Sandy Brickman still runs into patients she cared for as a nurse at Barnes-Jewish Hospital from 1975 to 2005.

“Something special transpired between me and my patients,” Sandy says. “I was so grateful to be able to care for them in their time of illness.”

Sandy’s family has been deeply rooted in the Barnes-Jewish Hospital community for decades.

With much encouragement from their parents, both Sandy and her sister Dolores attended the Jewish Hospital College of Nursing–which later merged with the Barnes Hospital College of Nursing and has been transformed into Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish College.

Sandy was recognized as a 2011 recipient of the Barnes-Jewish College Distinguished Alumni Award for her exemplary dedication to the profession of nursing and to nursing education, research and service.

Her older brother, Marvin, was a gynecologist at Barnes-Jewish for more than 50 years. And there is still a plaque in the hospital gift shop today recognizing the thousands of hours their mother Rose Rennard volunteered at the hospital.

“My mother was devoted to Jewish Hospital as a volunteer and auxilian,” Sandy says. “It meant a lot to her that three of her children cared for patients at the hospital and that many of her grandchildren have entered the medical field as well.”

When Rose passed away, Sandy, her five siblings and her father decided to start a fund at The Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital to honor Rose’s life and love of the hospital. When their father Robert passed away, they added his name to the fund. Today the Rennard siblings continue to support the Rose and Robert Rennard Endowed Scholarship Fund, which awards two scholarships a year to deserving students at Goldfarb School of Nursing.

“It’s perfect that our family scholarship fund supports the future nurses for the hospital that mom cared so much about,” Sandy says. “And, supporting the education of these nurses couldn’t be more fitting. Next to family, in the Rennard house, getting a good education was the highest priority.”

As the youngest of the Rennard siblings, Sandy remembers when her brothers were just old enough to help in the grocery store their father owned. “But they were never allowed to help at the store until their homework was completed,” Sandy says.

She also fondly remembers their family Shabbat meal every Friday night. Even after they had married and moved out of their parents’ home, they always gathered there for this special time.

“It might have been because mom was a great cook,” Sandy says smiling, “but more likely it’s because family always came first in our household. To this day, my siblings and I still meet once a month for breakfast.”

The six Rennard siblings have continued their tradition of cherishing family with their children.

“Mom and Dad loved spending time with their grandkids,” Sandy says. “And because our family is so proud of our fund, we know our kids will maintain it for our family.”

To give to The Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital’s Rose and Robert Rennard Endowed Scholarship Award Fund (#3290), please go to our online giving form.