Cindy painted. Then she repainted. Then she changed the color again. Five times in a year and a half, the walls of her new home saw a fresh coat of DIY therapy.
“I need to go do something,” she finally told herself. She didn’t just need a job; she needed a purpose.
After years of working at an architecture firm, Cindy retired two years ago. She and her husband moved from Wichita to Newton in the fall of 2024, looking to spend more time with grandchildren. But for someone used to the structure of a professional office, the sudden quiet of retirement felt a lot like restlessness.
The “something” she was looking for appeared on December 1st, but not in the way she expected. Her husband had an ER visit. It was their first time stepping into NMC Health.
“We were so impressed,” Cindy remembers. “Our nurse was so positive, friendly, and concerned. They ran tests on things that hadn’t been checked before.” That one visit turned into a long-term relationship. The compassion they felt that day was so profound that it brought them back for every specialist they’ve seen since.
When Cindy saw a listing for a Room Service Ambassador at NMC Health, she didn’t just see a job; she saw an opportunity to provide the same comfort she had received.
The transition was a culture shock in the best way. For years, Cindy sat at a desk where she could simply call UberEats and have food appear. “I never thought about the people who prepared the food so I could eat,” she admits.
Now, she’s part of the engine. She’s learned a new kind of gratitude for the “unseen” work: the stocking of inventory, the meticulous meal planning, and the sheer physical effort it takes to keep patients, staff, and guests fed. After her first two weeks on her feet, she joked that she “thought she was going to die”—but she hasn’t stopped smiling since.
Cindy knows that healing is built on more than just medicine.
“When I interviewed, I knew those were the people I wanted to work with,” she says. She saw in them a commitment to a truth she now carries into every patient room: People need to know there’s hope.
“There are a lot of people out there who need a smiling face to know it’s okay. When I interact with people close to my age, I feel that gives them purpose. It shows them we’re not done.”
When Cindy knocks on a door today, she isn’t just delivering a tray. She’s delivering a message. She’s there to show that at NMC Health, you aren’t a number or a diagnosis—you’re a neighbor.
“I’m there not to just bring their food,” Cindy says. “I’m here to listen.”
