This story is shared in loving memory of Mrs. Kathy L. Jones, who passed away before it could be published. A longtime friend of Sun Health Foundation and past president of the Sun Health Auxiliary, Kathy was known for her big hugs, warmth, and compassion. May her story inspire others to carry forward her spirit of kindness, gratitude, and generous service.
Kathy Jones didn’t expect to spend spring 2026 going in and out of the hospital. But when congestive heart failure led to a severe case of pneumonia — landing her at Banner Del E. Webb three times between April and May — she found herself frightened and depleted. What renewed her hope and resolve was, in large part, the people around her.
Registered nurses Sadie Bonner, Edgar Garcia, and Jennifer (Jen) Scruggs kept her spirits up with good humor and genuine competence. When she felt overwhelmed — by both a seemingly unstoppable infection and the constant interruptions that make hospital stays anything but restful — they kept her laughing.
When painful antibiotics began destroying Kathy’s veins, Edgar listened to Kathy’s request to switch to an oral alternative and successfully advocated with the physician to make the change. When it was time for Kathy to be discharged, nurse Jen came in on her day off to say a proper goodbye and help fit Kathy for a life vest (a wearable defibrillator).
“I didn’t expect young people like them to pay that much attention to an old person like me,” Kathy recalled. “And they did.”
Kathy had navigated formidable health challenges before — including a life-threatening crisis following open heart surgery four years ago that required thirteen thoracentesis procedures and eventually led her, uncharacteristically, to suggest hospice.
“I think God put that word in my mouth to save me,” she reflected. That was because three days into hospice, she was feeling better than she had in a long time. She had stopped nearly all medications, including her blood thinner, inadvertently healing herself. It turns out that an adverse reaction to the very medication intended to protect her post-surgery had been making it nearly impossible for her to recover.
It was not only Kathy’s faith but also her will and strength that helped her survive then, just as they did this past spring during her battle with pneumonia. Her strength and spirit, she said, were buoyed by Sadie, Edgar, and Jen’s patient-centered approach, boosting her ability to beat the infection.
After her discharge in May, Kathy reflected on how all three nurses listened carefully, advocated for her, and took her opinions into account. She noted that their approach represents a cultural shift — one that encourages empathy and recognizes patients as whole people whose voices and choices matter.
Kathy completed DAISY nomination forms to recognize each nurse but wanted to do more. As a Sun Health Foundation Legacy Leader who understood the long-term impact of giving, she contacted the Foundation to ask how she could honor the team that had cared for her. The answer was a scholarship donation in their names — a gift that celebrates Jen, Sadie, and Edgar while also investing in the next generation of healthcare professionals serving the West Valley.
“A gift that supports scholarships can influence not just the recipients, but their families and beyond,” Kathy explained. Her mother was a schoolteacher, and she believed deeply in the exponential impact of education. She also left a message for anyone weighing whether their own gift could make a real difference: “To those that much is given, much is expected. As human beings, we need to help each other.”
Kathy’s gratitude lives on in her enduring example of generosity. We are so grateful for the light she brought to Sun Health Foundation and to everyone around her.
Visit SunHealthFoundation.org to learn how you can help advance access to superior health care in the West Valley.
