Provena Health Mission Moments

Diversity Quotes of the Month: September

2011-09-01T15:56:00.002-05:00

Diversity Quotes of the Month

September 2011:
National Hispanic Heritage Month (Sep 15-Oct 15)
Healthy Aging Month

"I love the diversity of America. I love the plain, normal sense of humor Americans have. It is not wicked, like in some countries. And I also love how new America is." -- Antonio Banderas

"Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it's time to pause and reflect." -- Mark Twain

Learn more about Provena's Commitment to Diversity.

"Spirit of Teens" Mentoring Program a Success at Provena

2011-08-23T16:01:00.000-05:00

Last year, "Spirit of Teens" - a mentoring program for high school and college students - was launched at Provena's ministries in the Kankakee area. The program provides internships and opportunities for young adults to assist in various departments throughout Provena St. Mary's Hospital and Provena Life Connections, which includes Provena Adult Day Center, Provena Fortin Villa Learning Center, Provena Heritage Village, Provena Heritage Lodge, and Provena Our Lady of Victory. Story continues after video.

"Spirit of Teens is a wonderful way to develop leadership skills and to earn community service hours," explains Ronda Bond, director of Volunteer Services at Provena St. Mary's Hospital. "The combined efforts of our teens and their professional mentors demonstrate Provena's dedication to our community."

Deborah Stampanato, administrative director at Provena Fortin Villa Learning Center (daycare for children age six weeks to 12 years), has mentored several volunteers. "This program (Spirit of Teens) provides students with the unique opportunity to interact and connect with professionals while they are learning job-related skills that will enhance career choices."

Megan Selvey, a member of Spirit of Teens, echoed Stampanato's observation. "I will definitely take the skills that I have learned and use them in my future opportunities." Selvey interned in the Provena Fortin Villa Learning Center.

Depending on their interests, efforts are made to place students in the areas that align with their career goals - from obstetrics to marketing to pediatrics. For example, Kasi Berry plans to become an OB nurse and interned in the Family Birthing Center at Provena St. Mary's Hospital. She said, "It was a one-of-a-kind opportunity to learn what my future job as an OB nurse will be like."

One of the many success stories from the program occurred at Provena Our Lady of Victory. Robin Gifford, R.N., W.C.C., N.H.A., administrator, explains. "One of our CNAs (certified nursing assistant) mentored a young student who was studying to become a CNA. After she completed her internship, we offered her a full-time position, which she accepted. Now, we're encouraging her to go back to school to become a nurse. It has been a wonderful experience for everyone."

Debbie Caise, R.N., B.S.N., patient care manager for Outpatient Surgery/Post-Anesthesia Recovery/Special Procedures Center at Provena St. Mary's Hospital, welcomes the young volunteers to her departments. "It is very refreshing to see our world through their eyes. It brings a smile to my face and makes me remember when I was just like them, and doing the least little thing meant so much - like holding a patient's hand or checking a patient's blood pressure."

Nicole Rzyski interned in Outpatient Surgery and said, "I learned a lot that I didn't realize about how Outpatient Surgery and post-op work."

Rachel Fritz agrees. "My internship in the Surgical Recovery Room gave me a lot of experience. All of the nurses were great teachers and mentors."

In addition to hands-on experience, Ashlee Demack's efforts in Outpatient Surgery helped define the direction of her career. "Interning in this unit helped me decide to become a surgical nurse. It was a life-changing experience."

There are many volunteer opportunities beyond the hospital. Kimberly Mead, social events coordinator/volunteer coordinator at Provena Heritage Village, praised the benefits of interaction between the teens and senior residents. "They enjoy getting to know each other. I've heard teen volunteers ask the seniors about 'the good ol' days' and about their hobbies 'back then.' Likewise, I've heard our senior residents ask the teens about their interests and plans for the future. The friendships that have grown between the two generations are priceless."

Rebecca Barney, R.N., BS, GC, administrator, Provena Adult Day Center (care for adults during daytime hours), compliments the joy that the Spirit of Teens volunteers bring to the clients of her ministry as well. "It's great to see the teens enjoy the companionship of our (senior) clients and vice versa. The two generations help each other learn new things."

Alyssa Brack completed her internship at the Provena Adult Day Center and reflected on her time there. "It was a fantastic experience. I already miss going (to Provena Adult Day Center) and helping out."

Bond concludes, "The students who participate in Spirit of Teens are the future of healthcare in our community. It's wonderful to see how much they learn and grow during the time that they are with us."

To learn more about the Provena Kankakee Regional Spirit of Teens program, call Volunteer Services at Provena St. Mary's Hospital at (815) 937-2479, or go to www.provena.org/stmarys. Join Provena St. Mary's Hospital on Facebook at www.facebook.com/provenastmarys.

Provena Mercy Hosts Third Annual ADHD Camp with Special Guests

2011-08-16T09:18:00.000-05:00

It appears to be your ordinary summer camp, fun in the sun, children laughing and enjoying one another's company, special games, recreational activities and even arts and crafts.

But, as you take a closer look, this camp is anything but ordinary. Designed specifically to help those with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Provena Mercy Medical Center held its third annual ADHD camp.

A disorder that affects up to 10 percent of school aged children, ADHD can coexist with other learning disorders. This camp was designed to help children and their families live with attention deficit disorders and learning disabilities so they can have fuller and happier lives.

Children from various areas in the western suburbs joined in on the fun by participating in activities matched by the educational guidelines of Illinois that helped improve their self-esteem and social, communication and problem solving skills.

"We want to make sure camp is a positive experience for everyone. At camp, they learn life skills that will ultimately help them at home, with friends and in the classroom while making it fun for them," said Connie Parr, Camp Director.

The majority of the camp was funded by scholarships which included two from the Kane/Kendall Learning Disabilities Association and donations from Provena Medical Center Employees.

Camp goers enjoyed several skill building activities including time with Pet Therapy dogs where they learned how they are trained, walked them along the "Mercy Mile" and of course the chance to pet, hug and play with the dogs. Using their creative side, camp members made recycled notebooks out of cardboard, shoestring and beads and took time out of each day to journal in the peaceful healing garden setting. They made cities out of cardboard boxes, decorated flower pots, and many other activities constructed to teach them social, communication and team building skills to be used throughout life.

On the last day of camp, the camp attendees got a special surprise visit from the Kane County Cougars and Ozzie, the team mascot. Armed with goodie bags for everyone, the Cougars interacted with the children, signed autographs, posed for photos and helped spread excitement and cheer to all who attended.

Open heart surgery changes nurse’s life

2011-08-03T12:02:00.001-05:00

As seen in the Aurora Beacon News

Jo Volkening has spent most of her adult life working in health care. But it wasn’t until she heard a few simple words that her life and career changed forever: “You’ll be going in for heart surgery within 6 months.”

After hearing that news, “my knees went weak,” said Volkening, an RN in Provena Mercy Medical Center’s Cardiac Rehabilitation Department. “It hits you like a ton of bricks. Open heart surgery is about the biggest surgery you’ll ever face.”

Volkening says this life-changing event was the key determinant in her decision to work as a cardiac rehab nurse. Her own experience as a patient in rehabilitation was so powerful, that she felt a calling to help others through this extraordinary process.

Volkening started as a paramedic, then worked as a medical assistant before becoming a nurse. She discovered at age 20 that she had a heart murmur, and later learned of a leaky valve, known in clinical terms as a mitral regurgitation. When a physician told her that her murmur was a “Grade 4,” she was scheduled for surgery to repair the valve.

“I was 49 years old and had no symptoms,” she said. As an avid bicyclist, exercise enthusiast and health care provider, she says, she’s been committed to health her whole life.

And although she trained to be in peak physical condition prior to surgery in order to cope with the physical trauma, “I came out of that surgery feeling like road kill. It takes 100 percent of your stamina,” she said. “I didn’t realize what a significant event open heart surgery was going to be.”

Her time spent as a hospital patient changed the way she practiced nursing.

“There were things that happened to me in the hospital — things the nurses said to me that I used to say to patients. And I thought, ‘I will never say that to a patient again,’” she said. “And there were other things that nurses did for me that were so soothing and meaningful. I said to myself, ‘I will do that for patients from now on.’“

Volkening believes that her experience helps her relate to patients, set them at ease and provides an added level of trust.

“So many times I see patients who are struggling with loss of control,” she said.

With open heart surgery, there is a 40 percent chance of depression. Patients suffer losses, they’re isolated, and can’t drive.

“I tell people I have a scar, too. I’ve been through this,” she said. “I feel so privileged to be with people in this significant event. I work in a place where you can be so intimate with people on a one-to-one basis. There’s no job like it.”

But why choose to work in rehab rather than as an ICU or surgical nurse?

Volkening says that she’s drawn to the positive aspects of rehab, both as a former patient and as a nurse.

“I used to look forward to rehab,” she said. “Every time I went, I saw progress. Every time I went, I knew I was getting better. I was getting out of the house and felt less isolated. I made friends there. We joked, we told our stories, we compared our scars.”

Exercise is a powerful antidepressant, Volkening says.

“When you exercise, your body releases endorphins,” she said. “You feel better. We all left rehab feeling stronger.”

Moreover, cardiac rehab puts patients in a positive environment with people who love and care for the patients, she said.

“The most important determinant of cardiac health is the feeling of being loved and cared for. And that’s the mission here at Provena Mercy,” Volkening said.

What sets Provena Mercy apart, says Volkening, “is that we are committed to making a connection with the people who walk through this door. You’re not a number. People come in kicking and screaming because they don’t want to exercise, and when they walk out, they don’t’ want to leave. They’re so grateful for us helping to make them stronger.”

For Sale: Chapel Benches from the Motherhouse of the Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart

2011-07-21T16:08:00.002-05:00

The congregation at the Motherhouse of the Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart is in the process of renovating our Motherhouse Chapel and one of the projects will include replacing all of the chapel benches. The benches very in size and condition.

The price of each bench is $30 regardless of the size and is sold AS IS, no returns, no refunds. If you are interested in viewing/selecting for purchase any of the benches, please come to the main entrance of the Motherhouse on one of the following dates/times:

Friday, July 22, 1 – 3 p.m.
Saturday, July 23, 9:30 a.m. - Noon
Monday, August 1, Noon – 2 p.m. 6 – 8 p.m.

Location: 9201 West Saint Francis Road, Frankfort, IL

Your selections/s will be labeled with your name, address, and phone number. First come, first serve! Payment for benches is due at the time at pick-up.

Due to the fact that our Motherhouse Chapel will be used for Community Events until August 7, the bench/benches MUST be picked up in the chapel on either August 10 or 11 between the hours of 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. OR 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

PLEASE NOTE: You must bring your own crew to carry out and load the bench/benches you have purchased. There will not be staff on hand to assist.

NO BENCHES will be held at the Motherhouse after these dates because renovation will begin immediately. Any unclaimed benches will be disposed of after August 11.

If you have any questions, please contact us through e-mail or phone:
Sister Mary Mark
email: SrMaryMarkS@aol.com
ph: 815-464-3842

13 Inches for Locks of Love

2011-07-19T08:00:00.001-05:00

If you've walked into Suite 310 of the Provena Life Connections corporate office lately, you may have noticed a change. No, it’s not a new paint color on the wall or a new print hanging above the chair – it’s the hair length of Kim Golias, receptionist for Provena Life Connections!

But it wasn’t just an average hair cut – Kim donated her hair (13 inches) to Locks of Love. This is the second time Kim has done this in her life – the first time was in 2006.

“Sometimes, when you’re having those ‘I can’t’ moments in life, it’s important to examine your life and think of what you can do, no matter how simple it may be. Once you do that, your attitude and entire outlook on life changes, and then everybody benefits.” said Kim.

Kim began growing out a “horrible, short, layered haircut” three years ago, and once it all grew to one length, she decided to grow it out once again for Locks of Love.

“I think everyone should consider growing out their hair and donating it simply because they can,” said Kim. “Locks of Love mostly helps children who have lost their hair due to alopecia areata, which has no known cause or cure. It takes six to ten ponytails to make a wig, so the more donations the better!”

For more information on how you can donate your hair to Locks of Love, visit http://www.locksoflove.org/.

Submitted by Allyson Vis, Provena Life Connections

From Patient to Employee

2011-07-18T15:41:00.000-05:00

Some of our employees tell us it was the great care they or a family member recieved at one of our hospitals that prompted them to apply for a job with Provena. Here is one such story:

I was sick some years back, diagnosed with cancer. After I went through chemotherapy, I noticed I had a hard time breathing. So I came to Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center through the Emergency Department and was admitted for at least a week and a half.

Within that week, I received the best care from the staff, and even found a great Oncologist. I had surgery and was told my trouble breathing was a reaction from chemotherapy, which left me with lung fibrosis. If I did not go to Provena, I would have not been writing this now!

As a result of the great care I received, I loved the hospital and all of my caregivers so much that I applied for a job here! I have been with Provena almost four years now! I never got a chance to say thanks!

Letter to the Editor: Thanks for great care

2011-06-24T09:06:00.000-05:00

From the DANVILLE COMMERCIAL NEWS
June 21, 2011

On June 1, I awoke from my afternoon nap to find my mother, Marjorie Egger, at my door with an odd look on her face.

My Mom, ever-reluctant to visit her own family doctor, herself, said to me, “I think I need to go to the hospital.” And she walked away into the other room.

My jaw dropped. I didn’t ask, I didn’t question, I didn’t pause. I jumped out of bed, got dressed as fast as I could, and rushed into the other room praying I wouldn’t find her lying on the floor unconscious.

She was sitting on the couch gasping for breath holding one side. She asked me to call 911, which I did. We ended up in the emergency room at Provena United Samaritans Medical Center from 5:30 to 8 p.m. when she was admitted to Provena’s intensive care unit.

She was at Provena a total of eight days with a serious case of pneumonia. Doctors told us later the EMT call — and their quick response — very likely saved Mom’s life. The professionalism, efficiency and compassion that we saw and experienced there that day — and that I have experienced there many times before that — will stay with me forever. And, I expect, with my Mom, too.

She is home recovering now, getting stronger every day, due largely to the efforts of these wonderful people, who have already sent her a “Get Well” card — which everyone working on her floor signed.

I have heard it said you cannot get good medical care in Danville. Well, we certainly got it here June 1!

Adriene J. Egger, Danville

Employee raises over $2,000 for Will-Grundy Medical Clinic

2011-06-22T14:35:00.002-05:00

For the second year in a row, Information Services employee Jan Sobun put out the challenge to her Technology Center colleagues - make a donation to the Will-Grundy Medical Clinic in honor of your favorite baseball team, and she will wear that team's jersey to the Crosstown Classic on June 22 (at US Cellular Field).

Once again, Cubs fans came out in droves, and Sox fan Jan has to wear Cubbie Blue!

The final count was Cubs = $675 and Sox = $395. With other donations, Jan raised a total of $2,015 to support the Will-Grundy Medical Clinic! WAY TO GO, JAN!!

Meet Our System R.I.S.E. Award Winner for Excellence: Emma Limpin [Video]

2011-06-22T11:55:00.002-05:00

Every day, employees and physicians across the Provena Health system are guided by their mission to build communities of healing and hope by compassionately responding to human need in the spirit of Jesus Christ. Expanding upon the faith and heritage of its founding religious congregations, Provena Health also commits itself to four values - Respect, Integrity, Stewardship and Excellence (R.I.S.E.) - which flow from its mission and identity as a Catholic healthcare ministry.

Each year, Provena Health employees have an opportunity to nominate fellow employees or physicians whom they feel best live out these values in their daily work as part of the system's annual R.I.S.E. award competition. Four local winners were chosen at each Provena hospital ministry, as well as Provena Life Connections, Provena Medical Group and the Provena Corporate Offices. From this distinguished group, four overall system winners were selected.

Excellence
Emma Limpin
Senior Physical Therapist
Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center, Joliet

"Emma is a great leader who leads by example and shows staff the importance of going the extra mile to get things done," wrote a co-worker. "Emma is always striving to exceed the expectations of her patients and co-workers, and approaches her job as sacred work. She also recognizes the great work of others through encouragement and positive feedback in addition to planning staff events for the department so all can be recognized for their efforts."

Meet Our System R.I.S.E. Award Winner for Stewardship: Dr. Robert Foody [Video]

2011-06-21T16:02:00.001-05:00

Every day, employees and physicians across the Provena Health system are guided by their mission to build communities of healing and hope by compassionately responding to human need in the spirit of Jesus Christ. Expanding upon the faith and heritage of its founding religious congregations, Provena Health also commits itself to four values - Respect, Integrity, Stewardship and Excellence (R.I.S.E.) - which flow from its mission and identity as a Catholic healthcare ministry.

Each year, Provena Health employees have an opportunity to nominate fellow employees or physicians whom they feel best live out these values in their daily work as part of the system's annual R.I.S.E. award competition. Four local winners were chosen at each Provena hospital ministry, as well as Provena Life Connections, Provena Medical Group and the Provena Corporate Offices. From this distinguished group, four overall system winners were selected. (Stay tuned for videos on the rest of our winners!)

Stewardship
Dr. Robert Foody
Ophthalmologist
Provena Mercy Medical Center, Aurora

"Dr. Robert Foody is a skilled professional, a caring and compassionate physician, and an excellent example of caring for patients in a mission-based environment," states one of the nomination forms submitted on his behalf. "Since the opening of the Center for Diabetic Wellness at Provena Mercy Medical Center, Dr. Foody, an ophthalmologist, has generously volunteered his talent and time to provide free eye exams to patients without access to care. He gives of himself without expectation and lives our mission. He is most deserving of this honor."

Meet Our System R.I.S.E. Award Winner for Integrity: Jessica Schuler [Video]

2011-06-20T16:00:00.001-05:00

Every day, employees and physicians across the Provena Health system are guided by their mission to build communities of healing and hope by compassionately responding to human need in the spirit of Jesus Christ. Expanding upon the faith and heritage of its founding religious congregations, Provena Health also commits itself to four values - Respect, Integrity, Stewardship and Excellence (R.I.S.E.) - which flow from its mission and identity as a Catholic healthcare ministry.

Each year, Provena Health employees have an opportunity to nominate fellow employees or physicians whom they feel best live out these values in their daily work as part of the system's annual R.I.S.E. award competition. Four local winners were chosen at each Provena hospital ministry, as well as Provena Life Connections, Provena Medical Group and the Provena Corporate Offices. From this distinguished group, four overall system winners were selected. (Stay tuned for videos on the rest of our winners!)

Integrity
Jessica Schuler
Receptionist
Provena Fox Knoll, Aurora

"Jessica exemplifies integrity because she is trustworthy, hardworking, maintains confidentiality and always presents a positive image of our ministry," wrote a co-worker. "She is also very professional and confidential with phone calls, protecting the privacy of residents and their families and doing so very courteously. We at Provena Fox Knoll are very fortunate to have her on our team."

Meet our System R.I.S.E. Award Winner for Respect: Roy Mall [Video]

2011-06-19T15:56:00.000-05:00

Every day, employees and physicians across the Provena Health system are guided by their mission to build communities of healing and hope by compassionately responding to human need in the spirit of Jesus Christ. Expanding upon the faith and heritage of its founding religious congregations, Provena Health also commits itself to four values - Respect, Integrity, Stewardship and Excellence (R.I.S.E.) - which flow from its mission and identity as a Catholic healthcare ministry.

Each year, Provena Health employees have an opportunity to nominate fellow employees or physicians whom they feel best live out these values in their daily work as part of the system's annual R.I.S.E. award competition. Four local winners were chosen at each Provena hospital ministry, as well as Provena Life Connections, Provena Medical Group and the Provena Corporate Offices. From this distinguished group, four overall system winners were selected. (Stay tuned for videos on the rest of our winners!)

Respect
Roy Mall
Education Assistant, Clinical Education
Provena Covenant Medical Center, Urbana

A co-worker who nominated Roy wrote: "Roy is a presence felt by many at Provena Covenant. He approaches all with a smile and a helping hand no matter how big or small the project or issue at hand. Roy's dedication expands to our community as well, as he is a board member of Abbeyfield, USA, which develops senior housing. He is also a CPR instructor, a skill he teaches to Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts in Central Illinois."

Support for Joplin, MO tornado victims

2011-05-25T16:15:00.002-05:00

Emergency response teams across Provena Health, like the one shown above
from Provena St. Mary's Hospital in Kankakee, prepare year-round to ensure
our ministries are ready to care for all those in their time of need. Learn more.

As you have probably heard by now, St. John's Regional Medical Center in Joplin, MO, was devastated by the fatal tornado that struck the town on Sunday, May 22.

St. John's is a ministry of Mercy Health System headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, one of Provena Health's three sponsoring congregations.

In solidarity with our Mercy counterparts in Joplin, Provena Health is donating $5,000 to the Mercy Foundation for Health Innovation, Joplin Tornado Relief Fund. Many local Provena ministries are also planning various ways for employees to support the relief efforts.

"Please accept my personal gratitude for the prayers and financial support. Let your team know how meaningful it is to people here in Joplin when they hear their healthcare colleagues across the country are rallying in support of their needs," said Lynn Britton, President & Chief Executive Officer, Sisters of Mercy Health System, in response.

You can support the Tornado Relief efforts by making a secure online donation on the Mercy Foundation web site.

Employees ‘VEG’ out for National Employee Health and Fitness Day!

2011-05-18T16:52:00.000-05:00

With the conclusion of our Bottom Line Challenge and National Employee Health and Fitness Day, eating right and exercising has definitely been on many of our employees minds this week. What better way to celebrate reaching our goals or maintaining healthy habits than to have a 30 minute walk around the beautiful grounds at the Frankfort corporate office! The weather cooperated with us and a surprise guest came to chat it up with the employees that walked. Donned in a costume that was the most muscular ear of corn you could imagine, I started the walk with the employees chuckling as the followed me.

As Captain Cornelius bellowed to all the participants to make sure to eat their veggies, a few employees tried to butter him up with pats on the back and cheers. The group of about 25 employees circled the grounds for a ½ hour enjoying the cooler weather, easy conversation and wondering when I would overheat the corn costume and turn into popcorn!

Thanks to all who participated in the walk! We had several other walkers participate on their own time and our percentage from the Frankfort office jumped up from the number that came out last year. I am so proud of all the changes and efforts many have made in their diet and exercise regimen over the past few months. Congrats on making those healthy changes! Thanks also to Provena Health for providing us this opportunity for a little excitement and adventure during our work day. I sincerely appreciate the time given to keep me on my fitness journey.

Special thanks to Mark Schneidewind from the Will County Farm Bureau and the Corn Growers of America for the loan of the costume. I don’t know who had more fun with it, the employees when they first saw it or me and a few helpers trying to get me stuffed into the suit! It was a ‘corny’ addition to our always fun walk!

By Karen Condon, Provena Life Connections

Read more about Karen's journey as a participant in the American Heart Association / Provena Mercy Medical Center / Provena Saint Joseph Hospital Better U Challenge!

Celebrating Nurses / Hospital / Nursing Home Weeks

2011-05-06T13:17:00.003-05:00

At Provena Health, we strive to be known for clinical and service excellence, and to be the preferred choice based on responsiveness to community needs, quality, value and innovation. Thanks in no small part to the dedication of our expert team of employees, physicians and volunteers, we are successful in that goal. In fact, over the last year, our ministries have been celebrated nationally for providing exemplary patient and resident care to those we serve.

As we celebrate National Nurses' Week (May 6-12) and National Hospital Week (May 8-14) and National Nursing Home Week (May 8-14), we pause to reflect on the important contributions the members of our talented and caring staff make each day on behalf of those who depend on us during their time of need. Whether serving at the bedside, in a home or skilled care setting, in a variety of supportive care services, or behind the scenes in an office environment, each of our nearly 10,448 employees works daily to fulfill the promise that is our Mission: to build communities of healing and hope by compassionately responding to human need in the spirit of Jesus Christ. Without them, our Mission and ministry simply could not exist.

Egg-Citing Eggercise Hunt Helps Employees Stay Active

2011-04-08T12:38:00.000-05:00

How do you have fun at work, keep in shape and celebrate Easter? If you work for Provena Life Connections, you have an Egg-Citing Eggercise Hunt!

Since I am the wellness leader for Mokena and Frankfort, I wanted to help people stay on course of making a healthy lifestyle change during our Bottom Line Challenge (annual healthy lifestyle competition for all Provena employees). When my supervisor, Denise Nichols, said she wanted to do something fun for the employees and bring together our two offices, I jumped at the chance to plan a Healthy Easter Egg Hunt.

With the help of Linda Nelson and Anne Swientek, we were able to put together a fun event that brought us back to the days of our childhood!

Almost 30 people came out to find over 200 eggs hidden on the Hickory Creek trail at the Frankfort campus. All participants walked over a mile trying to locate the brightly colored eggs that were scattered throughout the trail. At the start, some employees let out their inner child as they ran to collect the plastic treasures. Each employee was then able to turn in their eggs for healthy snacks. Each egg garnered them a piece of fruit, granola bar, fruit roll ups, sugar free drink mix or pack of sugar free gum. After claiming their prizes, we had an additional raffle in which each employee was a winner. From insulated lunch totes to umbrellas to fitness DVD’s, everyone left the event with a smile on their face.

With the turnout and feedback we received, we are hoping this will become an annual event!

Karen Condon
Provena Life Connections

Talented Employees: Deborah Weaver

2011-04-06T14:41:00.000-05:00

Deborah Weaver, Pharmacy Tech at Provena Saint Joseph Hosptail in Elgin, also spends time as the Volunteer Art Teacher at The Dundee Senior Center in Carpentersville, spending Tuesday mornings working with artists as well as leading monthly workshops.

Provena Employees Raise Money for Causes Close to their Hearts

2011-04-01T14:33:00.000-05:00

It is unusual for anyone to go through life without at some time or another being affected by the disease, but my family and I have found themselves facing maybe a little more than their share of cancer. My mother passed away from lung cancer, my brother had throat cancer and my mother-in-law had lymphoma. When we asked for help, the American Cancer Society gave help and they didn't ask for anything, not one thing.

For the past three years, my three daughters and I have donated our time and energy to the local Relay for Life to support the ACS. I began participating in the Relay in Frankfort and Mokena because of a fellow Provena employee, Maggie Wolff. This year will be my first as the local event Chair.

It's an event that gives everyone in the community a chance to celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost and fight back against the disease. The solemn luminaria ceremony after sunset is the only one of its kind at Relay for Life. A bag is lit for every loss to cancer and names are read aloud to the sound of bagpipes. The rest of the night is intended to be an uplifting celebration.

If you've ever been to a Relay it is just unbelievable. The spirits, the healing, the camaraderie. It's just unbelievable.

Jackie Rosinski
Provena Health Central Business Office

My daughter Katlyn was diagnosed more than seven years ago with Lupus, and my niece Rachel was also diagnosed with Lupus in February of this year, which makes our efforts and involvement with the Lupus Foundation that much more meaningful.

I am the team captain for Katlyn's Quest for the third year in a row and this is my second year as a member of the planning committee for the South Suburbs Walk For Lupus Now event. I also make homemade wine, "Wine For Lupus Now", and sold 200 bottles last year to raise money for the walk. My goal is to sell 400 bottles this year. My brother-in-law (Rachel's father) and I also started the annual "Links Fore Lupus" golf outing last year, which we are planning again for later this spring.

Before Katlyn's diagnosis, we had never heard of Lupus and had no idea what the disease was. It didn't take long for us to find out and to seek help from the Illinois Chapter of Lupus Foundation of America. They are an invaluable resource to us as well as for thousands of Lupus patients in Illinois. Since Katlyn's diagnosis, my primary goal has been to increase awareness of the disease and to raise funds for research.

John Velliquette
Provena Health Information Services

Bourbonnais letter carrier delivers assistance

2011-03-18T15:49:00.000-05:00

Elderly woman rescued after fall

By Dennis Yohnka
As seen in the Kankakee Daily Journal

Wayne Kelln, a Bourbonnais letter carrier, doesn’t consider himself a hero.

Maybe the Rev. Deborah Bell, of the College Church of the Nazarene, would say that. And Mabel Anthony, who lives on Kelln’s route, would say it to his face if he stopped in her room at Provena St. Mary’s Hospital.

But Kelln will tell you that he’s just an "observant" guy. And he pays a little extra attention to his elderly customers, especially those who live alone.

"Something didn’t feel right Wednesday, when I stopped at her house," he said of Anthony.

"So I called my supervisor to see if someone could check on her."

Kelln used his instinct and a remarkable memory to apprise his boss of the situation. He remembered that Anthony started using a cane lately, so he thought there was a chance she lost her balance and fell. He also noted that he met her on a route he worked two years ago.

"I recalled seeing her volunteering at the College Church of the Nazarene," he said. "So I told the supervisor that maybe he should check there."

Kelln was right. When Pastor Bell answered that call, she went right to the Anthony house.

"She was too weak to call for help," she said. "She could barely talk. I think she was dehydrated."

The Rev. Bell called 911, and paramedics took Anthony to the trauma center at Provena St. Mary's Hospital. She was treated and admitted. As of Friday, she expected to stay on for a few more days while she regained her
strength and underwent some physical therapy.

"I’ve done this for 25 years (worked for the U.S. Postal Service) and I’ve been involved in things like this before," Kelln said. "Our union magazine is always running stories like this. I’m not that special."

But Anthony will beg to differ. She was too weak to say much Friday, but she did suggest that Kelln was "the best mailman I ever had."

Kelln, though, considers himself to be just one small part of a community safety net. "I can be observant without being nosy," he said. "I notice when a car hasn't been moved for several days. And I always pay a little extra attention to the elderly when it's cold. It’s just part of the job."

The Daily Journal used a pseudonym for Mabel Anthony, who requested she not be named as she was fearful that once home, she could be targeted by those who do not have her best interests in mind.

Learn more about the courageous St. Patrick

2011-03-17T09:25:00.001-05:00

March 17: The Irish/Christian Celebration of St. Patrick (415?- 493?)

St. Patrick brought Christianity to Ireland and is thus the patron saint of the Irish.

Legends about Patrick abound; but truth is best served by our seeing two solid qualities in him: He was humble and he was courageous. The determination to accept suffering and success with equal indifference guided the life of God’s instrument for winning most of Ireland for Christ.
Details of his life are uncertain. Current research places his dates of birth and death a little later than earlier accounts. Patrick may have been born in Dunbarton, Scotland, Cumberland, England, or in northern Wales. He called himself both a Roman and a Briton. At 16, he and a large number of his father’s slaves and vassals were captured by Irish raiders and sold as slaves in Ireland. Forced to work as a shepherd, he suffered greatly from hunger and cold.

After six years, Patrick escaped, probably to France, and later returned to Britain at the age of 22. His captivity had meant spiritual conversion. He may have studied at Lerins, off the French coast; he spent years at Auxerre, France, and was consecrated bishop at the age of 43. His great desire was to proclaim the Good News to the Irish.

In a dream vision it seemed “all the children of Ireland from their mothers’ wombs were stretching out their hands” to him. He understood the vision to be a call to do mission work in pagan Ireland. Despite opposition from those who felt his education had been defective, he was sent to carry out the task. He went to the west and north, where the faith had never been preached, obtained the protection of local kings and made numerous converts.

Because of the island’s pagan background, Patrick was emphatic in encouraging widows to remain chaste and young women to consecrate their virginity to Christ. He ordained many priests, divided the country into dioceses, held Church councils, founded several monasteries and continually urged his people to greater holiness in Christ.
He suffered much opposition from pagan druids, and was criticized in both England and Ireland for the way he conducted his mission.

In a relatively short time the island had experienced deeply the Christian spirit, and was prepared to send out missionaries whose efforts were greatly responsible for Christianizing Europe.

Patrick was a man of action, with little inclination toward learning. He had a rocklike belief in his vocation, in the cause he had espoused. One of the few certainly authentic writings is his Confessio, above all an act of homage to God for having called Patrick, unworthy sinner, to the apostolate. There is hope rather than irony in the fact that his burial place is said to be in strife-torn Ulster, in County Down.

What distinguishes Patrick is the durability of his efforts. When one considers the state of Ireland when he began his mission work, the vast extent of his labors (all of Ireland) and how the seeds he planted continued to grow and flourish, one can only admire the kind of man Patrick must have been. The holiness of a person is known only by the fruits of his or her work.

The power of God to guide me,
The might of God to uphold me,
The wisdom of God to teach me,
The eye of God to watch over me,
The ear of God to hear me,
The word of God to give me speech,
The hand of God to protect me,
The way of God to go before me,
The shield of God to shelter me.

Christ be with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me, Christ within me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ at my right, Christ at my left,
Christ in the heart of every person who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every person who speaks to me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
--St. Patrick

Amid snowdrifts, blizzard babies arrive [via Chicago Tribune]

2011-02-03T12:44:00.003-06:00

Call them blizzard babies.

As one of Chicago's worst winter storms raged outside, these babies decided they'd swap the calm of a mother's womb for winter's havoc.

[...]

At Provena Mercy Medical Center in Aurora, Stewart and Katherine Ruch thought they had made all the arrangements for a blizzard delivery. Katherine Ruch was eight days overdue, so she scheduled to induce labor early Tuesday [February 1, 2011].

"We didn't want her to be caught in active labor in the middle of the storm," Stewart said.

But the labor progressed slowly, and the contractions weren't in full swing until about 2 a.m. Wednesday [February 2, 2011], which is when Katherine experienced complications.

"It became clear we had to do something," Stewart, 44, said.

There was a surgeon who had spent the night at the hospital - the storm caused hundreds of doctors and nurses to camp out at area hospitals - but he was already performing another emergency c-section.

The other on-call surgeon was stuck at home and couldn't venture out in the storm at 3 a.m. Much the Ruchs' delight, the hospital sent an emergency crew to pick up the doctor, who arrived in time to perform the c-section.

"It was a little scary, a little touch and go," said Stewart, who added he watched the heavy snow fall from the windows in his wife's birthing room.

At 10 pounds, 4 ounces, Becket John Ruch was born with a head of red hair at 4:29 a.m. He is the couple's sixth child and weighed the largest at birth.

"I'm just really thankful," Katherine said. "In the midst of the storm, we received a new life."

By Duaa Eldeib, Chicago Tribune reporter

Read the full story on the Chicago Tribune web site.

Teddy Bear Christmas [Video]

2011-01-09T18:16:00.014-06:00

In my role with the system Public Relations and Marketing department for Provena Health, I have the privilege of being able to share stories of wonderful Mission Moments across our ministries every day.

A few years ago now, we wrote a story for our system employee newsletter about "Memory Teddy Bear Workshops" being hosted by Provena Hospice in Urbana. Family members of those who had been served by our hospice ministry were given the opportunity to take part in a special event during which they worked with volunteer seamstresses from Provena to fashion clothing from their lost loved one into a treasured teddy bear keepsake. I distinctly remember thinking about what a healing experience the workshops must have been for those involved and wishing I could somehow provide the same experience for my family.

My sister, Jenna, passed away from cancer in 1998, when she was just 14 years old. During her too short life, she cultivated a love of many things - her family, her friends, school, children, and the list goes on. Also somewhere near the top of that list was her passion for fashion! She loved it all - clothes, shoes, accessories, celebrities, awards shows, the whole nine. I'm sure that's why in the 12 years that have since passed, Jenna's closet was the last - and the hardest - thing for my mom to address.

Last July, I received an email from a member of the Provena Life Connections team. She was announcing that due to the success of the Memory Teddy Bear workshops in Urbana, the events would be expanding and a workshop would be held in Frankfort later that month for any employees who might be interested in participating.

I immediately forwarded my mom the information. For years, she had talked about wanting to do something with my sister's clothes. She had contemplated donating them or having them made into a quilt but always stopped short. I never knew exactly why but she said nothing ever felt right. I thought maybe the right time had just not come yet.

Upon receiving my email, she called me almost instantly and excitedly said "yes" - that this was the perfect thing and exactly what she wanted to do with Jenna's clothes. There was a catch, though. She wanted to make enough to give away as Christmas presents!

I knew having clothes for all those bears certainly wouldn't be a problem but having the manpower to produce them all was perhaps another issue. I called the event coordinator and explained the situation. Without hesitation, she said she and the team would find some way to make it happen for us.

Over the course of six months, the "memory bear team," my mom and I made a total of 34 bears! Ten were made between the July workshop and another held later in November. The remaining 24 were sewn by two amazing members of the Provena Life Connections team on their own personal time. We kept the project a secret from my entire family.

Then over this past Christmas, we unveiled the bears in an experience I can only describe as...well, indescribable. I created the following video primarily as a keepsake for my family, but I also wanted to share it more broadly because of the deep healing impact this project has had on our lives.

Up until now, all the memories we have had of Jenna have been at least 12 years old. Through these special bears, we have a current memory of her now, too. The collective efforts of the Provena Life Connections team are a gift for which my family and I will never be able to say "thank you" enough. What a wonderful Mission Moment!

Michelle Schaper
Provena Health

Old beds get new life: Donation to the Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach

2011-01-04T16:41:00.001-06:00

PUSMC President/CEO Mike Brown
helps install the new beds.

BY MARY WICOFF
For The Commercial-News

In the spirit of the New Year, it’s out with the old and in with the new at Provena United Samaritans Medical Center.

Semi-trucks recently delivered about 170 new beds and stretchers, and another set of trucks took away the old ones.

The old beds, however, weren’t destined for the dump. Instead, many were taken to the Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach in Springfield, where they will be refurbished and sent to developing countries in need of medical equipment.

It was a win-win situation for Provena — Patients get comfortable, state-of-the-art beds, and recycling the beds fulfills the medical center’s mission of “reduce, reuse, recycle.”

Plus, donating the old beds helps people beyond the community, said Gretchen Wesner, marketing and public relations officer at Provena.

The medical center used more than $1.2 million in Provena Health capital funding to buy 125 medical/surgical beds, five labor/delivery beds, 33 Big Wheel stretchers, five OB/GYN carts, and four ZOOM stretchers

The new equipment is better for the patient and the staff, said Molly Nicholson, RN, MS, vice president of patient care and chief nursing executive.

“Beds that can be lowered more easily, and carts that are motorized — all of these new features allow our staff to more easily transport and reposition patients with reduced risk of injury,” she said.

The patient beds feature a built-in alarm system to monitor patients who are at-risk for falls. The new mattresses will provide more comfort for the patient, as well as help reduce the incidence of pressure wounds.

The beds can be raised and lowered more easily, and side rails are more easily adjustable. These features help patients get in and out of bed better, and make it easier for staff members to help them.

All of the new stretchers are sized to accommodate bariatric or larger patients, and four of the stretchers feature the ZOOM motorized systems, which will be helpful with heavier patients.

“With the motors, it will obviously be easier for a transporter to maneuver the stretcher without assistance from additional staff members,” Nicholson said, “and reduce the possibility of injuries related with pushing manual stretchers.”

The new equipment will replace most of the current beds and stretchers at the medical center.

Of the old equipment, 20 beds were sent to Provena Covenant Medical Center in Urbana, 120 beds and about 30 stretchers were sent to Mission Outreach, and the medical center will keep 35 beds.

Ten students with the Danville Area Community College nursing program helped load the old beds and stretchers onto the Mission Outreach trucks and helped unload the new ones.

New use

Brad Walton, logistics and warehouse manager with Mission Outreach, said five or six trailer-truck loads would be taken to Springfield.

“We do this on a regular basis with all Provena hospitals,” he said.

Besides beds and stretchers, hospitals donate items they don’t need anymore, including bandages, gowns, sheets and surgical equipment.

The old equipment will go into inventory. If a mattress has a rip, for example, it will be recovered. All of the donated items will be in good shape before they leave the warehouse.

Pamela Hasting Perlmutter, development and public relations manager based in Springfield, said every piece is certified by a biomedical technical engineer to make sure it’s intact, and that an operator’s manual is available. Workers also make sure the equipment is compatible with the utilities in the developing country that it’s going to.

Groups and individuals here and in developing countries can go to the Mission Outreach Web site and shop online through an 800-page medical catalogue for their needs. Last year, the agency sent equipment to 56 countries.

Anyone may order equipment; for example, someone going on a mission trip may order items. However, the person or group must be approved first, which keeps out black market operators and terrorists, for example.

The equipment is not sold or bartered. But the recipient is expected to pay shipping and handling fees, which could go as high as $20,000 for a trailer-size container of equipment.

Walton said, however, the value of the equipment is about $105,000. “They’re getting a big bang for their bucks,” he said. “It’s all good stuff.”

Perlmutter said, at the minimum, a group would pay the basic $5,600 handling fee; the remainder would be donated by a service organization.

“We look for community help from organizations to give the remaining $10,000 or so,” she said. In fact, she’s available to address service groups that want to help developing countries get much-needed supplies.

Mission Outreach also goes into communities and collects unwanted medical items, such as walkers and crutches, from individuals and may conduct such a drive in Danville at some point.

In Danville, the new beds and stretchers will get lots of use. Each year, Provena United Samaritans has more than 6,000 inpatient admissions, 700 births, 40,000 emergency department visits, and 200,000 outpatient visits.

Provena St. Joe's Gives Aid to New Lenox Fire District

2010-12-29T14:07:00.002-06:00

Credit Ann Piasecki

A $13,000 grant will go toward an EKG monitor.

From the New Lenox Patch

By Ann Piasecki

December 21, 2010

The Provena St. Joseph Medical Center Foundation proved it had heart Monday when members presented the New Lenox Fire Protection District with a $13,000 grant toward the purchase of 12-lead EKG monitor that measures patients' heart rhythms from inside the ambulance.

Three foundation members — Vice President Beth Garrow, outgoing secretary J.D. Ross and Vice Chairman Jeri Madison — took time at the Fire District's Board of Trustees meeting to demonstrate the regional medical center's commitment to supporting New Lenox.

Garrow said the equipment has proven to save "diagnostic time" on the part of hospital staff and helps to speed emergency room treatment. Having the EKG measurements at the ready, "saves lives."

Read more at the New Lenox Patch web site ...

Provena Health Corporate Employees Give Back in 2010

2010-12-22T14:22:00.001-06:00

Community outreach efforts are rooted in Provena Health's overall mission, vision and values.

Related:

School Supply Drive

Toys for Tots toy drive

Gifts for MorningStar Mission

Provena Health Corporate office employees showed they can make a very powerful difference in the lives of others during 2010. Through various outreach activities and fundraisers, employees from Provena offices in Bolingbrook, Frankfort and Mokena contributed over $35,000 along with numerous in-kind donations for the benefit of local charities.

Many of the efforts were coordinated by the Communication / Living Our Mission committee, a 13-person team that regularly organizes community initiatives, ministry outreach and volunteer efforts in service to those who are less fortunate in the communities served by Provena Health ministries.

"Provena employees truly live our Mission to compassionately respond to human need each and every day," explained Maggie Wolff, System Public Relations & Marketing Associate and co-leader of the Living our Mission team. "This year's effort was truly an extraordinary result, in light of the challenging economic times."

The largest source of funding was Provena's annual We Are Provena employee giving campaign at the corporate office. Employees can make a donation to the Transforming Communities fund, which supports community outreach activities at Provena's local ministries. This year, $20,000 was collected through the campaign, and two $10,000 grants were awarded to support adult dental care in Champaign County through Provena Covenant Medical Center in Urbana and an asthma education program through Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center in Joliet.

The other main source of funding, in excess of $15,000, is the weekly "Jeans Friday" where employees at Provena's corporate offices can opt to wear jeans to work in exchange for a $2 donation. The Jeans Day funds were donated to local charities, including the Crisis Center for South Suburbia in Tinley Park, Catholic Charities Daybreak Shelter in Joliet, Bountiful Blessings Food Pantry in Aurora, Crisis Nursery in Champaign, Big Brother Big Sister of Vermilion County, the US Marine Corps Reserve's Toys for Tots program, Soldiers Angels, the United Way of Will County and Provena Health's Employee Emergency Relief Fund, which assists employees during a personal crisis.

Throughout the year, the Living Our Mission committee also coordinated many drives for in-kind donations. Over the summer, employees donated school supplies for distribution to needy school children through MorningStar Mission in Joliet; in September, employees donated toys to the US Marine Corps Reserve's Toys for Tots program; during the Christmas season, employees donated warm winter clothing and other gifts to MorningStar Mission and Catholic Charities.

Additionally, in October, the Living Our Mission team supported a team of employees at the American Cancer Society's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk in Orland Park for the fourth year in a row. The team raised close to $2,000 for the fight against breast cancer.

"Time and time again, our employees have not only opened their hearts but also their wallets to aid those in need," shared Meghan Gleason-Vollmer, System Media Producer and co-leader of the Living Our Mission committee.

Above: Members of the US Marine Corps Reserve accept toys collected during our annual toy drive. Pictured in the middle are Jan Worek, Sue Hogan and Provena Health President & CEO Guy Wiebking.

Members of the Communication / Living Our Mission team at the corporate office during 2010 include:

Meghan Gleason-Vollmer, co-leader - Web & Media Services
Maggie Wolff, co-leader - Public Relations and Marketing
Sandy Bottoms - Information Services
Melissa Dangles - Performance Excellence Office
Cathy Fussell - Provena Life Connections
Susan Gaskey - Web & Media Services
Jo Gast - Central Business Office
Sue Hogan - Purchasing
Jeanne Murray - Public Relations and Marketing
Wally Smith - Learning & Development
June Stadt - Performance Excellence Office
Vicki Williams - Mission Services
Jan Worek - Central Business Office

Provena Life Connections Corporate Office Employees Help Make Christmas Warm

2010-12-21T13:48:00.003-06:00

In our third annual Christmas initiative, Provena Life Connections (PLC) corporate office employees have again made this holiday season a little warmer for families in need in the greater south Chicagoland area. Over the course of just a few weeks, our employees have donated new hats, scarves, gloves, mittens and socks to three different organizations: Morning Star Mission (Joliet, IL); Together We Cope (Tinley Park, IL); Lamb's Fold (Joliet, IL).

PLC employees didn't stop there, however. Due to the colder than average temperatures the area has experienced in recent weeks, organizations have been running out of coats to give to those in need. Our employees also donated gently used coats and filled numerous large boxes to overflowing.

"I just wish all our employees could be there when the deliveries are made," said Karen Condon, Medicaid Collection Specialist at PLC and one of the initiative coordinators. "This initiative demonstrates just how committed PLC employees are to our mission of building communities of healing and hope for those in need."

Merry Christmas from Provena Health! Check out the art from our annual children's contest:

2010-12-17T12:56:00.002-06:00

Every year, over 100 very talented artists from among the children and grandchildren of our employees, physicians and volunteers enter our annual Christmas card art contest.

Art from the contest is used in Provena Health's annual Christmas card, including our Christmas e-card.

View the full e-card at http://www.provena.org/Christmas

We wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Joyous New Year!

Bringing Stars of Hope to local families [Video]

2010-12-10T16:03:00.001-06:00

Every year, employees from the Provena Health corporate office adopt 20 children through MorningStar Mission's Stars of Hope program. Gifts of clothing, jackets, shoes, toys, games, books and more are purchased, wrapped, and delivered to MorningStar Mission for distribution to make Christmas morning a little bit brighter for each child.

Thank you to all who supported this generous outreach activity, whether by making a donation, shopping, wrapping or delivering gifts to MorningStar Mission in Joliet.

Keeping Lamb's Fold Center for Women and Children Warm

2010-12-08T13:11:00.001-06:00

Each Christmas, my family donates toys to Lamb’s Fold Center for Women and Children in Joliet (a shelter for women and children who are victims of domestic violence). I use this as an opportunity to teach my children about being thankful for all the blessings we have. We give the toys to the mothers who can then give them to their kids, so they don’t have to worry about providing a normal Christmas for the kids. This year, their director mentioned that they really needed warm items because the building is older and can get chilly.

I brought to my co-workers at Provena Health's Bolingbrook Technology Center the idea of collecting thermal underwear and pajamas for the mothers and kids. With so many opportunities to donate in the community and here at work, I wasn’t sure I’d get a big response, especially after Thanksgiving and with the MorningStar Mission angels that we "adopted." But, I thought if I could just gather a few extra items, along with whatever I can purchase, we’d be able to at least get them a few warm items for the chilly nights. Once again, the I.S. team wowed me. Seven pairs of pajamas for adults, and 21 pairs of kids pajamas in all sizes (with more still coming) were brought into my office this morning! And quite honestly, I cried right here at work!

One of the teams had decided that instead of buying each other presents this year, they would pool that money and purchase pajamas for the kids. Others brought forward a pair or two or six to help out. I am so blessed and amazed to work with such giving people, who are willing to reach into their pockets - yet again - and give to another cause (when they already give to so much) to help out people they don’t even know. I can’t bear to think of little ones not having a good Christmas, so the team doing this – on top of all of the amazing gifts they bought for others – really makes me proud of everyone here.

Over and over, I am reminded of how blessed we are, and how proud I am to work with such a great group.

Allie Rios
Provena Health Corporate Office

He Ministers to Others in his own Cancer Fight

2010-12-02T08:02:00.012-06:00

Photo by Andrew A. Nelles | Sun-Times Media

From the Elgin Courier News
By Adam Tedder
Nov 30, 2010

The Rev. Don Shank received shocking news in January 1999 — news that drastically changed his life forever.

The oncology chaplain at Provena Saint Joseph Hospital on Elgin’s west side was diagnosed with prostate cancer. At 75, he was terrified at what it would mean for the rest of his life.

“My initial reaction, as with most cancer patients, was shock,” he said. “And the question is always ‘Am I going to die from this?’ and ‘How soon?’ ”

Shank — who has served for 56 years as a pastor at Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren — became one of thousands of men diagnosed with prostate cancer every year. Statistics show that one in every six men in this country will get prostate cancer during his lifetime, and one in 35 will die of the disease.

This year alone, it is estimated that 217,730 men in the United States will be diagnosed with prostate cancer — a 13.2 percent increase from 2009. And an estimated 32,050 men will die from the disease this year, a 17.7 percent increase.

The prostate is a small gland about the size of a walnut. It sits under the bladder and in front of the rectum.

While not essential for men to live, the prostate serves as an important tool for reproduction, as the prostate supplies substances such as seminal fluid that helps sperm reach the egg during intercourse.

Causes of cancer

Shank said discovering he had prostate cancer eventually led him to ask questions about why he had cancer. He discovered there are several correlating issues, but doctors don’t exactly know what the cause is.

After his diagnosis, Shank began seeing Dr. David Suh at Provena, who specializes in oncology and radiation. Suh pointed out a few reasons for why cancer develops in some men, including genetics and diet.

“A fatty diet can lead to a higher rate for prostate cancer, and people with a low dietary intake of fat — there are lower incidents of cancer,” Suh said. “It’s not like double or triple the chance, but there is a slightly higher risk with a more fatty diet intake.”

As for genetics, Shank said his family is an example.

He said his father died from a brain tumor, but after research he has discovered his father probably had prostate cancer as well. His son also was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 60, and he knows there is a strong chance his grandsons will get prostate cancer as well.

“My son has a son, and it will be pretty much a matter of fact that he’ll have prostate cancer, too,” he said. “And if he has a son, he’ll need to be checked by age 50.”

Testing and screening

Shank said that the older men get, the more prone they are to developing prostate cancer.

“As you get older, the risk gets larger,” he said. “So if you’re in your 60s, you have a 60 percent chance. If you’re 70, there’s a 70 percent chance, and so on.”

Shank said the first thing he did after initially being diagnosed was to go see doctors and get tests to find out the severity of his case.

Suh ran a Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test on Shank. The PSA is a protein produced by cells from the prostate. The test measures the level of PSA in the blood.

Shank says that like all cancer tests, the lower the score, the better. But Suh pointed out that even a low score can be misleading at times, since the test is not perfect at ruling out prostate cancer.

After taking several samples of blood, what is known as a Gleason grading test is used to determine the aggressiveness of the cancer, which ranges from 2 to 10.

Shank registered a 7 on his Gleason, which he said is a high-risk score.

Had Shank received a test earlier, he may have found out he already had prostate cancer and started treatment sooner, which vastly improves chances for recovery.

“Having a screening tool such as PSA tests and rectal exams can make a huge impact on detecting cancer early,” Suh said. “Prostate cancer is very hard to detect by symptoms. If you can detect signs of prostate cancer, it’s most likely very advanced.”

Suh said one symptom is lumps in the prostate. Both Suh and Shank said that another key to understanding PSA testing is looking for “velocity” — spikes in levels of PSA during a short period, such as six months to a year.

Treatment

After visiting doctors, including Suh, Shank began his treatment for the cancer, consisted of radiation therapy called brachytherapy. Shank said the outpatient procedure has placed 118 radiation “seeds” the size of grains of rice through his rectum.

Shank’s cancer did come back, and he had to undergo more treatment, but that eventually was successful. But Shank pointed out that the likelihood of having recurrence with prostate cancer is small, because procedures have become more advanced and precise even from when he first underwent treatment 11 years ago.

Other procedures to treat prostate cancer include the removal of the prostate gland; and the newest procedure — the da Vinci prostatectomy.

The latter is a robotic-assisted surgical procedure that removes cancerous cells. Some of the advantages to this procedure are its effectiveness with minimal incisions and a quicker return to sexual activity.

Moving forward

Shank now works with Us TOO International, a support organization for prostate cancer sufferers that recently celebrated its 25th anniversary. It has 385 affiliated support group chapters worldwide.

Shank has been with the organization for eight years and runs three groups for men dealing with prostate cancer. He works with the Elgin chapter, which has been around for more than 18 years. Shank emphasized that he is not a doctor or even an expert.

“I’m no doctor, but I am a prostate cancer survivor, and I want to give accurate information and help to as many people as I can,” he said.

The group also is there for emotional counsel — not only for men who are recently diagnosed, in treatment, recovered or terminal, but also for wives and other family members who sometimes attend group sessions.

“I like to think I’m something of a role model,” Shank said. “And I try to speak a message about our wellness journey. Exercise, diet and attitude are huge in our wellness journey, and that’s good advice even for people who don’t have cancer.”

Mission Week 2010: The Ripple Effect ...

2010-12-01T13:29:00.002-06:00

Each year, the more than 10,000 employees, over 1,800 physicians and hundreds of volunteers across all Provena Health ministries join together to celebrate “Mission Week” during the week that includes December 1st, the health system’s founding anniversary day. The celebration marks a time of reflection on the organization’s Mission, Vision and Values and its identity as a Catholic health care ministry.

“At Provena Health, it takes all of our diverse gifts to fulfill the promise of our Mission, which is to build communities of healing and hope by compassionately responding to human need in the spirit of Jesus Christ,” says Tom Nehring, System Senior Vice President, Mission Services. “Our Mission has always been more than a saying we hang on the wall. It’s reflected in the loving guidance from our sponsoring congregations, the quality and expertise of our care givers, the tireless commitment of our support teams and the selfless service of our volunteers.”

Provena Health’s Mission Week this year celebrates “The Ripple Effect... Bringing Healing and Hope to our Communities and to our Earth.” This theme reflects Provena Health’s responsibility not only for the health of people in our communities, but also for the health of the environment in which they live.

Demonstrating reverence for the earth is an important part of Provena Health’s mission and our values of Respect and Stewardship. Bringing healing and hope to the earth has a ripple effect of impacting the compassionate treatment and care we provide to bring healing and hope to the human person and to our communities.

With this commitment in mind, Provena Health is deploying numerous ideas to mend the earth, improving the health of air, water, and land, and ultimately improving the health of the people who come into contact with our dynamic environment. It is a passion and commitment of time and resources, but one in which there is no question that it is the right thing to do.

One way Provena Health demonstrates this commitment is through ongoing support of the Hospital Sister’s Mission Outreach program, which redistributes surplus medical supplies and equipment throughout the developing world. Provena Health’s ministries have donated over 90,000 pounds of equipment that would otherwise end up in landfills.

Learn more about Provena’s “green” commitment at http://www.provena.org/GoGreen.

Family is Thankful for Excellent Care

2010-11-29T10:57:00.001-06:00

Provena United Samaritans Medical Center

"Many times we get complacent and think that our hometown, especially the size of Danville, doesn't have much to offer. I wish to remind those who reside in the Danville area the jewel that they have with a health care facility such as Provena.

"Over the years we have heard those in Danville, including us, say that we need to go the Champaign/Urbana for care since it isn't very good in Danville. I have now re-evaluated that belief.

My husband and I grew up in Danville. I went to nursing school at Lakeview School of Nursing. Since 1994, I have cared for injured health care workers all over Michigan. I have been in numerous health care facilities of all sizes and I am very familiar with industry trends, so I wish to say that there is no better care than at Provena.

On Oct. 29, my husband and I received a call that his mother was ill and had been hospitalized. She has since passed away on Nov. 4. While at Provena, I was amazed with the care that not only our mother received, but the entire family received.

"When I first saw the goal of 'excellent care' written on the white board in each room, my initial thought was this is just a motto and not something that they really do. After my husband and I spent four days at Provena, we realized Danville is so fortunate to have 'excellent care' in the community. Even though this community hospital may not offer some services, Provena does have a lot to offer. Provena staff at every level were friendly, helpful and so very caring.

"During this time of high stress I am so very thankful to have had our mother cared for by Provena. With that said, "Kudos" to all the staff of Provena for a job well done, and please know that you should never hesitate to go to Provena for your health care needs."

From the Danville Commercial News

Walking sticks give inspiration from cancer survivor to others

2010-11-23T11:51:00.001-06:00

From the Elgin Courier News
By Janelle Walker
Nov 22, 2010
ELGIN — The vine that wrapped itself around a Michigan sapling should have bent, broken and killed the tree.

Instead, the tree grew straight and tall, and the vine left an unusual spiral pattern in the limb that Gary Cook found perfect for a walking stick.

Like that tree, Cook also will not bend or break from the lung cancer, diagnosed last year, nor the bypass surgery he had three years ago, nor diabetes.

During treatment for the cancer at Elgin’s Provena Saint Joseph Hospital, the 58-year-old Cook found an outlet for the walking sticks he began making a few years ago — almost all made from small trees he has found while out in the woods.

Now, those walking sticks are going to fellow patients undergoing — and surviving — cancer while they are treated at Provena, too.

There are many “inspirational” things made for women cancer survivors, said the Rev. Don Shank, from the pastoral care department at Provena’s Meadows Regional Cancer Care Center. There are not as many items available specifically for men.

During his cancer treatments, Cook gave one of his therapists a walking stick. Soon, Shank said, another cancer survivor saw the walking stick and asked how he could get one, too.

“The therapist said to me, ‘We give prayer shawls to women, but there is nothing to give to the men,’ ” Shank said.

Shank got an idea and asked Cook if he’d consider making the sticks for other patients.

In the past few months, Cook’s walking sticks have gone to about 25 men, and a few women. Shank even wrote a poem and an inspirational message to give them with each stick he presents.

“I tell them, without giving a name, that I have a gift for them from one of their colleagues,” Shank said. “It is a symbol of concern, prayer and support.”

That gift is a “holy moment” for many of the survivors, Shank said.

“It is a gift for them, and they never know the giver,” Shank said. “They are so touched by getting it, and the beauty of the stick, the simplicity of it.”

Cook, a Vietnam veteran, has always been an outdoorsman and often takes trips to Michigan to go mushroom hunting. In 2002, Cook saw other mushroom hunters using sticks to poke for their prey. “I thought it was a good idea and decided to make them into walking sticks, too, so they would have a dual purpose.”

Although he’s making walking sticks for Provena patients, they aren’t the only recipients. Some have gone to veterans, and others go to child cancer survivors he has met through Veterans Acres, a park in Crystal Lake. “I make little ones for kids,” Cook said, although some of the leaders told him the kids use them to beat each other with.

Just the right tree

Finding the right trees to make the walking sticks is an art of its own.

Cook finds scrub trees — often maple — growing in thickets and collects straight, strong saplings that he can cut away. On creek banks, he will find saplings growing out at an angle that makes the branch perfect for a cane handle — another kind of stick he will make.

“You have to have an eye for them — you search for them,” he said, referring to the trees that make the best sticks and canes.

His personal walking stick — the one with the spiral pattern — was found in the woods. “All I did was clean it up and stain it,” Cook said.

Another stick, going to a friend in West Virginia, shows the telltale signs of a deer rubbing up against it and scarring the wood. It is the twists, bends and other signs of wear and aging that make for the most interesting walking sticks, Cook said.

One of the canes he is working on now — another piece he found lying in the woods — looks as if it has a talon growing right out of the handle. “When I first saw it, it was pure white. I thought it was a deer leg,” Cook said.

Once he finds the right piece of green wood, Cook will strip off the bark. “You never know what it will look like underneath the bark,” he said.

He then will let it dry in his Crystal Lake garage for a few weeks. Then Cook sands and stains the wood until he gets the right look to it.

He tries to use the longest wood sections he can find, because he can always cut them shorter to fit another person, Cook added. He likes his long walking stick — he has used it to pole-vault across creeks when out searching for mushrooms.

He calls his cancer and other health problems just “bumps on the road — speed bumps.”

He had surgery last week to remove toes damaged by his diabetes, but already was up and moving by the end of the week. Cook also got good news from his cancer doctor — the cancer seems to be in remission and he doesn’t need a check-up for another three months.

Provena Health Employees "Give Thanks" [Video]

2010-11-18T16:05:00.001-06:00

During the month of November, Provena Health Bolingbrook Technology Center employees - including Information Services, Provena Medical Group corporate, Central Supply Chain, Patient Access, and our eICU - have been living out our mission of building communities of healing and hope in the spirit of Jesus Christ through "Giving Thanks" activities.

This month-long celebration, spearheaded by Jan Sobun of Information Services, aims at giving thanks for all that we have, and giving back to the community in honor of the many blessings we all have.

To give back to their local communities, employees could purchase "Thank You" balloons to deliver to co-workers, as well as purchase tickets for a potluck meal. The money was used to raise funds for turkeys to be purchased in conjunction with food donations for Thanksgiving Baskets that will be distributed to families in need by MorningStar Mission in Joliet.

Additionally, staff purchased, prepared, and served an early Thanksgiving meal - complete with homemade pumpkin pies - to patrons at the Daybreak Center on November 10th. This is part of a regular service project lead by Tom Gibson to serve meals on a monthly basis at Daybreak.

We could write chapters about all of the great activities that have gone on so far this month - as well as the activities like serving meals at the shelter that go on year-round through these groups - however, this video can provide a better glimpse into all that has been going on...

Honoring our Veterans and Servicemen and Women

2010-11-11T11:57:00.001-06:00

Provena Health would like to thank the men and women who serve or have served with our Armed Forces, and the loved ones who support them.

This year, over 400 names of employees and relatives were submitted for our annual Veterans Day tribute.

Click here to view the 2010 Veterans Day tribute.

PRAYER FOR VETERANS
Most Holy One,
you rule over all nations.

Today this nation thanks you
for the brave men and women
who serve and have served in the military.

Even now, guard them and give them compassion,
especially for those who confront them as enemies.

Keep our children from hate that hardens,
or from scorekeeping with human lives.

Though in this season
we are a people at war,
let us all live for peace,
as eager for agreement as for victory.

Give encouragement to those serving now throughout the world.
Give peace to those who still hold memories of the horror of war.

As we acknowledge you as the God of Peace,
let us never lose sight of the vision
that we are all brothers and sisters,
members of one family
always called to be faithful to You.

Amen.

Celebrating Our Powerful People

2010-10-21T14:21:00.001-05:00

At Provena Health, it takes all of our diverse gifts to fulfill the promise of our Mission: to build communities of healing and hope by compassionately responding to human need in the spirit of Jesus Christ. Our Mission has always been more than a saying we hang on the wall. It's reflected in the loving guidance from our founding congregations, the quality and expertise of our care givers, the tireless commitment of our support teams and the selfless service of our volunteers. In short, our Mission is driven by our "powerful people." We celebrate these special "powerful people" in our ministries - those who are as passionate about bringing healing and hope to those we serve as they are about making our world a better place.

Meet some more of the Powerful People of Provena...

Being Grateful for What We Have: Serving Lunch at Daybreak

2010-10-15T13:36:00.005-05:00

Earlier in the week, a group of employees from IS volunteered to serve lunch at the Daybreak Shelter in Joliet. This was my first time serving food like this, and it was definitely an eye-opening experience.

To see the people going through line was shocking - it wasn't just the homeless I'd anticipated. Yes, there were the homeless that you'd expect - a little bit dirty, hungry, some talking to themselves. And then there were men and women dressed to indicate they are probably working but cannot make ends meet. There were senior citizens, veterans. There were teens, each one obviously lost in some way.

The hardest part was seeing the little kids. Kids of all ages, from babies to teens. Hair done neatly, and picking at their food because they didn't like the taste but knew they wouldn't be getting anything else. I almost cried a few times, because I cannot imagine my children having to live like that.

Each person went through the line, some asked for seconds, but nobody wasted. They know how precious food is. Most of them smiled, many of them said "Thank you for feeding us" or "Thanks for being nice to me." Wow - to thank someone for being nice to them? What an eye opener.

Many of them did chores afterward like washing the dishes or wiping down tables. I noticed a lot of dirty fingernails. I take for granted the simplest things like having clean hands. Some told jokes, some made small talk, and some just went through silently or wouldn't look us in the eye - you could see having to go through this line and get food was a very difficult for them. They just wanted to eat and move on.

It was strange to see people my age in line, moms with children, and people my parent's age. All people who had similarities to me. They are all somebody's baby, someone's family, and by being told "Thank you for being nice to me," I assume the world might not treat them as such.

I guess I'm more blessed every day than I truly realize, because I have such a great group of family and friends that I could depend on if times got hard. It definitely makes you grateful for all of the things we have - the simplest things, like knowing tomorrow we'll be able to put food on the table. The ladies running lunch at the shelter were great - talking to these men and women and children, calling them by name. They knew who was having a really tough time on the streets, and who might need a meal for a disabled family member at home. It was evident that they care about these people.

It makes me wonder what I could forgo to help out a little more at places like the shelter, where people just want the most basic things in life that we take for granted -- food, shelter, and most important, a little caring and respect. Because I'd like to think that if any of my loved ones were in their situation, someone would be willing to do the same for them.

Submitted by Allie Rios, Provena Health Web & Media Services

Toys for Tots toy drive at the Provena Health Corporate Office

2010-09-22T08:48:00.007-05:00

For over five years, the employees of Provena Health's corporate offices have participated in a Toys for Tots toy drive every September, compassionately responding to community need by providing gifts for children who would otherwise go without on Christmas. In addition to donating toys, the employees of the corporate office also donated $1,000 as a result of jeans day donations. Thank you to all the generous employees who support this effort!

Watch this video of the Marines accepting our donation:

Below: Communication / Living Our Mission team members Jan Worek and Sue Hogan, with President & CEO Guy Weibking, present the toys to the Marines at Provena Health's corporate office in Bolingbrook

Below: Communication / Living Our Mission team members Maggie Wolff, Melissa Dangles, Jeanne Murray, Cathy Fussell, Wally Smith and Sandy Bottoms present the toys to the Marines at the Provena Health corporate office in Frankfort

Sister June Does Celebrates 60th Jubilee at Provena Saint Joseph Hospital

2010-09-14T09:40:00.002-05:00

On September 8, Provena Saint Joseph Hospital in Elgin celebrated Sister June Does as she marked her 60th Jubilee.

Listen to some of the remarks about Sister:

Below is a story from the Elgin Courier News about Sister's Jubilee and her journey of 60 years of service to God and many others.

Six decades of serving God
Sister June Does to mark 60th jubilee with Mass, reception at Provena Saint Joseph
September 8, 2010
By DAVE GATHMAN

At age 82, Sister June Does has been forced to cut back the hours she puts in at Provena Saint Joseph Hospital in Elgin. Now, she's only supposed to be in her office 20 hours a week.

It was on Sept. 8, 1950, that Does first entered the Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart. The community and many friends she has made through those years are invited to celebrate her 60th jubilee today with a noon Mass at the hospital's chapel at 77 N. Airlite St., lunch after that and a reception from 4 to 6 p.m. in the hospital dining room.

Does says she grew up in a Catholic German-American family in Buffalo. N.Y. Her father was a contractor. But she didn't really get fired up with the spirit of Christian service until she was inspired by one woman.

"We moved frequently and I had attended public schools. But then I went to a Catholic school and a very kind teacher, Sister Josephine, taught me the catechism, and I thought that this would be a very good thing to do with my life."

She entered the order at age 22.

"At first I thought I would be a teacher," she says. "But I taught catechism for one year and realized that was not my calling. From then on, I have been involved in health work."

She trained to become an X-ray technician, serving hospitals and missions in California before being assigned to Elgin "on and off" for the past 30 years. In recent years, she has been Provena Saint Joseph's development executive, persuading people to donate money for hospital projects and organizing fundraising events. As readers of Betty Brown's column in The Courier-News can attest, she's a frequent sight at social events, fundraisers and club meetings.

Hospital employees have Does to thank for the tradition of "casual Fridays," which she convinced hospital bosses to start in 1995. In exchange for the privilege to "dress down" on Fridays, each worker contributes $2 a week to the Community Crisis Center and St. Joseph Church food ministry. More than $100,000 has been raised.

Does says she has seen many changes over those six decades. At one time, Provena Saint Joseph had 12 nuns, who wore traditional black habits and lived together in a convent. Now only two nuns remain -- Does and Sister Leticia Lapid, who works with patients in pastoral care. The two now live in an apartment; the convent has been converted to office space; and Does wears a black suit with a white blouse.

Two other Provena Saint Joseph nuns, nurse Sister Mary Frances Calderon and seamstress/housekeeper Sister Marcellita Weller, retired in April and moved to the order's mother house in Frankfort.

But Does has no plans to slow down. "Why?" she says. "I still have energy. My mind is still good."

Besides, as a plaque in her office says, "God's work pays little but the retirement benefits are out of this world."

eICU Staff Serves Dinner at the Daybreak Shelter

2010-09-01T09:56:00.007-05:00

Recently, many Provena Health eICU staff and their family members volunteered their time to serve dinner at the Daybreak Shelter in Joliet. To raise money for the shelter, eICU staff held a raffle. Kathy Johnson, eICU Operations Director, donated a Vera Bradley gift bag that she won from a previous charity raffle at Provena, and Carolyn Searle, Provena Health Information Services, donated a digital photo key chain. Deb Campbell, eICU RN, sold handmade earrings to raise additional money. Many eICU DA's, RN's and physicians donated money towards the dinner as well.

The Daybreak residents were so grateful for the wonderful dinner and dessert that was served! Thank you to Deb Campbell for organizing this effort!

Thank you to all who helped!
Dr. Vitello, eICU Physician, and family, Laura Messineo and family, John McCarthy, eICU Lead Data Assistant/Medical Staff Coordinator, Mary Waterloo, eICU RN, Andrew Kinsella, Purchasing, Deborah Campbell eICU RN, Michelle Fritz, eICU RN, Kathy Johnson, eICU Operations Director, Kathy Dwyer, eICU RN, Nancy Kocher, eICU RN, Margaret Baker, eICU DA and Laura Frederick, eICU RN

Submitted by John McCarthy, Provena Health eICU

Provena Health Corporate Employees Donate Over 1,700 School Supplies

2010-08-30T09:28:00.003-05:00

Employees from Provena Health's corporate offices in Bolingbrook, Frankfort and Mokena, generously donated over 1,700 items to MorningStar Mission's Jump on the Bus program.

This summer, 300 students from Will County Schools registered for the program which provides each student with one brand-new outfit and all of their required school supplies to ensure a positive start to the new school year.

Above, left to right, Communication / Living Our Mission Team Members Sue Hogan, Cathy Fussell, Maggie Wolff and Jeanne Murray at MorningStar Mission.

Watch this video, featuring Jackie Kinney, Volunteer Coordinator for MorningStar Mission in Joliet, and Maggie Wolff, PR & Marketing Associate for Provena Health and co-leader of the Communication/Living Our Mission Team. (Video not playing? Watch it on Provena Health's YouTube Channel.)

"I have never in my life been so overwhelmed"

2010-08-17T11:07:00.001-05:00

I want my fellow co-workers at Provena St. Mary's Hospital MICU recognized for their generosity and kindness, so I am writing this in hopes it is seen by all in the Provena system.

In February, I gave birth to my second son. He was diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallot at birth and sent directly to Loyola the night he was born. He has since undergone open heart surgery to correct his congenital heart defect.

I was off an extended amount of time after his birth and had exhausted my PTO and sick bank already from a car accident a few months earlier. My co-workers not only donated PTO time but they bought several boxes of fundraiser candy bars and sold them throughout the hospital to other staff raising quite a bit of money to off set the cost of medical bills. They donated baked goods for a benefit held for my son. One of the night shift House Ops made a beautiful table that was auctioned off during the benefit and one of my other co-workers put together with the help of Doctors and staffs a basket with a gas card and scratch off tickets. All this helped to raise money to go toward my sons medical bills. My coworkers in MICU also pitched in money for a Wal-Mart gift card that helped with groceries after we came home from the hospital. And they brought dinner and dessert.

Most importantly they were there for me and my family during the most difficult time of our lives. The many thoughts and prayers showed us the love we needed to get through the rough periods. They understood and supported my leave of absence and often checked in on our son. I have never in my life been so overwhelmed with good emotions. I can truly say I work with the most kind-hearted caring health care workers. I am proud and privileged to work at PSMH MICU.

Submitted by Kara Kelly, Provena St. Mary's Hospital

Memory Bears Workshop

2010-08-04T14:05:00.003-05:00

After reading a Provena Hospice article about making Memory Bears for patient's families, the fire was lit for the Provena Life Connections Corporate Development team. They decided to host their own Memory Bear Workshop. Since we were mid-way through the year, this worthwhile adventure took place in a relatively short time. Ministries were invited to Mokena in early June for a crash course in teddy bear making. As the development team's enthusiasm grew, a date was picked and an e-mail sent to corporate staff to find some volunteers to make this a reality. With 10 determined ladies, the event was just as memorable to the volunteers as it was for the attendees. Provena Life Connections own 'Build A Bear' event came to life July 31, 2010, at the Frankfort corporate offices. The event transformed the conference rooms into the likes of Santa's workshop. Employees from the Frankfort and Mokena corporate offices were asked to volunteer to be our pilot families.

Below is a photo slideshow from the event. Not showing up? View the photos on Flickr.

A Memory Bear is a stuffed teddy bear that is constructed from the clothes of someone's deceased loved one. A shirt, pair of pants, robe or pajamas is laid out and a 13 piece pattern is placed on the clothing according to the wishes of the family member. The pieces are then cut out and sewn together to make a bear that becomes a legacy to their loved one. Participants were encouraged to share their stories, stuff the bears, add eyes and a nose and include any trimmings that they had brought with them.

Not one tear was shed during the making of the bears because the atmosphere was more of the reminiscing and celebrations of life and the effect their loved one had on them. From infants to seniors, all age groups were represented and although the pattern for these loveable animals was the same, each bear created had a definite uniqueness about them. A lot of care and love went in to creating these priceless heirlooms for our co-workers.

It was definitely an honor and privilege to be able to share in the inaugural event as well as learn more about the history of the 11 bears we were able to make that day. The natural high all of the volunteers had from this experience will forever be remembered in their hearts.

This event was hosted by the PLC Corporate Development Team and was free to all attendees thanks to several employee donations.

Special thanks to our super sewers; Jackie Petrik, Leslie Langford, Pat Bussian, and Lynda Olinski. Their attention to detail and quest for creativity made these little bears extra special. In addition I would also like to thank Dana Knight, Sue Swanson, Kim Golias, Kelly Wojcik, and Anne Hoeksema for cutting and taking over the 'bear' necessities to make this a successful event! It truly was amazing to watch our mission in action under the tutelage of these passionate people. I am blessed to call you co-workers.

Submitted by: Karen Condon, Provena Life Connections

Video by: Michelle Schaper, Provena Health

Donating Hair and Money to the Fight Against Cancer

2010-07-25T15:26:00.002-05:00

Before

I participated in my third Relay For Life event this year to raise money for the American Cancer Society. Since I had done this before - and solicited my friends and family for money twice already - I wanted to come up with a new incentive to rally my personal donors around the cause. I know many people give simply because they want to support a worthy organization, but as a public relations & marketing professional, I know sometimes you need a gimmick to make sure your messages get through and aren't lost in the shuffle.

One of my Relay friends made the promise that she would dye her hair pink if she reached her fundraising goal. I thought that was a creative idea, however, I did not want to dye my hair. However, my hair was very long, and I knew eventually I would want to cut, so I figured no time like the present. I made the promise that if I reached my fundraising goal of $1,000, I would cut off my hair and donate it to a worthy organization that would use my hair in a wig for a cancer patient.

In all honestly, I set the goal so high with the small hope that I wouldn't reach the goal and thus wouldn't have to cut my hair. I think the previous year I raised around $500, and that took a lot of work, so $1,000 seemed out of reach. However, my friends and family surprised me!

In the months leading up to the Relay, my fundraising steadily grew little by little - mostly through donations of around $20. As the Relay grew nearer, it didn't seem like $1,000 was attainable. I still had hundreds of dollars to go, and I was running out of possible donors to ask.

But with a few days left to go until Relay, one of my high school friends made a substantial donation on my behalf - far more than any other donor had ever given in my history of participating in events like these. At first I thought maybe she typed the amount wrong when making the donation, so I had to double check, but sure enough, she intended to give her generous gift. And suddenly, $1,000 seemed within reach!

After

Through a quick campaign on Facebook to make a final push to my friends (and some of my friends to their friends), I received 10 donations during the last two days before the event. The donations were all between $10-25, but it was enough to put me past my goal. After all the donations came in, I raised $1,110! Wow!!

And holy moly ... that meant I had to make good on my promise to cut my hair! Which I was more than happy to do!

Submitted by Maggie Wolff, Provena Health

Provena employees helping their own

2010-07-01T09:40:00.008-05:00

In early June, tornadoes ravaged several areas around us. Unfortunately, a Provena Life Connections employee's family was greatly impacted as all of their possessions and their home was whisked away into the night. They are very thankful that all family members survived, but are challenged not only with rebuilding a home, but also wondering how they will fill it.

In the spirit of generosity, many employees from Provena Life Connections and Provena Health corporate offices donated toys, clothing, furniture, Wal-Mart gift cards, money and other necessities to get the family through this difficult time. They are grateful for all the aid the Provena family has given to them. Thanks to all that have participated in this initiative to aid this family. It is amazing to see our mission in action!

All the donations ready for pick-up!

Aurora's lady of perpetual help

2010-06-13T14:36:00.002-05:00

Local woman committed to assisting as many people as she can

From the Aurora Beacon News, June 13, 2010

Every week, Socorro Bredeweg of Aurora fills the pages of a notebook with to-do's that read more like tiny miracles.

Find a wheelchair for Silvano. Search for a mattress for heart-bypass patient. Make homemade casserole for homeless. Take Maria to dialysis.

One need not be a close friend to Bredeweg in order to receive her help. In fact, most people in her trusty notebook are total strangers. All she knows, and all that needs to be known, is that they are in need. And somehow, for the past six years, Bredeweg has found a way to meet their wishes, all on her own time.

For about 20 hours a week, Bredeweg, 51, works as a part-time parish nurse for Provena Mercy Medical Center. She is stationed at St. Therese Church on Aurora's East Side, where she advises walk-in parishioners about cholesterol, diabetes and high blood pressure.

But for 20 to 30 hours every week, Bredeweg commits herself to voluntarily taking on any other work that needs to be done. And that can mean many things.

In Bredeweg's eyes, "work" is making sure her patients have rides to their doctors. It's also translating health information for native Spanish speakers.

It means giving her "client" a bath because the woman has no local family to do so. It's baby-sitting children so a mother can attend classes.

This all started when Bredeweg learned that a patient of hers was paying $200 per taxi ride to get to his frequent doctor's appointments. Because Bredeweg works part-time, she knew she had the time to help him and also could help him at no cost.

For the next six years, she designated Thursdays as her volunteering day, checking off as many tasks as possible from the notebook she keeps in her purse.

Each time she is in this volunteer-mode, she is also giving medical advice. She spot-checks her clients for any visible symptoms and talks about their diet or exercise patterns. There have been times when Bredeweg has sent her clients to the emergency room after discovering conditions on home visits.

"We work with the whole family, and we always say a little blessing. So my work really goes hand in hand with my volunteering," she said.

As a result, this nurse has been slowly preventing diseases like diabetes, for example, at St. Therese, on the street, or at the gym.

"It's hard for me to stay quiet sometimes," she said as her deep brown eyes danced around, and she held her hand over her mouth. "It's a love that I have. It's in me. I just don't know how to stop it."

But sometimes, Bredeweg's work seems to never be complete when there are so many people in need.

"So many people call me. I get referrals from friends, deacons, agencies, anyone who knows I do this," she said.

"There's a lot of good things out there we can do. There is so much need. You just have to look for it. Try to just help one family at a time, that would be really nice."

Bredeweg believes she was always meant do this. Her parents had believed that, too, when they named her.

Her name, Socorro, means "perpetual help" in Spanish.

"Ayuda means help in Spanish, but when one is in desperate need, one would yell 'Socorro,'" she explained.

And with that name, Bredeweg said she has spent her whole life preparing to help others in the ways she does today.

"I try my best to make people feel wanted and loved. When they know that I love them, they feel they can trust me.

"They give me love, joy and peace," she said.

And she never forgets a face, or a name. A lot of times, her clients feel like her family. She keeps pictures of some of them on her cell phone.

Recently, she flipped open her phone to show a photo of a young woman she has been caring for on the weekends.

"She's going to graduate from school soon, so I'm going to go to her graduation," she said definitively, in a way that echoed her pride in the young woman.

Help in many forms

Lately, Bredeweg has spent a lot of time with Maria Romero, a 59-year-old Aurora woman suffering from advanced diabetes. Due to secondary complications, Romero has also lost her eyesight and kidney function.

Romero was referred to Bredeweg through St. Therese Parish, where Romero is a worshipper. Three times a week, Bredeweg voluntarily takes her to dialysis treatments on the west side of Aurora. Romero's husband then picks her up when he is off work, some time around 7 p.m.

On a recent Thursday, (Bredeweg's day off) the cheerful nurse accompanied Romero to a dialysis clinic. Bredeweg has acted as Romero's eyes and ears about three times a week now, on and off for several months.

The women linked arms as they walked into the clinic. Conversing solely in Spanish, they laughed with one another as they settled into the waiting room.

Bredeweg sat Romero down, and lovingly swept back Romero's wavy locks that had fallen upon her face. She patted her arms like a dear, concerned friend. She lay a shawl on Romero's lap to keep her comfortably warm.

"Maria Romero is here," she told the desk clerk.

Bredeweg began to fill out some forms. She explained to Romero in Spanish what the documents say.

"Are you her caregiver?" the clerk later asked, for clarification.

"No, I'm a paid community nurse who has been following her, so I'll be helping her a little bit," she said.

Romero had a caregiver, but funding from the disability agency that provided the caregiver ran out. Since last year, Bredeweg has tried to find volunteers to assist Romero. But because Romero is not considered a senior, help from some social service agencies, Bredeweg said, is limited.

That's where Bredeweg's strengths lie -- finding the resources that can help the people who would otherwise fall through the cracks. And if no help is available, Bredeweg takes it upon herself.

Bredeweg has either personally helped, or found help for so many individuals, that many human service agencies, churches and health institutions know Bredeweg by name; she's a regular caller.

And to people like Romero, she is an "angel" to many in the Fox Valley.

"She calls me her angel, but I call her my little angel," Bredeweg said recently at Romero's home before leaving for dialysis.

Romero's face lit up upon hearing this. She smiled peacefully and allowed Bredeweg to guide her out of her home.

Finding her faith

Bredeweg was born in Mexico and grew up in Chicago's largely Hispanic Pilsen neighborhood.

At a young age, the Aurora woman said she knew her chances at a successful life were slim. Pilsen was not an area that provided opportunities. It was a place that harbored fear, she described.

Bredeweg doesn't remember her childhood neighborhood as overtly dangerous. But she did narrowly dodge a bullet at 15 years old. She remembers walking into a store, and feeling a whoosh on the back of her hair. A clerk pushed her out of harm's way.

Bredeweg says she believes God was watching over her then.

She became a respiratory therapist in her 20s and worked at Children's Memorial Hospital. The hospital helped her pay for nursing school at Aurora University. She has since worked in hospital intensive care units, for private companies and clinics. Because of her rough beginnings, Bredeweg has always operated on a "pay it forward" mentality, helping as many people as she can in as many ways possible.

Throughout her life, though, Bredeweg can't say she was extremely connected with the Lord.

"If you asked me 10 years ago if I would be a parish nurse, I would say no. I didn't know anything about this," she said.

She believes God sought her out, preparing her nearly two decades earlier for her current job.

In the 1990s, she worked at a private laboratory and had an hour commute to work each way. She had a lot of stations to choose from on the radio. She began listening to the Moody Christian radio station on 90.1 FM and learned about the Bible. She tuned in daily for two hours.

Bredeweg was also a divorced Catholic at the time. She said she felt ashamed to go to Mass, and apathetic about the church.

Then one day, her 15-year-old son sparked an unusually philosophical discussion.

"He asked me, "What are we doing here? In this world, and in this life? What is our purpose?" she recalled.

She did not know how to answer, and asked herself the same questions.

Coincidentally, materials popped up in the mail from Calvary Church in Naperville, that seemed to have all the answers, she said.

She and her son became deeply involved in the church. Bredeweg even met her second husband there.

Every Thursday for the past 10 years, she has been leading prayers and giving blessings to those who visit the church's food pantry and wardrobe department.

On a recent morning, Bredeweg prayed in Spanish with two mothers. Together, they closed their eyes and held hands.

In Spanish, Bredeweg said, "Pray for Norma's job, not to lose it. For the health of her family and for all that do not have jobs may they have jobs. For those suffering in hurt. Thank you, Lord, for this food and clothing. In the name of the Lord, Amen."

Bredeweg tightly hugged both of them in her usual demeanor -- with wide, inspiring eyes and a glowing smile.

The years she spent penning to-dos in her notebook may soon slow down though. Bredeweg admitted painfully that her volunteer work has weighed on her. She feels it's time to slow down, but she will still do what she can.

If there comes a time when Bredeweg is unable to volunteer, there's a way she can help that she says is even more powerful: prayer.

Her favorite prayer to recite to herself and others is Psalm 23: David:

"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil, for you are with me."

Sox fan in a Cubs shirt helps Team Provena raise over $1,000 for the Will-Grundy Medical Clinic!

2010-06-05T09:32:00.004-05:00

Jan being a good sport in a Cubs shirt!

On Saturday, June 5, a group of Provena Health corporate office employees, sponsored by Tom Nehring, Provena Health's System Vice President of Mission Services, participated in a walk to benefit the Will-Grundy Medical Clinic, which provides free medical care to Will and Grundy counties.

Team members Melissa Dangles (Performance Excellence Analyst), Jan Sobun (Applications Analyst), Karen Condon (Biller), Fran Corn (HR Director, Provena Senior Services), Jan Worek (Reimbursement Specialist), Sally Unmisig (Reimbursement Specialist), Lydia Towery (Senior Account Resolution Specialist), and Neema Kapadia (Integration Analyst) raised over $1,000 for the Will-Grundy Medical Clinic!

Additionally, Jan Sobun came up with a creative way to raise additional money for the walk, and have a little fun with the local baseball rivalry...

Jan, a die-hard White Sox fan, challenged her co-workers, stating she would wear a t-shirt to work on Monday, June 7, sporting the team whose fans pledged the most money for the walk.

Jan in a CUBS shirt! This her co-workers had to see.

Every dollar pledged before 3:30 on the June 2 equaled one vote for the donor's favorite baseball team. Boy did she open up the flood gates and the money just kept coming in!

Moments before the deadline, the White Sox fans that held out to the end gave her another $25, and $11 to take Team Sox over the top.

That was a very short lived dream. Earlier that morning a collection was taken up, Jan just happen to be out of the office at one of our hospitals, so loose change in drawers, purses and whatever was found was used towards a Cubs donation.

15 minutes before the contest was to end, a donation of $133 sent the Cubs over the top, shortly after Sox fans thought they had it in the bag. Then along came another $20 donation, and then an $80 donation, all for the Cubs.

Determined along with everyone else that we needed to see Jan in Cubbie Blue, one loyal Cubs fan sat there the last 10 minutes, ready to meet any late Sox donations, which never came.

By the end of this challenge, Jan had collected the following:

$10 Cardinals

$249 Sox

$461 Cubs

$720 Total

What a coincidence that the total was $720, as loyal Cubs fans know the best way to catch a game is on WGN 720 AM!

What a day, what a challenge, but the true winners are the recipients in our communities!

Way to go Jan and by the way, you look good in CUBBIE BLUE.

At the Will-Grundy Medical Clinic Walk on June 5

Patient Lives Our Mission of Compassionately Responding to Human Need

2010-03-15T14:30:00.001-05:00

Next month I will be having a kidney transplant. I was born with polycystic kidney disease and it was 25 years ago that I was diagnosed while pregnant for my second child. I have four siblings and only one does not have this disease, and she donated to my mother a few years ago.

I am a 20-year employee of Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center, in Physical Therapy. I love my job and I've always loved working with the patients.

Now I have been blessed to get a living donor, Jeff, a former therapy patient. He wanted to be tested along with his wife Jill who contracts with PSJMC. They were both a match and Jeff decided to donate because his wife is pregnant with their third child.

It is a feeling that is so humbling; there are no words to express how much I appreciate his wonderful gift. I had several people who were family and friends who wanted to be tested to see if they could donate a kidney to me. It turned out that Jeff and Jill are my match.

When I thank Jeff, he looks at it like it is no big deal. He told me "if I can help someone who needs a kidney and be able to live a normal life with one kidney, then why not?"

Thank you for letting me share my story. And a huge thank you to Cathy Hennings and my director of therapy services, Paul Lagomarcio, for all of their kindness and support over the past several months. I would be lost but for the grace of God!

Elaine Keyser, Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center