Kathy and Yolanda’s Story

A “plant lady” from University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics was among 12 outstanding Iowa hospital employees honored as the first “Iowa Hospital Heroes” by the Iowa Hospital Association.

Kathy Duttlinger, who tends to hundreds of plants placed in various locations throughout UI Hospitals and Clinics, was honored for donating a kidney to a colleague and casual friend.

The Iowa Hospital Heroes Awards program was created this year to recognize hospital employees who have performed a heroic act or tirelessly given their time, talent or expertise to better their hospital, patients or community, with measurable results. These everyday heroes are the role models for Iowa’s 70,000 hospital employees and the communities they serve. 

While some recipients are physicians and nurses, many are non-clinical staff who have shown unique and selfless ways to contribute to their hospitals’ missions of caring. While a few have stepped forward in an instant to save a life, all have proven their dedication to improving the lives of Iowans.

“Our hospitals are privileged to have such people working for them, and IHA is proud to honor their work,” said IHA Board Chair Leo A. Bressanelli, CEO of Genesis Health System in Davenport. “I am well aware of the intense compassion and dedication of all hospital employees, so when a group like this is shown to rise even higher, it is well worth applauding.” 

Kathy and Yolalnda’s Story

(Here’s Kathy and Yolanda’s story as it appeared in Compass, UI Hospitals and Clinics employee newsletter.)

As the “plant lady,” Kathy Duttlinger is always walking around the hospital tending to the real and artificial plants, a job she has done here for 24 years. Yolanda Frudden also spends a good portion of her work time walking around the hospital because her job is to pick up various types of specimens—tissue, blood, urine, stool—and take them back to the lab.

Both friendly women, it was natural that they would greet each other and chat from time to time. Frudden has worked at the hospital for about 18 years, so the two had plenty of time to get to know one another.

“One day, I found Yolanda crying and asked her what was wrong,” Duttlinger said. “She told me that she had a kidney disease diagnosed about five years ago and she needed a transplant to avoid a lifetime of very difficult dialysis.”

Frudden had just returned from a trip to the Philippines to see if one of her brothers—Tolentino or Alfonso—could be a donor, but neither one could. “I asked her what her blood type was and I told her to call me,” said Duttlinger. “She never called.”

Frudden explained that she would never make that kind of call and would never impose on anyone. “That’s what touched me,” said Duttlinger. “Her consideration and kindness and thoughtful nature. I can’t describe it, but at that moment, I knew I wanted to do this for her.”

The women developed a strong bond through this experience, and they held hands on their way into surgery.

“I would tell other people that it wasn’t that bad—it really wasn’t,” Duttlinger said

The odd thing since the surgery is that Yolanda, previously a coffee lover, has given up the habit. She thinks it’s because Kathy doesn’t like coffee at all.

For more information:

Iowa Hospital Association