Waseca woman creates 125 letters for Mayo Clinic Health System

WASECA, Minn. (KEYC) - Suzann Thomas used her artistic talent for a purpose at the Mayo Clinic Health System in Waseca Thursday.

In a total of three weeks, Thomas and her sister created 125 thank-you cards, all hand-made, for all staff, whether she knew them or not.

“They become a part of you, you know? They’re like another limb, I guess. They just deserve a big thank you,” Thomas said.

Thomas has created Christmas cards and thank-you cards for the staff before, but this was one of her biggest, and kindest projects yet.

“I like doing it. I like making cards - big letters and some are in gold,” Thomas explained.

The staff learned about Thomas’ letters the day before she passed them out and some close members came to greet Thomas as the letters were dropped off.

“It’s great to be recognized, very humbling that the care that we give is recognized through our community,” said Abby Bartz, family medicine physician at the Mayo Clinic Health System in Waseca.

“We like to make a difference and we like to provide care to our local community That was one thing that was important to Sue, was to not travel back and forth to Rochester all the time,” said Dr. Abby Dettmer, a family medicine physician.

Thomas has been a patient at the Mayo Clinic Health System’s Waseca campus for the past five years, after she suffered a serious silent heart attack on her birthday on Feb. 20, 2019. Thomas spent three to five days a week in the clinic ever since her heart attack, but she’s been feeling well for the past 18 months.

“So they helped me through a tough time. And they deserve a big thank-you. They are just an amazing crew,” Thomas said.

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