VA Eastern Kansas Health Care System
Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Granddaughter Visits Medical Center
Mary Jean Eisenhower was born in Washington, D.C. during her grandfather Dwight D. Eisenhower’s first term in office as President of the United States. She was christened in the Blue Room of the White House and grew up in nearby Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Her family had a home with property abutting the Eisenhower Farm, where President Eisenhower eventually retired. The Eisenhowers were a very close-knit family and saw each other every day.
Mary attended several schools in Pennsylvania until her father, John, was named as US Ambassador to Belgium. She lived in Brussels with her family from shortly after her grandfather’s death in 1969 through 1972. After several years of volunteer work with People to People International (PTPI), Mary has served as its Chief Executive Officer since January of 2000, currently serving as President and Chief Executive Officer. She has traveled extensively throughout six continents.
Dwight D. Eisenhower, Mary’s grandfather, founded People to People International on September 11, 1956. Mary joined PTPI hoping to carry on her grandfather’s dream, now it has become her life’s work and she carries the mission and the founder’s dream ardently as her own.
The Kansas City People to People program invited her to Kansas City and coordinated her visit. One of the local members was very impressed with the care his father received at the Leavenworth Campus and wanted Mary to visit the hospital named for her grandfather and meet the wonderful staff who provided excellent care to his father. The staff, which is the first Patient Aligned Care Teams (PACT) to be activated, briefed her on the new patient centered care model. This new model will allow the staff to better manage the Veteran’s total health care.
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