New history of Children's Mercy Hospital published

A new history of Children's Mercy Hospital is a detailed rich, photograph-filled account of the first 120 years of the Kansas City children's hospital.

The new book For All Children Everywhere takes a comprehensive approach to the history of the hospital founded by two sisters Alice Berry Graham (a dentist) and Katharine Berry Richardson (a surgeon) in 1897.

"It's time someone took a greater interest in helping children like this," Alice told her sister upon encountering a crippled girl in the Kansas City streets. "And Katherine, I think you and I are the ones to do it."

The two established “The Hospital of the Little People” which eventually became Children’s Mercy.

The history was written by Thomas McCormally, who worked in public relations at Children's Mercy and now is its first director of archives.

The book costs $24.95 and includes photos, details about troubles and triumphs, inspiring stories about children in need, stirring accounts of tremendous community support and uplifting reports of doctors, nurses and philanthropists.

McCormally continues to share stories about Children's Mercy Hospital through a blog he writes. Sign up to get regular updates.

JCHS hopes to publish an article by McCormally about Children's Mercy in our upcoming Jackson County Historical Society Journal which should be out in November.