{"id":3579,"date":"2022-12-24T10:47:23","date_gmt":"2022-12-24T10:47:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ekdesigns.us\/arizona\/?p=3579"},"modified":"2022-12-24T10:47:23","modified_gmt":"2022-12-24T10:47:23","slug":"catching-up-with-elena-konerko","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.amissionofmercy.org\/arizona\/catching-up-with-elena-konerko\/","title":{"rendered":"Catching Up With Elena Konerko"},"content":{"rendered":"

In celebration of MOM\u2019s 25th<\/sup> anniversary, we visit with first nursing director in Arizona<\/h3>\n

As part of MOM AZ\u2019s 25th<\/sup>\u00a0anniversary celebration, we\u2019re visiting with past and present volunteers, patients, staff and community partners who have been integral to MOM\u2019s mission over the years. We recently connected with Elena Konerko, who was MOM AZ\u2019s first nursing director from 1997 to 2007. <\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Mission of Mercy\u2019s expansion into Arizona was born as a result of a divine call by foundress Gianna Talone-Sullivan, Pharm D, and the dedication of a handful of MOM\u2019s earliest volunteers. At Gianna\u2019s invitation, Elena Konerko and members of a prayer group from St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church in Scottsdale took a trip to Emmitsburg, Maryland, that inspired several of MOM\u2019s first volunteers, including Konerko.<\/p>\n

\u201cMany of our initial group of volunteers took a pilgrimage to Emmitsburg to see the Maryland MOM clinic in action,\u201d recalled Elena Konerko, MOM AZ\u2019s first nursing director. \u201cIt was providential that most of the pilgrimage group offered to volunteer for Mission of Mercy, including our first medical director. It was incredible how God prepared this group to be part of its foundation in Arizona.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

A calling that almost didn\u2019t happen<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Ironically, Konerko\u2019s journey with MOM almost didn\u2019t happen. When she was asked to be nursing director, she and her husband, Henry \u201cHank\u201d (who eventually went on to become the first CEO of MOM), were living in New Mexico after Hank\u2019s recent job change. She recalls, \u201cI almost had to say no.\u201d<\/p>\n

But the stars aligned for them to move back to Arizona, which allowed Elena to take on the role of MOM\u2019s first nursing director in Arizona. Her background in public health and home care in Rhode Island and Connecticut provided a solid foundation for this position.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were very grassroots initially. We outfitted the van at my house in Paradise Valley and set up the pharmacy, and drove to the clinics together in the van,\u201d Konerko said. \u201cThat time was really the highlight of my life.\u201d<\/p>\n

One of Elena\u2019s duties was visiting local churches in the area to talk about MOM and recruit volunteers. By the time Elena retired, there were more than 100 volunteers that MOM relied on at its various clinic locations.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe whole concept of MOM, the type of medicine that we do \u2013 it\u2019s more than medicine really,\u201d Elena said. \u201cPeople come here looking for something to heal them physically, but most of the time they need something spiritually to feel connected.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Changing lives one patient at a time<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Elena remembers several patient stories that really tugged at her heart strings. One was a young boy who came to the Mesa clinic with his mother. His mom said he wouldn\u2019t eat or go to school. All his vitals were good, so the doctor told her to keep an eye on him and write down any symptoms and what he ate and to come back. He also gave the boy a teddy bear.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe next week, his mom came in and reported that he went back to school the very next day,\u201d Konerko said. \u201cShe told us that he had show and tell at school and was embarrassed he didn\u2019t have anything to share, so he didn\u2019t want to go. But the teddy bear changed things for him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Konerko also recalls another patient who came in a wheelchair and told them that his leg didn\u2019t work and he hadn\u2019t been able to walk in a month. It turns out he had an artificial leg that was broken, but he didn\u2019t have insurance, so he couldn\u2019t get a new one. One of Elena\u2019s nurses was handy and asked for permission to run to ACE Hardware. She returned a little while later and fixed the man\u2019s artificial leg, and he left the clinic walking!<\/p>\n

\u201cThe right nurse was there at the right time,\u201d Elena said. \u201cThat\u2019s what MOM is all about.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In celebration of MOM\u2019s 25th anniversary, we visit with first nursing director in Arizona As part of MOM AZ\u2019s 25th\u00a0anniversary celebration, we\u2019re visiting with past and present volunteers, patients, staff and community partners who have been integral to MOM\u2019s mission […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3581,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_EventAllDay":false,"_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":false,"_EventShowMapLink":false,"_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":[],"_EventVenueID":[],"_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":false,"_VenueShowMapLink":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[25,26,174],"tags":[116,179,180,139],"class_list":["post-3579","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-featured","category-homepage-blog","tag-elena-konerko","tag-first-nursing-director","tag-hank-konerko","tag-volunteers"],"yoast_head":"\nCatching Up With Elena Konerko - 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