St. Louis, MO — March of Dimes is pleased to announce the 2018 Legend Award Recipient, Marilyn Rantz, Curators Professor Emerita of Nursing, at the University of Missouri Sinclair School of Nursing.

Rantz was recognized Saturday, Nov 10 at the annual Nurse of the Year Awards gala, presented by Maryville University, held annually to honor exceptional nurses.

Since 1992, Rantz has been pioneering work in nursing home care quality. Her career spans 35 years, first in practice, then as a leading researcher at MU. She is an internationally recognized expert in quality measurement in nursing homes and research programs to improve the quality of care of older people.

“It is wonderful to have my work recognized by March of Dimes,” Rantz said. “I’m really passionate about finding innovative ways to improve health care. That’s what gets me up in the morning.”

Rantz and her interdisciplinary research teams have received more than $80 million in funding to conduct research in long-term care, new delivery models of care for older adults, and most recently, for technology development to help older adults stay in their homes as they age. Much of this research is conducted at TigerPlace, a model of independent housing to enable older people to age in place through the end of life, maximizing independence and function.

The March of Dimes Nurse of the Year Awards gala was held at the Renaissance St. Louis Airport Hotel with a reception and dinner beginning at 6:00 p.m. The event was expected to draw more than 650 attendees while raising critical funds for March of Dimes.

Leading the event were co-chairs, Elizabeth Buck of Maryville University and Joan Smith of St. Louis Children’s Hospital, along with an Executive Leadership Team.

“We are proud and honored to be this year’s co-chairs of the Nurse of the Year Awards. March of Dimes does so much for our community through their advocacy, education and research programs.” Buck said.

A selection committee comprised of health care professionals reviewed the confidential nomination forms and announced the award finalists in 20 nursing specialty categories.

Funds raised by the Nurse of the Year Awards gala help support prenatal wellness programs, research grants, and neonatal intensive care unit family support and provide education and advocacy so that every baby can have the best possible start. Today, 1 in 10 babies is born too soon in the United States each year. March of Dimes is committed to working together to improve the health of every mom and baby.

 About March of Dimes

March of Dimes leads the fight for the health of all moms and babies. We support research, lead programs and provide education and advocacy so that every baby can have the best possible start. Building on a successful 80-year legacy of impact and innovation, we empower every mom and every family. Visit marchofdimes.org or nacersano.org for more information. Visit shareyourstory.org for comfort and support. Find us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram and Twitter.