Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital

Summer 2014Volume 5, Issue 2

Office for Mission & Spiritual Care

Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital

630.275.1185GSAM-SpiritualCare

@Advocatehealth.com

GratefulRecently, when my mother turned 88, she talked a lot about how grateful she was for the life she has had. Certainly she has had her share of significant losses as well. The losses she seems to hold along with her gratitude, not despite it.

This balancing of gratitude and grief takes effort, prayer and compassionate, caring friends and family. Spiritual and pastoral caregivers walk alongside those who seek some balance to discover ways to express the paradox, rather than the contradiction, of loss and gratitude.

As we listen to one another’s stories, we discover many

rich elements of God’s loving presence, guidance and mercy. The stories in Connections tell of the blessings of our partnerships that our shared healing ministry provides in service to those in need. For that I am grateful!

Rev. Jim ChristianVice President

Mission & Spiritual Care

to our faith communities

If you don't take a Sabbath, something is wrong. You're doing too much; you're being too much in charge. You've got to quit, one day a week, and just watch what God is doing when you're not doing anything.

Eugene Peterson

Connections

Grace Notes are readings, poems or quotes from a variety of faith traditions and writers. Each reflection tries to touch on the heart of being human in this world. To receive Grace Notes five or

seven days a week, please click here or contact AHC-gracenotes@advocatehealth.com .

Grace NotesIn this issue:1 Greetings from Jim

Christian

1 Grace Notes

2 Gratitude: Longtime supporters make heartfelt bequest

2 The heart of a chaplain: Interview with Barb Burkhardt

3 Clergy parking

3 Hospice Corner

3 In upcoming issues

Our hours: The Office for Mission and Spiritual Care provides spiritual care for patients and their families 24 hours a day every day of the year. The office is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. During those times, you may contact us at 630.275.1185. Evenings and weekends, call 630.275.5900, and ask the operator to page the on-call chaplain.

Connections - Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital Office for Mission and Spiritual Care Summer 2014 - Page 2

When did you realize you had a passion for comforting people in crisis?

When my children had grown up, I wanted to find something rewarding for the next chapter in my life, so I began working with a spiritual director. She helped me remember how much satisfaction I had had when I worked in a hospital years earlier (I was going to be a nurse) and in parish ministry. My next step started coming into focus.

What was your journey to becoming a chaplain?

Because I am Catholic, seminary was not an option for me. I received my Bachelor’s Degree in pastoral ministry and theology from Dominican University. Soon I will receive my Master’s Degree in spirituality from Loyola University.

I will also be a spiritual director. That term is somewhat misleading. A spiritual director doesn’t direct but rather helps someone unearth his or her inner feelings, fostering inner growth. Probably spiritual companion would be more accurate.

I came to Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital for its CPE training, and I’ve been involved with this hospital ever since. I have experience with other hospitals that are not faith-based as all the Advocate hospitals are. There is a huge difference. Having the underlying belief that all people are created in the image of God – well, this is the right place for me.

Does your ministry have a special focus?

I work in registry, so I go everywhere and see everything and everyone. I can spend time with someone with chronic illness, someone seeking God, someone healing and heading home, then a trauma patient – I’m not locked into any one thing. It’s exciting at this time in my life to be doing something so rewarding. I consider it divine providence that I am here at Good Samaritan Hospital. I was really lucky to be where I was when I was. I have been really, really, really blessed.

Ruth Anne and John Unik have led extraordinary lives. Both grew up in the Chicago area and earned undergraduate degrees in chemistry. Their married life began in the late 1950s at the University of California, Berkeley, where John earned a doctorate in chemistry and Ruth Anne worked in the university’s personnel department.

In 1960, the couple moved to a then-sparsely populated Naperville, and John began a long and successful career as a nuclear physicist at Argonne National Laboratory, where he eventually retired as a division director and senior scientist. Ruth Anne cared for the couple’s two children, Carol and John, while also painting and becoming active in the Naperville Art League.

Ruth Anne first got involved with Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in 1994. She served as membership chair, treasurer and first vice president of the hospital’s auxiliary before becoming its president in 2000. During her 20-year relationship with Good Samaritan Hospital, she also worked directly with patients and visitors as a volunteer, an experience she still finds gratifying. “It makes an impression on your soul. I feel so good when I get back from volunteering.” Ruth Anne was ultimately named chair of the Illinois Hospital Association’s Constituency on Volunteers, where she shared her

expertise on utilizing hospital volunteers throughout the state.

Over the years, Ruth Anne also helped steer Good Samaritan Hospital as a

member of its Governing Council, Development Council

and Gala Committee, where she enthusiastically raised charitable dollars

for the hospital. The Uniks enjoy attending fundraising events and are proud and loyal Presidents Society donors. John says, “When you donate money, you want to see where it goes. When we tour new buildings and see the latest technology at the hospital, we know it is money well spent.”

As they age, the Uniks especially value having access to a high level of clinical expertise near their home. Last year, John needed emergency spinal surgery and didn’t hesitate to go straight to Good

The heart of a chaplain: Interview with Barb Burkhardt

Please see Gratitude on next page.

Ch. Burkhardt has been a chaplain at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital since 2010.

Gratitude: Longtime supporters make heartfelt bequest

“Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital – as a faith-based nonprofit – cares more about me as

a person.”

Connections - Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital Office for Mission and Spiritual Care Summer 2014 - Page 3

Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital3518 Highland AvenueDowners Grove, IL 60515630.275.5900www.advocatehealth.com/gsam

Good Samaritan Health and Wellness Center3551 Highland Ave., Downers Grove, IL

630.275.2879

Advocate Good Samaritan Outpatient Facilities:6840 S. Main St., Downers Grove, IL, 630.275.684015900 W. 127th St., Lemont, IL, 630.243.7100

Office for Mission & Spiritual Care630.275.1185GSAM-SpiritualCare@Advocatehealth.com

Vice President:Rev. Jim Christian

Chaplains:Barbara Burkhardt Donald FryeJohnny Gillespie Kathy GingrichAnna Lee Hisey Pierson Judy JacksonSally Miller Laura WilliamsLinnea Winquist Adrienne Zervos

Chaplain Educators:Amy Snedeker Jeni Porche

Administrative Assistant:Julie LaFayette

To continue receiving Connections, your email address must be current. Please inform us of any changes in your email address or other contact information: Call 630.275.1185 or email to GSAM-SpiritualCare@Advocatehealth.com.

Service of Remembrance

Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital Chapel

Sun., June 22 (week after Father’s Day)Good Samaritan Mission & Spiritual Care and Advocate Hospice join together in leading this service as a comfort for families they serve who have recently lost a loved one. For more information, call 630.829.1753 or email penelope.gabriele@advocatehealth.com.

Next service: Sun., Sept. 21, 4 p.m.

Hospice CornerAdvocate Hospice

1441 Branding Lane #220 • Downers Grove, IL 60515

In upcoming issues

Love knots – an extraordinary group of generous handicrafters

The grateful patient

Gratitude from prior pageSamaritan Hospital where neurosurgeon Yogesh Gandhi, MD, performed the procedure. “Dr. Gandhi is more than an excellent surgeon,” John says. “He goes out of his way to take care of you.”

John has been treated at facilities other than Good Samaritan Hospital and describes the Advocate difference this way: “All the hospitals are professional, but I feel Good Samaritan Hospital — as a faith-based nonprofit — cares more about me as a person. The nurses have such a deep interest in their patients. There’s really no comparison. ”

In 2000 when the Uniks’ first grandchild, Daniel, was born, they decided to review their estate plans. Ruth Anne says, “We wanted to make sure every person and organization we loved was taken care of — our children, our family, both of our colleges — and, of course, Good Samaritan Hospital.”

Making a bequest to their favorite hospital was an easy choice for John and Ruth Anne, in part because they feel so deeply connected to its people. They’ve come to know and respect the leadership of the hospital, and they’ve benefited from the competence and compassion of the clinicians. As Ruth Anne says, “We’ve made so many wonderful friends.” Investing in the future of such a caring community seems a natural extension of their longtime support of excellent health care close to home -- and a lovely way to express their gratitude.

Clergy parking is available in the Valet Parking Lot next to Parking Garage D (the south end of the campus near the Emergency Department). The entrance is between the valet sign and the Earth Day flag.

Designated parking is located at the far end of the first row.

No permit is actually required – although the sign says it is.

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: D

ear

God

, I th

ank

you

for

the

gift

of h

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p m

e to

be

min

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of t

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to g

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suc

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man

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se in

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righ

t aw

ay.

The

late

st s

trok

e tr

eatm

ents

are

ver

y ef

fect

ive

but m

ust b

e ad

min

iste

red

with

in th

ree

hour

s of

the

star

t of a

str

oke.

Eve

ry

min

ute

coun

ts, a

nd o

nly

a m

edic

al p

rofe

ssio

nal c

an d

eter

min

e w

heth

er s

ympt

oms

are

stro

ke-r

elat

ed o

r no

t. C

all 9

11 o

r ge

t to

the

emer

genc

y ro

om a

s so

on a

s po

ssib

le.

Support

ing

Can

cer

Surv

ivors

June

1st

is N

atio

nal C

ance

r Su

rviv

ors

Day

. Whi

le s

urvi

ving

ca

ncer

is c

erta

inly

som

ethi

ng to

cel

ebra

te, s

erio

us il

lnes

s af

fect

s pe

ople

long

afte

r tr

eatm

ent.

For

canc

er s

urvi

vors

, lon

g-te

rm

conc

erns

incl

ude:

✦B

eing

dia

gnos

ed w

ith o

ther

can

cers

, suf

feri

ng

addi

tiona

l hea

lth p

robl

ems.

✦Fi

nanc

ial s

tres

s ca

used

by

the

cost

of

trea

tmen

t or

time

off w

ork.

✦St

rain

ed r

elat

ions

hips

with

fam

ily a

nd fr

iend

s.

Fam

ily m

embe

rs o

f sur

vivo

rs, p

artic

ular

ly th

ose

who

se

rved

as

care

take

rs, m

ay a

lso

be s

trug

glin

g in

the

afte

rmat

h of

a

love

d on

e’s

canc

er d

iagn

osis

and

trea

tmen

t.

Whi

le m

any

indi

vidu

als

and

faith

com

mun

ities

act

ivel

y he

lp

othe

rs in

the

mid

st o

f a c

ritic

al il

lnes

s, th

is s

uppo

rt s

omet

imes

fa

des

afte

r th

e ill

ness

impr

oves

or

goes

into

rem

issi

on. Y

et th

e ne

ed fo

r su

ppor

t is

still

ther

e an

d so

met

imes

is e

ven

mor

e ac

ute.

H

ere

are

som

e w

ays

that

you

can

sup

port

a c

ance

r su

rviv

or a

nd

his

or h

er fa

mily

:✦

Pray

for

them

.✦

Trea

tmen

t rec

over

y ca

n ta

ke ti

me.

Offe

r he

lp w

ith

tran

spor

tatio

n, e

rran

ds a

nd c

hore

s w

hile

the

surv

ivor

get

s hi

s or

her

str

engt

h ba

ck.

✦Pr

ovid

e ch

ildca

re s

o th

at a

dult

fam

ily m

embe

rs c

an s

pend

tim

e to

geth

er.

✦M

ake

your

self

avai

labl

e to

list

en to

a s

urvi

vor’s

or

care

take

r’s

conc

erns

and

fear

s.

June

1 I

s N

atio

nal

C

ance

r Su

rviv

ors

Day

Ⓡ

6-14

Res

ou

rces

: Adv

ocat

ehea

lth.c

om •

Nat

iona

l Can

cer

Surv

ivor

s D

ay®

– n

csd.

org

• A

mer

ican

Can

cer

Soci

ety:

Sur

vivo

rshi

p: D

urin

g an

d A

fter T

reat

men

t – c

ance

r.org

/tr

eatm

ent/s

urvi

vors

hipd

urin

gand

afte

rtre

atm

ent/i

ndex

?site

area

• N

atio

nal C

ance

r In

stitu

te: S

urvi

vors

hip:

Liv

ing

With

and

Bey

ond

Can

cer

– ca

ncer

.gov

/can

cert

opic

s/co

ping

/sur

vivo

rshi

p

Prayer

: D

ear

God

, hel

p m

e to

rem

ain

min

dful

of t

he p

eopl

e in

my

life.

Hel

p m

e to

be

a st

rong

sup

port

for

them

. Am

en.

Men

and C

ance

r

In th

e U

nite

d St

ates

, we

cele

brat

e Fa

ther

’s D

ay in

June

, whi

ch is

al

so M

en’s

Hea

lth A

war

enes

s M

onth

. For

man

y m

en a

nd th

eir

fam

ilies

, hea

lthy

livin

g an

d w

elln

ess

is a

n on

goin

g co

ncer

n.

One

sig

nific

ant f

ear

is c

ance

r, so

met

hing

that

cla

ims

hund

reds

of

thou

sand

s of

live

s ea

ch y

ear

in th

e U

nite

d St

ates

alo

ne. F

or

men

, the

mos

t com

mon

can

cers

are

thos

e of

the

pros

tate

, lun

gs,

colo

n an

d sk

in.

Seve

ral e

ffect

ive

scre

enin

gs e

xist

, but

the

Am

eric

an C

ance

r So

ciet

y do

es n

ot r

ecom

men

d th

at e

very

man

und

ergo

rou

tine

scre

enin

g fo

r al

l of t

hese

con

ditio

ns. I

nste

ad, m

en s

houl

d ha

ve a

co

nver

satio

n w

ith th

eir

doct

ors

abou

t whe

ther

test

ing

is

appr

opri

ate

for

them

giv

en th

eir

age,

the

stat

e of

thei

r he

alth

and

th

eir

fam

ily h

isto

ries

.

Earl

y de

tect

ion

impr

oves

a m

an’s

chan

ces

of s

urvi

val a

nd m

ay

redu

ce th

e ne

ed fo

r in

vasi

ve a

nd p

ainf

ul th

erap

ies.

How

ever

, man

y m

en d

elay

spe

akin

g to

thei

r do

ctor

s ab

out

sym

ptom

s th

at m

ay p

oint

to c

ance

r. So

me

do th

is o

ut o

f fea

r an

d

som

e be

caus

e th

ey b

elie

ve th

ey s

houl

d “m

an-u

p” a

nd ig

nore

th

eir

pain

and

dis

com

fort

.  

In a

dditi

on, s

ome

men

may

not

hav

e a

rela

tions

hip

with

a

prim

ary

care

phy

sici

an o

r an

y he

alth

car

e pr

ofes

sion

al. E

ven

thos

e th

at d

o m

ay p

ut o

ff or

forg

o re

gula

r ch

ecku

ps, m

issi

ng

oppo

rtun

ities

for

heal

th c

ouns

elin

g an

d, if

nec

essa

ry, t

ests

that

ca

n de

tect

can

cer.

Bot

h ty

pes

of in

actio

n ca

n le

ad to

un

nece

ssar

y su

fferi

ng, w

orse

ning

con

ditio

ns a

nd e

ven

deat

h.

Taki

ng g

ood

care

of h

imse

lf is

one

way

a fa

ther

or

gran

dfat

her

show

s hi

s fa

mily

how

muc

h he

love

s th

em. S

ettin

g an

ap

poin

tmen

t for

a lo

ng-o

verd

ue c

heck

-up

is th

e fir

st s

tep

– an

d a

love

ly g

ift a

fath

er c

an g

ive

on F

athe

r’s D

ay.

Res

ourc

es: A

dvoc

ateh

ealth

.com

• A

mer

ican

Can

cer

Soci

ety:

Can

cer

Fact

s fo

r M

en –

ca

ncer

.org

/hea

lthy/

findc

ance

rear

ly/m

ensh

ealth

/inde

x •

Mov

embe

r (M

en’s

Hea

lth

Aw

aren

ess)

– u

s.m

ovem

ber.c

om