Stories

With the generous support of our donors, we are impacting lives here in South Bay community every day.

“A dedicated and compassionate caregiver at St. Joseph Hospital for decades, Melvin Schwartz and his wife demonstrated their friendship and support for the Hospital by establishing a legacy through a generous charitable planned gift.”

Honoring the Legacy of the Sisters

Maria Aoki leaves a bequest for Providence Little Company of Mary.

Maria Aoki’s success story is a testament to hard work and determination. She has spent the past 20 years loving her work in the Physical Therapy (PT) department at Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center. Today, she is the rehabilitation manager, but the road to her dream job meant starting over.

Physical therapy was her second career after an 11-year stint in banking. She realized it was time for a new, more fulfilling career path, so she went back to school and started volunteering in PT at Providence Little Company of Mary.

“After six weeks, the manager offered me a job as a rehab tech,” remembers Maria. “I did that while I finished my undergraduate degree. When I finished PT school, they offered me a PT job!”

Maria was happy to build her career at Providence Little Company of Mary. “We’re just like family here,” she smiles. “Not just my department, all the other departments we work with. Everybody works so well together.”

She also values her patients like family. “I treat my patients the way I want my family to be treated,” she says. “I tell my staff, ‘Just picture your grandma or grandpa and treat your patients like you would your family.’ It works! Our patients go home feeling taken care of.”

An enthusiastic giver
Maria first became aware of the Providence Little Company of Mary Foundation during an employee fundraising campaign, and she knew she wanted to do something to support her department.

“I had the bright idea that we should do a department fundraiser, donate to the Foundation and designate the money to pay for some equipment in our department,” she laughs. “We did a magic show, bake sale, all kinds of things. We raised $4,800.”

When it came time to do her estate plan, Maria wanted to give back to the hospital she loves. “It’s a great place to work and what we do here makes a difference,” she says. “I was inspired by the work of the Sisters who came before us and how we are carrying on their legacy through our work. The mission and core values keep us aligned with their goals, to care for the poor and vulnerable.”