The impact of OPRF IWS extends far beyond the walls of the IWS Children’s Clinic. Each year, we provide nearly 3,000 children—from newborns through age 21—with medical, dental, behavioral health, and other wraparound services. But for more than a century, OPRF IWS has also opened doors, inspired futures, and changed lives in unexpected ways.
One such story is that of Molly Quinn.
In 1976, Molly’s mother, Joan Ryan, became Director of the IWS Children’s Clinic, serving in that role for 15 years. After taking time away from nursing to raise her four children, she returned to the profession she loved while helping care for children and families in our community.
As a teenager, Molly volunteered at the OPRF IWS Showcase House, the organization’s signature fundraiser at the time and the predecessor to today’s Holiday Housewalk & Market. While volunteering, she met a decorative painter whose work sparked a passion she had never considered.
“My mom always encouraged me to do something creative,” Molly recalls. “The idea was planted in my head that I could earn a living in interior design. Because of that experience, I went to the Art Institute. I never knew that was even a career option.”
A single volunteer experience changed the trajectory of Molly’s life. More than 100 years after OPRF IWS was founded, stories like hers remind us that our impact isn’t measured only by the healthcare we provide, but also by the opportunities we create and the lives we inspire.