After 20 years it is so hard to say goodbye and know you will not be here to add fun and energy to the organization and nursing in particular. You came as the Director of Oncology. There was so much work to be done and slowly you built a strong team and service line. It was so hard for you to hand over the reins to someone else so you could focus on your role as the CNO of Elmhurst Hospital.

I have truly enjoyed working side by side with you. We came at things from different directions but always had the core same commitment to integrity, safety, and the well-being of both patients and staff. You are so friendly and can talk to a wall. Your mind is always going and whenever you see someone you remember something you need to tell them. People thought you were the easy one! Little did they know that you were much tougher than me. Together we pushed each other to be the best we could be in helping to transform the hospital and the nursing culture. I always knew that when you kept coming back to me with a topic you were passionate about, I needed to listen. Sometimes you had to try to get me to rethink things several times before we came to an agreement but in the end, it was always a much better solution.

We were a team. I remember in the beginning you would always remind me to say "we" not "I". After all there is no "I" in team. We developed a vision for the future, and we moved forward together to create that future. First was the development of our leaders and what a great team of leaders we moved forward with. Next was the implementation of a nursing theorist and the development of shared governance. We went on the Planetree journey after you went to Sharp hospital on a tour and became passionate that this was exactly what we needed to change the culture, empower staff and help our patients receive outstanding quality care. Remember the star graphic!!!

We then set about designing and building a new hospital. We changed every single process that the staff was used to. We kept our guiding principles in place as we involved staff in the design and function of the new hospital. You had your own personal health issues during this time, and you never lost sight of what we were trying to do for staff and patients. We moved 100 patients to a new facility and had no untold events. We opened the new hospital and received Planetree certification at the Gold level and the next year we got Planetree distinction. We then went through our first merger together. We did not know what the merger would bring, and we both knew that we did not want to lose anything we had worked so hard to build together in the nursing culture. We kept focused on the right things to do while the organization began to form into a new entity. We kept our focus on nursing and were able to achieve Magnet designation with commendation. How many Joint Commission surveys have we been through together? How many awards have we achieved? All while supporting our leadership, physicians, and staff.

You are a remarkable leader. You should be so proud of yourself and all you have accomplished during your career. You kept your career going as you raised your family, and kept all your many personal friends centered in your life. You walk fast, think fast, and always do the right thing. Your favorite saying is “quite honestly”, I will miss hearing you say that. Your last year here has shown how well you build relationships and are able to influence change across the system. You have set up the new CNOs and the system for success. We could not ask anything more of you. Now it is time for you to go enjoy that family you created and all your friends that you have maintained. I know that this is not the last time we will be together, but it will not be in the current roles. I thank you for all your support over the years! I know that I would not have been able to do what was done without you. Jean Lydon, you are loved, and you will be missed. You have left a lasting impression on this organization and nursing at Edward-Elmhurst Health!