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Valley Children's First Patient
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Sixty-four years ago, 9-year-old Myrna Uridge was rushed to Valley Children's Hospital after visiting her doctor and learning that her appendix was nearly ruptured. Valley Children's Hospital was not quite ready to open its doors. But every operating room in town was booked, so Myrna's doctor called a friend associated with the soon-to-open Valley Children's Hospital. To accommodate Myrna's urgent situation, Valley Children's Hospital made the decision to open early for Myrna. Myrna's appendix was removed in a 45-minute surgery, and she was wheeled to her room exactly one hour after. Myrna remembers falling asleep with her parents and brother at home and feeling completely safe at the Hospital.
In a letter to The Fresno Republican (now The Fresno Bee) after her recovery, 9-year-old Myrna says, "Well, there was lots of good food and the nurses and doctors were wonderful, very wonderful. The day that mom and dad came to get me, I was so happy I didn't want to go home." She returned to fifth grade at American Union Grammar School two weeks later.
Myrna's mother made sure she understood how lucky she was to be treated by surgeons who specialized in working with children. That reminder, coupled with her experience at Valley Children's, were the reasons that this very special 9-year-old girl decided she would one day work for Valley Children's Hospital.
After she graduated from high school, Myrna made her first attempt at getting a job with Valley Children's. She said it took all she had to walk to the front desk and ask for an application, but she realized after reading the information that she had no applicable experience. Instead, Myrna went to work for her family's insurance business and raised a family.
It would be almost 33 years later when she made her third attempt to join the team at Valley Children's. After a year as a Valley Children's volunteer and having completed community college courses in medical terminology and computer science, Myrna finally achieved her dream. She won't ever forget the look of pride her mother wore when Myrna told her she got a job at Valley Children's Hospital, the same hospital that had saved her life so many years before.
Over the course of Myrna's 15 years with the organization, she worked in the NICU, cardiology, and even the gift shop. "I always knew I'd get to pay Valley Children's back, and I'm so grateful I could do that for many years.
Valley Children's essentially saved my life in 1952!
Later, they fulfilled my childhood dream of "working there someday" by accepting my employment application in 1995.
During my employment, I gained a more positive self-worth and the opportunity to meet many new and life-long friends!"
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