When we throw a birthday party, we are celebrating another year of life — in addition to the years already gone by. The older, the more impressive, right? Enter: Children’s Mercy Hospital. This integral Kansas City institution turns 125 this year.

There’s a reason Children’s Mercy has been rated among the best child hospitals in the nation (more on that later), but did you know how it all got started? Here’s a shot of history + quotes and dates that will give you a healthy admiration for this KC institution.

Picture of Alice (left) and Katherine (right) by Children's Mercy

1860: Origin story

Katharine Berry Richardson was born and was raised by her older sister, Alice Berry Graham, and their single father after their mother died young. Alice became a teacher and used her salary to put Katherine through medical school in Philadelphia — in a time where women were not commonly doctors. Katherine then returned the favor, paying for Alice’s degree in dentistry.

1897: Defining moment

The two moved to KC in the late 1890s. Then in 1897, a West Bottoms bartender told them about a woman who had a sick, starving child. The two sisters rented a bed at a maternity hospital on KC’s East Side and nursed the girl back to health.

During this experience, Alice said, “It’s time someone took a greater interest in helping children like this.

“I think you and I are the ones to do it,” Katherine replied.

Katherine was described as technically skilled, compassionate, encouraging, outspoken, and unyielding. She advocated for hospitals with light + fresh air, filled the wards with toys, and recruited comedians and circus clowns to perform for the children.

Picture of 25th birthday by Children's Mercy

15 important dates

Via Children’s Mercy

1897: Alice + Katharine open The Free Bed Fund Association for Crippled, Deformed and Ruptured Children
1903: The Free Bed Fund board approves the name Mercy Hospital.
1903: Mercy Hospital opens with five beds at 414 Highland Avenue
1913: Alice dies from cancer. She was 53.
1915: $375,000 raised to construct Children’s Mercy Hospital at 1710 Independence Ave.
1933: Katharine dies. She performed her last surgery just two days before.
1954: The hospital’s budget more than quadruples from ~20 years prior
1962: Affiliation begins with the University of Missouri Medical Center
1970: Patients move into the new Children’s Mercy Hospital at 2401 Gillham Rd. on Dec. 17 after a $7 million campaign.
1992: “Centennial Campaign” raises $68 million in 2 years
1997: Children’s Mercy named one of the Top 10 Children's Hospitals in the United States by Child magazine.
2011: Children’s Mercy ranks in all 10 U.S. News and World Report specialties as one of the “Best Children’s Hospitals”
2014: Hospital budget exceeds $1 billion — enough to give every kid in the US today ~$14.
2020: Calling it one of the most important days in Children’s Mercy history, the organization unveils its new vision, mission and values.
2021: Children's Mercy opens the Children's Mercy Research Institute in a new, 9-story, 375,000 square-foot building.