Indianapolis - Sister Mary John Tintea, D.C., a chaplain at St.Vincent Indianapolis Hospital, is headed to Kansas City to watch the Indianapolis Colts play the Chiefs, thanks to the generosity of Ambassadair, the Indianapolis-based airline and travel club.
Sister Mary John, 73, a member of the Daughters of Charity, was prominently featured in the Indianapolis media last week for her Colts charisma. Wearing a Peyton Manning jersey, she drives a blue and white decorated motorized scooter to minister and visit cardiac patients at St.Vincent. With her Colts balloons, hat, signs or pompons, Sister Mary John was officially named the St.Vincent “Number 1” Colts fan by Patricia Maryland, Dr.PH, president of St.Vincent Indianapolis Hospital.
Throughout this week, Sister Mary John has talked about the upcoming game to patients, families, nurses and physicians. Duke Haddad, Ed.D, vice president of development for St.Vincent and executive director of the St.Vincent Foundation, and Patty Thornberry, vice president for Home Security Inspections and St.Vincent Foundation board member, learned of her desire to attend the Sunday game. They contacted Ambassadair about sending Sister Mary John to cheer the Colts on to victory. Within hours, Ambassadair committed two seats on their plane to Kansas City on Sunday complete with two tickets to the big game and an invitation to a pre-game tailgate party.
“Through the assistance of Ambassadair, St.Vincent is sending a secret weapon to Kansas City,” said Haddad. “The Colts will have a huge advantage with Sister Mary John’s enthusiasm on their sidelines. I wish you could have been there to see Sister Mary John’s reaction when she was told she was going to Kansas City.”
Sister Mary John’s goal is to make patients and their families smile and take their minds off recovery. “She works every day to ease the pressure sick people endure. Through her Colts’ passion, she treats the spirit of our patients,” said Maryland. “I am so happy she now has the opportunity to participate in the Colts excitement. With the help of a great corporate partner like Ambassadair, we put a smile on her face this morning.”
Sally Brown, Ambassadair’s president, said she too is looking forward to seeing Sister Mary John’s smiling face on the trip. “I was struck with Sister Mary John’s charm and her relationship with St.Vincent patients and family members,” said Brown. “She has a long history of support for Colts and will certainly rally her fellow passengers on the flight. We are so happy to have her a guest.”
St.Vincent Health, one of the largest health care systems in Indiana, is dedicated to spiritually-centered, holistic care, which sustains and improves the health of individuals and communities. St.Vincent Indianapolis Hospital is one of 16 Indiana facilities in the Indianapolis-based St.Vincent Heath network. A member of Ascension Health, the largest not-for-profit health care system in county, the ageless mission of St.Vincent is to minister to the body, mind and spirit of those in need, regardless of religion.
