Family honors Emily Hays with gift to Mosaic Medical Center – Maryville’s Cancer Center

When the nieces and nephews of Emily Hays, a Maryville resident, learned that her three-year battle with breast cancer would soon be ending, they wanted to do something special to honor their aunt while she was still alive.

The children of Robert and Phyllis Yager always felt a special connection to their Aunt Emily, likely because their mom helped raise their aunt when the sisters’ mother died shortly after Emily was born. Although there was a 16-year age difference between the two girls, many said they were the mirror image of each other as they looked and sounded so much alike.

“There was no one in the world closer than my sister and I were,” said Hays.

Stuart, Michelle and Laura Yager all have such fond memories of their Aunt Emily, saying their main goal in life was to make her laugh until she cried, every time she visited. To them, she has always been the fun, crazy, sassy aunt.

Hays worked as a nurse in Maryville for more than 25 years, both at Dr. Gary Sherlock’s dental office and at the Nodaway Nursing Home. Her ties to serving others through healthcare as well as her cancer battle led the Yagers to look at Mosaic Medical Center – Maryville’s Oncology Clinic to honor her life and legacy. Through the Robert and Phyllis Yager Charitable Trust, the Yager family gifted nearly $10,000 to help the clinic purchase two new infusion chairs for other local cancer patients going through the same battle as their aunt. They were also able to honor her life in the Healing Garden through a paver, butterfly and tree.

“I couldn’t be prouder of them,” said Hays regarding the gift. “I had no idea they were even thinking about it. I was glad that they could do it for Maryville and the cancer center.”

She speaks fondly of her time at Mosaic Medical Center – Maryville’s Cancer Center, saying it has helped tremendously that it’s close and she didn’t have to travel out of town for appointments. She also noted the friendliness and intelligence of the staff really lightened the burden of the diagnosis and receiving treatments.

“You go once, you get established and every time you walk in, they know who you are. You’re just treated like a VIP,” said Hays. “I would not wish cancer or death on anybody, but the cancer center certainly made it tolerable. Whatever your questions are, they answer it compassionately. I’ve never regretted deciding to stay here in Maryville for treatment.”