Mark Judy's Legacy continues
A new effort by Cascade Medical Foundation to honor former administrator Mark Judy and help grow the skills of highly coveted health care professionals is already paying dividends.
Three Cascade Medical employees have received a total of $2,500 in scholarships to help them grow their careers.
• Taylar Hendrickson, a full-time certified medical assistant who began her career at Cascade Medical, received $750 to help with prerequisite courses needed for the registered nursing (RN) program at Wenatchee Valley College.
• Brandi Weems, an X-ray and CT tech, received $750 for education and registry exam fees for CT (computed tomography), which includes X-rays, ultrasound and CAT scans. Skilled imaging techs are in short supply locally and nationally. The coursework will enhance her skills and help maintain services for local residents.
• Janeth Baltazar Lopez, a financial counselor at Cascade Medical, received $1,000 to complete a national billing certification to better help patients and Cascade Medical.
The scholarships, announced in late March, are the first to be awarded from the Mark Judy Memorial Caregiver Education Fund, created last year by Cascade Medical Foundation in honor of the former Cascade Medical CEO and Foundation board member who died in March 2023.
The education fund serves as a reminder of how Mark led and inspired others to learn and grow.
“In his 45 years as a hospital administrator, including several years at Cascade Medical, the most important thing to him was his staff,” said Terri Judy, who continues to serve on the Foundation board and is co-chair of CMF’s education fund committee. “He wanted everyone to rise up to their potential. He would be thrilled at this opportunity to help you, as the first recipients, and to the others that will follow.”
The new scholarship program also benefits Cascade Medical.
“The nature of the healthcare industry, with its scarce workforce and rapidly evolving demands, means continuing education is a critical focus for healthcare organizations,” Cascade CEO Diane Blake said. “This effort, by the Foundation, generous donors and Mark’s family, not only helps us invest in highly skilled and difficult-to-recruit employees, but it also sends a message to our staff of the value our community places on them and their professional growth.”
The three scholarship winners were selected from a pool of exceptional applicants by a committee of four Foundation members and two Cascade Medical staff members. The committee considered criteria including education and career plans, financial need and whether the training fills a strategic or personnel need for Cascade Medical.
The Foundation is continuing to grow the education fund, currently sitting at about $40,000, to provide annual scholarships in perpetuity. This past winter, contributions to the core fund included a $6,000 Regional Improvement Grant from the Community Foundation of NCW and a host of community donations, including a $10,000 grant from the family of Cascade Medical Commissioner Bruce Williams.
As the invested core fund expands, the hope is the total amount of annual scholarship awards will continue to grow as well. The next scholarship application period will open in January 2025.
Go here to make a donation or learn more about Mark Judy and the education fund.