Good Samaritans run in the family
September 03, 2025
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Legacy is highlighting families who work together at Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center as part of the celebration of the hospital’s 150th anniversary of providing care to the community. We've asked them to share their stories and hear what it means to them to be part of the Good Samaritan family.
Adriane Klaus, an occupational therapy assistant and Medicare compliance specialist, knew just what to do when her niece, Renee Shaw, expressed interest in health care. Adriane, a 20-year employee at Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center, connected her high school niece with colleagues for a job shadow.
“What stood out most was the interaction and connection that the nurses and social workers had with their patients,” Renee said. “They weren’t just performing tasks — they were forming bonds, providing comfort, and making a difference.”
Renee found her calling during that visit and in 2024 joined Legacy Good Samaritan as a nurse on the medical surgery floor. The two now work together at a place where Adriane said feels like family.
“You can walk into the gift shop, and you’ll know everybody in there even if you don’t work directly with them,” she said. “Renee and I don’t get to see each other too often because of our work schedules, but we do try to catch up with each other on campus whenever we can and I’m one proud auntie.”
Renee is equally proud of where she works.
“I often joke that my aunt just wanted someone else to truly understand the daily struggles of working in health care,” she said. “But in guiding me here, she gave me a purpose that I’m proud of every day.”
Officially, Maricris Blount works as a certified nursing assistant on the oncology floor at Legacy Good Samaritan. Unofficially, she is a recruiter, specifically of her family. It started in 2008 when her aunt, Elena Martin, convinced her to join Legacy. Since then, she’s recruited two of her sisters to join the healthcare system and others might be on the way.
It's all part of her family living the American dream. Maricris has helped sponsor family members who are coming from the Philippines. Maricris credits Legacy for helping bring those loved ones to the states.
The family affair means it’s not uncommon for them to bump into each other in the hospital parking lot.
“I love working here,” Maricris said. “The people that work here are kind. They’re like a family to me and this is my second home."
Megan, PhD, and Mike Straiko, MD, both work at Legacy’s Devers Eye Institute. Mike joined Devers as a cornea fellow in 2009 and started his cornea practice in 2011. Megan came to Devers six months ago as a research assistant.
This husband and wife enjoy sharing the same workplace. Megan said she has a greater appreciation for the joys and frustrations Mike experiences while treating difficult eye conditions.
She is learning the Legacy systems and culture, and her husband serves as her built-in tutor and chauffeur some days. The bad part is that their kids hear a lot of shop talk when mom and dad get home.
Learn more about Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center's 150th Anniversary |
