From the time Mindie Bailie was born in 1963 with multiple heart defects, she was a frequent patient at Riley Hospital for Children. She underwent one of the very first open heart surgeries ever performed at Riley. Inspired by her experience, Mindie earned her nursing degree and returned to Riley to work as a nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit. Mindie was dedicated not only to providing quality care to her patients, but also to providing emotional support to the families of those patients who, like her own parents years before, were afraid, confused and often long distances away from family and friends.

Mindie died in 2001. To honor Mindie’s dedication to Riley and her profession, her family and friends established the Mindie Bailie Memorial Fund.  The Mindie Bailie Memorial Fund supports The Red Shoes Award Program at Riley Hospital for Children . This program gives families the opportunity to recognize physicians, staff and volunteers’ accomplishments and contributions to family-centered care.

The program was inspired by the book Hannah’s Gift. Within the pages of Hannah’s Gift, Maria Housden shares lessons in living she received from her three-year-old daughter Hannah.
During the last year of her short life, Hannah was fearless in the way she faced death and the way she approached living. The little girl who wore her favorite red Mary Jane shoes into the operating room changed the life of everyone who came in contact with her. Hannah actually helped health care professionals better understand how to make their patients feel welcomed, involved, respected and nurtured.

Nomination Form

The Red Shoes Award Program recognizes outstanding accomplishments and contributions to Family-Centered Care at Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health. The award has two types of recognition. Each year, one resident physician will be selected for the annual Red Shoes Award and be recognized at graduation in June. In addition, all staff members and volunteers who are nominated for the Red Shoes Award will receive monthly recognition.

Please complete our online nomination form to nominate a physician, staff member or volunteer.

Contact Information

Susan Henderson-Sears
699 Riley Hospital Drive, RR 208
Indianapolis, IN 46202-5119
Phone: 317.274.4716
Fax: 317. 274.2065
suhender@iupui.edu