Volunteers are critical to helping OSF HealthCare serve patients with the greatest care and love. One senior who brings a welcoming smile to patients’ lives is Gloria Fiorenza, a Rockford, Illinois, native. Every week, for more than 52 years, Gloria has been volunteering at OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony Medical Center. “After so many years of… Continue Reading 15,000 Hours and Counting
Tucked into the neighborhood by St. Ann’s Catholic Church on Louisa Street in Peoria is a 2.1-acre garden bursting with beans. And peas, strawberries, tomatoes, Swiss chard, okra, peppers—the list goes on. All kinds of good things grow in the Garden of Hope. But why is a hospital system like OSF HealthCare investing in a… Continue Reading Harvesting Hope
Just outside the fourth floor of OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois an oasis awaits. Fresh air and sunshine and flowers popping color. The smell of blossoming trees. Rocking chairs in the shade. Thanks to the vision of Lynn and Gerald Flaherty, patients and families can open a door to the world outside. The couple… Continue Reading A garden in the sky
Everyone who walks through the doors of a chapel at OSF HealthCare is searching for something. Sometimes, it’s a wife looking for understanding after her husband’s diagnosis, a nervous first-time father praying for the future or a nurse searching for guidance on a difficult case in a quiet, sacred space. Sadly, the current chapel at… Continue Reading The chapel: a place of healing and prayer
Elements of nature resembling water, rock and open air can provide solace in ways that we don’t completely understand. In fact, gardens and natural surroundings enrich the body and soul. Because nature provides such comfort, more medical and hospice facilities are providing comfort and relief through healing gardens. An Ailing Wife’s Final Request Rennie Atterbury… Continue Reading Nature Providing Solace