Age 87
Sister Madonna Marie Bolton, known for her gentle thoughtfulness, often with a humorous sparkle in her eyes, was a true healthcare hero.
Born in Levack, Ontario, Canada, she graduated from nursing school at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Barrie, Ontario and soon after went to work as a pediatric nurse at Mercy Hospital in Bakersfield, California. She first encountered the Sisters of Mercy there, was baptized and entered the Sisters of Mercy at the age of 26 in Burlingame, California.
Following the completion of her bachelor’s degree in nursing at the University of San Francisco, she was missioned to St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1971 where she spent most of her ministry years with the exception of a three-year return to Bakersfield, California.
She worked as a pediatric nurse and supervisor followed by her development of specialty roles in oncology and hospice. She was one of the early implementors of hospice in the United States, having studied the existing programs in London, Montreal and Connecticut. She also helped launch St. Joseph’s first pediatric intensive care unit, the Leukemia Foundation for Arizona’s Children; the establishment of the Make-A-Wish Foundation; and develop the Oncology Life Enrichment Program in Phoenix.
In Phoenix she also served as vice president for mission and chaplaincy, as well as special assistant to the chief executive officer of foundations and major gifts officer. In 2004, The Phoenix Business Journal honored her as a Health Care Hero.