Lucy, a Sacred Heart alumna, began her time in Rome as a study abroad student, but her experience quickly turned into a life-changing medical journey. What followed was not only a story of urgent care and recovery, but also one of faith, connection, and the powerful support of the Sacred Heart community. Her mother, Jenny, recounts those intense days.
How did the idea of contacting the Sisters of the Sacred Heart come to you?
I am in frequent communication with many colleagues I worked with at Forest Ridge School of the Sacred Heart. I worked there for many years, and Lucy is a graduate of the school, so we are aware of how strongly connected the Society of the Sacred Heart is. As word of Lucy’s hospitalization spread, I was encouraged to reach out to the rscj by colleagues from Forest Ridge. I was first given Mary Finlayson’s number, then Maria Cimperman reached out to me, and then I was connected to Cuca Maset via Barbara Dawson. Every time I spoke with someone connected with the Sacred Heart, I was asked what I needed, how they could help, and was assured that the community in Rome and rscj all over the world were praying for Lucy. This was incredibly comforting to me, as I have long believed that there is no prayer like rscj prayer.
Through prayers, presence, and simple acts of care, the Sacred Heart community in Rome and around the world made distance disappear and turned strangers into family.
Could you share a bit about how it all unfolded?
Early in the morning (Seattle time) on February 1, we spoke with Lucy and her doctor and understood she had been admitted to Salvador Mundi Hospital for testing related to her liver. She had been feeling tired and run down, but when her skin and eyes turned yellow, she realized it was time to seek medical treatment. I left that afternoon and arrived in Rome on the evening of February 2. Meeting with doctors that evening, it was clear that Lucy’s condition was serious. With my sister-in-law and nephew, who arrived hours before me, we waited with Lucy as doctors gathered more information. Mid-week, she was moved to San Camillo Hospital, a large public hospital with a transplant unit. By the end of the week, she was diagnosed with a genetic condition, Wilson’s disease, which prevented her liver from processing copper, leading to acute liver failure. She was put on a list for a liver transplant, and on the night of February 7, a liver became available and she received a transplant. So, one week from entering the hospital to receiving a transplant. My husband arrived the morning of the 8th, and we were able to visit Lucy in the ICU, where she remained for six days before being moved to a step-down unit for ongoing recovery. Lucy remained in the hospital under the excellent care of her doctors and nurses for three more weeks, until we flew home to Seattle on March 10.
How did you experience it?
Although I didn’t have much free time between hospital visits while in Rome, one of the first places I wanted to visit was the fresco of Mater Admirabilis at Trinità dei Monti. I had been there years before and longed for the calm I felt in her presence. I wanted to place Lucy’s name in the basket at her feet. There, I also felt the embrace of the Society of the Sacred Heart, noticing a picture of the Superior Generals from Madeleine Sophie through Claire Castaing.
Though we didn’t personally know anyone in Rome, we began to connect with friends of friends from Seattle, including rscj. It was heartening and comforting to share our experience with others, to know of their concern and prayer. Receiving messages and invitations from others made us feel less alone at a frightening time.
I remember meeting Cuca, who hugged me tightly. She and others stepped in to be the family and friends we had left back at home. Those actions meant so much to me. It was frightening to have a sick child in an unfamiliar place. Even though I trusted her doctors, Lucy’s situation was serious. But I did not feel alone, because I knew others were praying for Lucy, her doctors, and for the donor who gave her the gift of life.
Love doesn’t take great works. In fact, sometimes it is the smallest thing at just the right moment that reminds us that we are part of a community rooted in love. We are one family in the heart of Jesus.
What has this experience meant to you?
This experience has led me to understand that the world is not so big, and we are not alone in it. Our flat was a five-minute walk from the Mother House, and having a place to stop in for a cup of tea and seeing Lucy’s name written on a slip of paper under Madeleine Sophie’s portrait made me feel supported and connected. It gave me hope that Lucy would be okay. Meeting Sister Ananda and other rscj who knew people from Forest Ridge was a surprising gift.
What message would you like to leave for others?
As a member of a Sacred Heart community, I understood Madeleine Sophie’s mission to make God’s love present in the world. Now, I have experienced receiving that love.
Through hugs, tears, tea, and texts, I felt lifted up. Now, I feel inspired to continue to share that love with others. Love doesn’t take great works. In fact, sometimes it is the smallest thing at just the right moment that reminds us that we are part of a community rooted in love. We are one family in the heart of Jesus.
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Lucy’s story is not only one of medical recovery, but also a powerful reminder of what it means to belong to the Sacred Heart family and to live the spirit of Cor Unum—one heart. Lucy first became part of the Sacred Heart family when she entered school, but this experience shows that being part of this family is for life.
In moments of fear and uncertainty, that bond became real and tangible. Through prayers, presence, and simple acts of care, the Sacred Heart community in Rome and around the world made distance disappear and turned strangers into family.
To believe in Cor Unum is to trust that we are never alone—that love connects us beyond borders, and that even the smallest gestures can carry immense strength. Lucy’s journey reminds us that when hearts are united, hope becomes real, and love becomes something we can truly feel and share.
Lucy McGovern at San Camillo Hospital
Jenny, Vince and Cuca listening to Pope Leo
Section |International News
Province |Mother House|United States and Canada
Our Spirituality |Reflections from Around the World
