Generations of Caring
Three Generations of Women Provide Care at Liberty Hospital
Sally Schmitt, Karla Bolles and Sydney Bolles: grandmother, mother and daughter. Three remarkable women, spanning three generations, have shared experiences with Liberty Hospital - not only as a family, but also as dedicated healthcare professionals.
With a bachelor's degree in occupational therapy from the University of Kansas, Sally Schmitt was the first to join Liberty Hospital's staff in 1985.
“I worked in a wide variety of patient care areas, including home health, inpatients and outpatients and acute rehab. I was also able to expand my skills to include splinting and hand therapy, and I became lymphedema certified.”
Daughter Follows In Mom's Footsteps
Sally retired in 2008 after 23 years at Liberty Hospital, but not before she got to experience her daughter, Karla Bolles, become her coworker.
"I didn't influence my daughter in her decision to work at Liberty Hospital; however, it was so fun to spend time with her and such a privilege to be with her in that environment,” Sally said. “It reinforced the positives for me about being in healthcare.”
For Karla Bolles, the decision to go into healthcare was an easy one.
“My family has a long line of healthcare providers," Karla said. “My father was a dentist, my mother was an occupational therapist, and my sister is a dietitian.”
Deciding what area of healthcare she would work in was challenging, but her mom played a vital role in her decision.
“I entered school with the idea I would like to go to medical school, but after being in college for a bit and evaluating some pros and cons, I changed my major to physical therapy,” Karla said. “Having my mom be an OT (occupational therapist) had a huge impact on me. I was at her work often, watching her work with patients; she seemed truly happy to be doing it, and they always had such great things to say about her. That seemed like a positive environment to be a part of."
Working at Liberty Hospital was the right decision for Karla, giving her the opportunities and experiences that she was searching for in a career.
“My favorite thing about being at Liberty Hospital are my coworkers, some of whom worked alongside my own mother,” Karla said. “They are so much fun and so supportive that many of them have become like family.”
The Next Generation Joins the Team
Karla's daughter and Sally's granddaughter, Sydney Bolles, is the newest family member to join the Liberty Hospital team in March 2023. She is an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) nurse.
"I grew up knowing I wanted to go into healthcare,” Sydney said. “I had originally thought about becoming a doctor but soon realized I liked the patient and family interactions nurses get to have.”
Through acts of service and volunteering as a child and watching her mom in healthcare, Sydney knew that healthcare was the right decision for her.
“I grew up serving in our local church and volunteering in multiple food pantries, so I always enjoyed serving others, and I felt called to continue to serve,” she said. “Nursing felt like the next step to continue to best serve and care for people in need. My mom created an impact being in healthcare; she has helped many over the years, and she always shared with me how much she enjoys helping as many people as possible.”
While working in the ICU brings its challenges, Sydney finds joy in watching her patients reach big milestones in their health journeys.
“Seeing some of these critically ill patients progress in their care and being able to see the work you are putting into them get revealed in their outcomes is amazing,” she said. “It's always a blessing when we are able to get patients out of the ICU and to a regular unit.”
When Sally Schmitt first stepped inside Liberty Hospital in 1985, she could not have imagined the impact her family would still be having on patients here 38 years later.
“I am absolutely proud of my daughter and granddaughter being in the healthcare field,” Sally said. “The patients they see are going to be well cared for.”
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