Dr. Kathryn Sawchak, left, and Dr. Ann Hentzen Page, with The Woman’s Place, stand with the majority of their collective families, which total 14 children, in this May 8 photo in Hutchinson. While Sawchak and Page love their careers in gynecological medicine, both agree their most vital role is being a mother.

Hutchinson ? “My Child, You are the poem I dreamed of writing, The masterpiece I longed to paint, You are my shining star, You are my child. Now with all things I am blessed.”

-Author unknown, from a plaque Dr. Ann Hentzen Page has kept since the birth of her first child

After 5 p.m., step into the rear hallway of The Woman’s Place. “This is the back world,” jokes Dr. Kathryn Sawchak.

A hallway behind the examination room leads to many rooms, including a playroom and fenced-in outdoor area with basketball hoop.

Never mind that Sawchak and Dr. Ann Hentzen Page work full time specializing in women’s health care. On any day, one of them might be making the “Buhler run.”

Overseeing the 14 children they have between them takes strategic planning to get everyone to the right place on time. If Sawchak has an early-morning surgery, Hentzen Page will make the run. It varies from day to day.

While they love their careers in gynecological medicine, both agree: Their most vital role is being a mother.

Shared values

The two met while working in a residency program at Wichita’s Wesley Medical Center. Their partnership in Hutchinson began in 1999. When they began working with architects to design the building, the women insisted they have a playroom.

“You don’t need a playroom,” Sawchak recalled the male architects saying. “Look, we’re mothers; we know we need a playroom.”

They opened their practice 10 years ago, and both arrived at work with an infant in a carrier seat.

“It’s part of life,” Hentzen Page said, shrugging. She admits the job wouldn’t run as smoothly if she worked with someone who wasn’t into large families. Both insist they couldn’t have the careers they have if it wasn’t for the support of their husbands.

Hentzen Page, 46, grew up one of 10 children in south-central Kansas, raised by a mother who considered it a privilege to have children. Her husband, Jeff Page, works in computer technology, is the family organizer and is happy to cook for their flock. Their family of eight includes daughter Becca, 20, attending Notre Dame University; Jenni and Laura, 18-year-old twins and seniors at Hutchinson High School; Hannah, 16, at Buhler High School; Jared, 14, Hutchinson Middle School-8; Maddie, 13, HMS-7; Lance, 11, Prosperity School; and Colleen, 7 1/2, a student at Union Valley.

One of four daughters, Sawchak, 42, was raised in Houston. Her mother taught her girls the importance of being independent and having a career to provide for themselves and any family.

She married Dr. Erik Severud, an orthopedic surgeon, with Pinnacle Sports Medicine & Orthopaedics. His office is in the same building as The Woman’s Place, at 1818 E.23rd. Ave. They have six children. Daughter Karissa, 15, attends Buhler High School; Mariah, 13, attends Prairie Hills Middle School; Garrett, 10 1/2, is at Prosperity School; Collin, 8, and Gabriella, 6, both are at Union Valley; and Victoria, 4, attends preschool one day a week at Obee.

Because the clinic is in the Buhler school district, buses drop the younger ones off at the clinic most afternoons. By the end of the day, quite a few end up in the children’s room.

Family first

On a recent evening it appeared children were coming out of the woodwork, entering the conference room where Hentzen Page and Sawchak were meeting.

Younger ones climbed on their mother’s laps and hung out for a few minutes. Text messages were coming in from older children with cell phones.

“Cell phones, texting — that line of communication is very critical when you have so many going in different directions,” Sawchak said.

Severud passed by in the hallway, still in his scrubs, ready to head home. But not before taking the children, and a couple of Hentzen Pages, to pick up others at after-school activities.

He describes his wife as “the organization force” of their family. “We fit together much like two different pieces of a puzzle, that then helps to make the whole picture,” Severud said.

Being mothers augments their practice of women’s health. Up until August 2009, both women were delivering babies. While they both felt a great joy participating in the birth of more babies than either could count, they now like the fact that they have more time with their patients. And of course, time with their families.

They share the ups and downs of child rearing, not only with each other, but their patients. Both doctors have young patients who ask for advice on child rearing and in turn they ask for their share of advice on mothering from more experienced patients.

“Parenting is not for the weak,” Sawchak said, though she melts every night when she sees the angelic heads of her brood on their pillows.

Their large families aren’t all that unusual, even in a society where two children seem more the norm.

For every 34 mothers who stop at two, there are 28 who have three, four or more, said Steve Martin, a sociologist at the University of Maryland, in an article, “Family Size in America: Are Large Families Back?”

Back at The Woman’s Place, everyone has gone but Hentzen Page and Sawchak.

Soon they will head home, but neither will put their feet up and rest. Along with preparing food for the masses, and family time at the dinner table, they pencil in time for exercise. Both are runners and extol the virtues of staying fit.

“We are growing young,” Hentzen Page said, describing the five to seven miles she runs at night. “It has empowered us and given us control over our health.”