Celebrating 100 Years of Care

Allen Hospital is named in honor of Mary Allen, the wife of Henry B. Allen, who donated 80 acres of land from his farm north of Waterloo along with $200,000 (approximately $7.8 million today) to establish a hospital. Allen Hospital and Allen College remain on that land today, and the legacy of the Allen family lives on through excellence in health care and giving back to our community.

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A Nurse, A Baby and A Doctor

The photo captures a moment in time, but the effects can still be felt some 60 years later at Allen Hospital.

Chief medical officer Dr. Russell Adams gets a little choked up every time he passes through the hallway where the photo is hung. His mother, Barb Adams, is the young nurse pictured and continues to be an inspiration for his medical career.

“When I see it, I get a little wet in the eyes remembering her and how she was,” said Dr. Adams. “I became interested in medicine because of my mother and my aunt.”

Dr. Adams has spent his entire 43 years as a physician affiliated with Allen Hospital – beginning in an internal medicine practice in 1982.

As Allen Hospital celebrates it’s 100^th anniversary, Adams’ family has been present for 65 of those years helping shape the way healthcare is delivered in the Cedar Valley. Barb lived within walking distance of the hospital in East Waterloo, worked in pediatrics and was the head nurse on that unit. She was a later a school nurse and a dedicated Allen Hospital volunteer before passing away in 2022.

Her sister and Dr. Adams’ aunt, Jaclyne Ellis, was a head nurse in the surgery department and a nurse supervisor.

Times have changed and technology has evolved. Health care has become simpler in some ways and more complex in others. Nevertheless, the lessons Dr. Adams took from his mother continue to provide a foundation of accountability and respect he carries with him every day.

“I heard sometimes about the stresses they had in interactions with physicians,” he said. “When I decided to become a physician, I said I never wanted to be the type anyone would express those concerns about. That molded me into the type of person I’ve tried to be my entire career.

“Just because I’m a physician doesn’t mean I’m superior to someone else. I’m part of the team providing care. I’ve had the joy of being a physician and part of that is never feeling like you know everything. You can learn from everyone.

“The other part I learned is you have to respect people. When people come to see you as a care provider – whether you’re a nurse or a doctor – often times they are afraid. They may not say it, but they’re afraid you’re going to tell them something they don’t want to hear. You have to acknowledge that and make sure you’re respectful and show you care about them as a person.”

The photo of the nurse, baby and doctor is a nostalgic visual of the joy of health care. It is secured on the hospital wall, was featured on the cover of a commemorative 100^th anniversary calendar and continues to leave an impression on the chief medical officer every time it’s in view.