Betty Schmoll facts for kids

Betty Lee Schmoll (born April 13, 1936 – died November 9, 2015) was a very important nurse who started one of the first hospice care companies in the United States. This company, called Hospice of Dayton, helps people who are very sick to feel comfortable and cared for. Betty Schmoll was also the first leader, or president, of Hospice of Dayton.

Early Life of Betty Schmoll

Betty Schmoll was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. Her parents were Bertha and Ezekiel Begley. She grew up with two brothers, Robert and Jerry, and a sister named Barbara.

Education and Her Big Idea

Betty Schmoll became a nurse in 1970 after studying at Kettering College. She continued her education, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in 1975 from Wright State University and a Master of Science degree in 1978 from the Ohio State University School of Nursing.

She became very passionate about helping people who were seriously ill, especially after her own mother became sick. Betty wanted to use her nursing skills to make sure people felt comfortable and had good care at the end of their lives. Even when some people didn't understand her ideas, she believed strongly in providing special comfort care, known as palliative care.

Betty Schmoll worked hard to get support from hospitals in the Dayton area. Her dream of creating a hospice program came true in 1978 when Hospice of Dayton began. It was one of the very first hospice programs in the entire country! At first, Hospice of Dayton had 13 beds inside St. Elizabeth Medical Center, and nurses also visited patients in their homes. Betty wanted to help even more people. She asked over 14,000 individuals for donations to build a special place called "Hospice House." The first Hospice House was finished in 1990, and a second building was added in 1996.

Betty Schmoll also served on the board of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization from 1991 to 1992, helping to guide hospice care across the country.

Awards and Special Honors

Betty Schmoll received many awards for her amazing work:

• Ohio's Hospice of Dayton created a special scholarship in her honor, along with her colleague Carol Dixon. It's called the Betty Schmoll and Carol Dixon Endowed Scholarship for Leadership in Nursing, and it helps nursing students who show great leadership skills.
• In 1981, the Dayton Daily News newspaper named her one of their "Ten Top Women." This award recognizes women in the Miami Valley area who have made their community a better place.
• In 1998, she received an honorary degree of Doctor of Humanities from the University of Dayton. This is a special title given to people who have made important contributions.
• In 2004, the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization gave her their Founders Award. This award recognized her as a "visionary, humanitarian, and medical professional" for her pioneering work.
• In 2010, she was honored by being added to the Dayton Walk of Fame, which celebrates important people from the Dayton area.

About Her Personal Life

Betty Schmoll was married to Walter C. Schmoll, and they had five children together. In her free time, Betty enjoyed reading books, birdwatching, and going for hikes.