Donor Spotlight: Jeanne Fields
After 36 years as a nurse in St. Louis, Jeanne Fields knows what it means to care for people. For decades, she has spent her days helping patients and their families, including working 25 years in the ICU. But a few years ago, that calling expanded far beyond the walls of her hospital—and all the way to Uganda.
Today, Jeanne is one of the greatest champions of Sister Lucy from Uganda. Through faith, friendship, and an annual fundraiser affectionately known as the “Nun Run,” she has rallied family, friends, coworkers, and even strangers to help save lives half a world away.
A Friendship That Changed Everything
Jeanne’s connection to Sister Lucy began in 2013, when her daughter, Hilary, a student at Rockhurst University in Kansas City at the time, traveled to Uganda on a medical mission trip with her class. One evening, Hilary met Sister Lucy while taking a walk. The two sat and talked for more than an hour, beginning a friendship that would continue for years.
In 2019, after Hilary became engaged, she invited Sister Lucy to St. Louis for the wedding, and Jeanne’s family paid for her to travel from Uganda. During her visit, the family discovered that Sister Lucy was nearly blind from severe cataracts. Through connections in St. Louis, one of the area’s top eye surgeons donated surgery, restoring her sight.
“You can’t meet Sister Lucy and not instantly fall in love with her,” Jeanne says.
Sister Lucy stayed with Jeanne’s family for three months. She became especially close to Jeanne’s father, who took her to daily Mass and affectionately became “Grandpa” to her. When he passed away in 2022, part of the memorial gifts he left behind helped launch a dream that Sister Lucy had long carried—a health clinic to serve her community in Uganda.
“What began in a tent has grown into a thriving health center with dedicated Ugandan medical professionals who are saving lives every day. They have the medications and qualified staff with strong skills,” Jeanne says. “Sister Lucy just needed the resources to make it happen.”
Becoming a Next Level Champion with SRW
Seven years ago, Jeanne started an annual Nun Run in St. Louis to support Sister Lucy’s work. For the past four years, all funds have gone directly to support Sister Lucy’s health clinic and serve those most in need of healthcare in Uganda. Jeanne’s Nun Run has become a powerful example of what one person can do when they invite others into a Sister’s story. Each year, between 75 and 125 runners and walkers participate, and the event consistently raises around $30,000 through gifts from family, friends, coworkers, and businesses.
“This whole thing shocks me,” Jeanne says. “People seem to send money at just the right time. It’s amazing how God makes good things happen.”
However, for years, getting support to Sister Lucy's ministry in Uganda was one of Jeanne's greatest challenges. Funds often had to move through multiple channels, creating delays, added costs, and uncertainty. Sometimes Jeanne waited months for gifts to arrive. Then Sister Lucy connected with Sisters Rising Worldwide, whose systems are designed specifically to help Sisters receive support securely, efficiently, and transparently while giving donors confidence that their gifts are reaching the communities they intend to serve. This year, Jeanne launched a peer-to-peer fundraising page through SRW, making it easier than ever for friends, family, coworkers, and supporters across the country to join her mission. The results have been remarkable. Jeanne's fundraising for Sister Lucy nearly doubled, accelerating construction, providing staff housing, and bringing lifesaving care to more families.
“Best thing ever,” Jeanne says. “We would never have gotten all this construction done on the clinic without SRW and at such a fast pace. Their systems and models to support the Sisters make it possible.” Jeanne says SRW has allowed her to spend less time worrying about how resources will reach Uganda and more time inviting others into Sister Lucy's story. Though she laughs about the amount of work involved, Jeanne wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I will never give up raising funds for Sister Lucy,” she says. “I don’t know what I would be doing that’s more meaningful than this.”
But Jeanne’s passion extends beyond Sister Lucy.
“All the Sister projects on SRW’s website are important—just as important as Sister Lucy’s,” she says. “The Sisters and the people they serve are only one flight away from us. They’re just like us. Every other Sister should have an advocate like me,” Jeanne says.
“Jeanne embodies what is possible when one person says yes,” says Sister Irene O’Neill, CSJ, Founder and CEO of Sisters Rising Worldwide. “We are so fortunate to have her as a Sister advocate and such a devoted champion for Sister Lucy and her community in Uganda. Jeanne has not only helped raise critical resources—she has invited countless others on the journey. We need more champions like Jeanne, because every Sister deserves someone who believes in her mission and helps bring others alongside.”
Jeanne credits her heart for generosity to her parents and grandparents. “They always served others,” she says. “They never turned anyone away, and that always stuck with me.” Today, she is passing that same spirit to her children and grandchildren. Her grandchildren know Sister Lucy personally, sing songs with her over FaceTime, and are even hosting a lemonade stand at the Nun Run to support the Sisters.
When she is not organizing fundraisers or checking in with Uganda, Jeanne enjoys horseback trail riding and spending time with her family. But for now, she is focused on executing the 2026 Nun Run. Want to support Jeanne’s Nun Run for Sister Lucy? You can do so online here.
Every Sister Needs a Champion
Jeanne’s story reminds us that changing lives starts with one relationship, one invitation, and one person willing to say yes. Today, more than 100 Sister-led projects around the world are seeking support through Sisters Rising Worldwide.
Who might you become a champion for?
Explore Sister-led projects online and email us to create your own peer-to-peer fundraising page for friends, family, and your community to join you in supporting a Sister-led project.
