The Sisters of Mercy established a makeshift, 15-bed hospital in a Cedar Rapids, Iowa, house in 1900 to respond to the need for health care services in that community.
Last month, Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, kicked off a yearlong celebration of its 125th anniversary. The hospital is marking the milestone by highlighting some of the advancements and achievements made over its history as well as spotlighting
some of the employees, volunteers, medical providers, sisters and others who have made a lasting impact. The yearlong commemoration will end on Nov. 14, 2025, the anniversary date.
The Catholic Hospital Association was established in 2015. Six years later, the organization held its annual conference at the Sisters of Mercy's property in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The association later was renamed the Catholic Health Association.
The Sisters of Mercy already had a presence in Cedar Rapids when in 1900 local leaders approached them about opening a hospital to help meet the needs of a growing population. They mortgaged their own home and land to transform a two-story house into
a 15-bed hospital. According to Mercy Medical Center records, the first patient, Susan Frayer, was a 72-year-old housewife from Arlington, Iowa, who underwent cataract surgery by Dr. James Dalbey. She spent 16 days in the hospital, and her bill was
$27.40.
Mercy Cedar Rapids has put up signage around its campus to mark its 125th anniversary.The hospital quickly outgrew its location, so the sisters set out to raise funds for a new facility. They traveled from parish to parish in Cedar Rapids and surrounding towns to secure donations. Two men who owned horse racing rights at the county fair
gave a day's racing receipts toward the proposed building, according to the hospital's historical record.
The Sisters of Mercy used all the capital they raised to erect a 100-bed hospital that opened in 1903. The 445-bed Mercy Medical Center remains on that campus. In its first three years, the hospital admitted 527 patients. Today, it admits about 190,000
patients annually. When the hospital opened in 1900, there were four employees. Today, there are 3,252.