss helping the medical center in a manner that also remembered a very special nurse in his life, his late sister Jane Glessner - Hunt.

Jane received her degree from Allen Memorial Hospital School of Nursing in Waterloo in 1980 and went on to earn her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the State University of New York. Dedicated to furthering her education, Jane pursued and earned her Masters of Science in Clinical Informatics and Patient Centered Technologies at the University of Washington - Seattle. Jane worked in hospitals in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois and New York before passing away after a courageous battle against cancer on May 15, 2016 at the age of 57 years old.

Through this generous gift to MercyOne Clinton Medical Center, Jim continues her legacy and dedication to patient care through establishing a fund in her memory. The Jane Glessner - Hunt Memorial Fund will help to attract, aid, and motivate individuals in the pursuit of education and training in the nursing and medical care profession. Today, more than ever, the need for trained nursing and health care staff is critical. Shortages in professional staff have not only been felt at MercyOne Clinton, but around the country after the two-year pandemic.

“By giving the contribution through a Donor Advised Fund, Jim is making an incredible difference to so many nursing and health care students while receiving a tax benefit on appreciated securities,” said Julie Dunn, Executive Director of the MercyOne Clinton Foundation. “Our gratitude for his generosity is beyond measure as it helps to educate and train the next generation of health care colleagues and continues the important work his sister was dedicated to in her lifetime.”

For more information about the Jane Glessner – Hunt Memorial Scholarship and Education Fund, contact the MercyOne Clinton Foundation at 563-244-3535. Please consider a generous, tax-deductible contribution to help ensure the future of the vital health care industry and contact MercyOne Clinton Foundation for more details.