Scholarship fund honors the legacy of CHaD nurse

As a powerful testimony to the influence of Jackie Thayer, LPN, a group of nurses at Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (CHaD) established a scholarship fund to honor her memory and to help train new licensed practical nurses. Thayer passed away in May 2021.

“Jackie was a thoughtful teacher and has touched the lives of countless patients, families, and learners,” said Nicole Tadlock, RN, a pediatric nurse manager at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC). “Her years of experience, dedication, kind heart, and love for nursing are just a few of the things that made Jackie so special. We are very lucky to have had Jackie as a colleague, mentor, and friend for all these years.”

The Jackie Thayer, LPN Nursing Education Fund already has $50,000 in commitments, with a goal of $100,000 to endow the fund. The fund will support scholarships for medical assistants and licensed nursing assistants to pursue their licensed practical nursing certification.

Thayer was part of the CHaD family for 50 years, starting at Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital in 1971. “Quietly and patiently, she informally taught many physicians over her career,” says Keith Loud, MD, MSc, RES ’00, chair of the Department of Pediatrics and physician-in-chief of Dartmouth Health Children’s. “The vast majority of alumni who went through the residency program were partially taught and trained by Jackie. We knew to pay attention to her because she knew when a kid was sick. Jackie’s legacy will live on and continue to inspire others for generations to come.”

For more information on the Jackie Thayer, LPN Nursing Education Fund, please contact Polly Antol, director of development for Child Health Initiatives, at Polly.Antol@hitchcock.org