Award Celebrates Donor Judy Sitton

Judy Sitton (right) and her daughter, Holly, attend the beam signing event for the Enloe Health Gonzales Comprehensive Cancer Center in 2024.

“No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted” is an epigram attributed to Aesop, a Greek storyteller credited with writing fables like “The Lion and the Mouse.” Philanthropist Judy Lynn Sitton, 78, says it’s her favorite quote. It also represents what’s so special about her style of serving her community. Even when she’s busy making generous contributions, she never forgets the importance of being kind in everyday situations.

Sitton “always has a smile on her face and is always laughing,” said Kristina Bruns, Enloe Health’s Planetree Program Manager. “She always makes you feel inspired, like you want to do more. She lets everyone know they are important.”

Last year, Enloe Health presented Sitton with a recognition named in her honor: the Judy Sitton Legacy Award. Starting in 2025, the new award — one of four Spirit of Planetree Awards given to Enloe caregivers — recognizes an employee, physician or volunteer who has made transformative contributions to person-centered care through his or her deep empathy and compassion, patient advocacy, innovation, and influence.

“I’m still shocked,” Sitton said. “It’s an absolute delight.”

A Lifetime of Service

Since retiring in 2000 from SunGard Bi-Tech — the business she co-founded with her husband, which provided accounting software for nonprofit organizations — Sitton has given not only donations but also countless hours of service. She served Enloe Health for more than 20 years. That includes 10 years on the Enloe Health Board of Trustees and over seven years on the Enloe Health Foundation Board of Directors.

Philanthropy has “a rolling effect,” Sitton said. “It passes forward. Any time you can do that for a society or a group, you’ve increased the betterment of that group, and it’s an ongoing gift to both parties. And so what do you have to lose? Just jump in there and do whatever you can to help.”

Along with responsibilities of governance, Sitton took the lead in Enloe’s adoption of Planetree, a person-centered approach to health care that revolutionized the way Enloe serves its diverse population. As the chair of Enloe’s Planetree Leadership Team, Sitton oversaw initiatives that transformed the health system’s healing environment. She personally visited patients and caregivers to understand their needs. Then she took action, driving improvements to the patient menu, access to healing arts and soothing live music, the creation of the White Rose program, and more. In the White Rose program, caregivers post a picture of the flower on the door when a patient may be near the end of his or her life, letting staff know they should exercise additional sensitivity in the room.

In recognition of Sitton’s community contributions, the California State University Board of Trustees bestowed upon her an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters in 2003. California State University, Chico, honored her with the Distinguished Alumni Service Award in 2007 and the College of Business Long-Term Friend Award in 2003.

Making Meaningful Change

“If people were more like Judy, people would learn that everyone matters in the health care system, that empathy and compassion are foundational, and that authentic communication drives meaningful change,” Bruns said. “People would learn that, when we lead with heart and humanity, we don’t just create better systems. We create a better world.”

If you are exploring how to help your community, Sitton would like to encourage you. “Go do something in an area that you love,” she said. “Take a chance, and don’t wait for somebody to come to you. Offer your support.”