Helen Dawley: Full of Fun, Energy and Gratitude

Having moved to this area with her late husband Garwin and their brand new baby boy in 1959, Helen has seen NCH grow from a small community hospital into an outstanding resource that meets all of her and her friends’ healthcare needs. The stories she shares (peppered with names like Drs. Zwilling and Zydlo and volunteer friends like Betty Snodgrass and Juanita Reinhard) are sure to prompt memories from long-time residents and supporters.

From her younger days volunteering in the NCH Snack Shop, working the front desk, serving on the Auxiliary Board and supporting the Annual Fashion Show, Helen’s life parallels the history and development of the hospital itself. A passionate defender of NCH, her favorite story is about a trip to the emergency room for a badly cut finger. While there she observed everything going on and responded to a questionnaire with improvements she thought could be made. Then President, Malcolm MacCoun wrote a letter back, thanking her for her input. Those personal touches and relationships with volunteers, staff and doctors are part of what, according to Helen, makes NCH “a real pearl in our society.” Thank you Helen, for more than 60 years of support and for your inspiration as one of our newest Living Legacy members!