News for Friends of the Mercyhealth Development FoundationVolume 15, Number 1 • 2017

Donor Generosity Brings Soothing Relief to Mercyhealth Cancer Patients

Patients receiving care atMercyhealth Cancer Centers inJanesville and Rockford arefinding needed relief from a

program made possible by charitabledonations to the MercyhealthDevelopment Foundation. In addition to the excellent medical care

and state-of-the-art technology availableto cancer patients at Mercyhealth, theOncology Massage Therapy Program isoffering cancer patients a more holistic,nurturing approach to fighting their disease.The Cancer Center in Rockford started

offering massage therapy to cancer patientsnearly five years ago, funded throughdonations to the Foundation’s annualWishbook catalog. Then, about a year ago,the Foundation was asked to step in tosupport a similar massage therapy programat the Cancer Center in Janesville after anurse there contacted them about a patientwho was experiencing significant pain inher legs. She explained that the patient wastired of taking so many pain medications,and that research showed how massagetherapy can help cancer patients findrelief from pain, nausea and vomiting. With generous gifts from donors, the

Foundation funds this valuable service,partneringwith licensed massagetherapist Kathy Bjerke. And the responsehas been tremendous. “We are bookedsolid with appointments all day long,”explained Kathy, who feels that, “It’s apleasure and privilege to work with

cancer patients.” She splits her timebetween the Mercyhealth Cancer Centersin Janesville and Rockford, coming to botha couple times each month.Massageappointments are scheduled every halfhour, with no cost to patients.When asked about the benefits of this

type of therapy, Kathy passionately states,“There’s a strong psychological effect thatcancer has on patients, so I believe in aholistic model of treatment where we areable to address the mind, body, and spirittogether to promote healing.”Massage has been around since ancient

times and is a noninvasive therapeutic

treatment offered to patients who reportthat it decreases pain and discomfort, andpromotes a sense of well- being andserenity. Kathy uses gentle pressure on allareas of the body with the patient fullyclothed and positioned on a massagechair in a private space. Soft music andlow lighting help promote relaxation. From her work as a radiation therapist

for 28 years, Kathy knows how cancertreatments such as radiation therapy andchemotherapy can take a toll on patients’bodies and produce side effects. “Cancerpatients just want to feel normal, but whatthey’re going through

1

Kathy Bjerke (right), a licensed massage therapist, massages the feet of a patient in theCancer Center at Mercyhealth Hospital–Rockton Avenue as part of the Oncology MassageTherapy Program, funded by the Mercyhealth Development Foundation.

Continued on page 4

Giving

New Year Brings New Mission and Purpose to Foundation

The Mercyhealth Development Foundation is usheringin the new year with a renewed sense of excitementand purpose for the important work that lies ahead.

Guiding the way is a new mission statement which reads, “Mercyhealth Development Foundation providesdevelopment and oversight of philanthropic giving to support the Mercyhealth mission: Exceptional health careservices with a passion for making lives better.”Through generous gifts made by donors, the Foundation is helping improve lives

and make a difference by supporting the following valuable programs and services:■Cancer Centers:Mercyhealth Development Foundation provides resources andsupport for programs that enhance care for cancer patients and their families.

■Rooftop Garden Playground: The Foundation is raising needed funds for thecreation of a rooftop children’s garden and playground at the new MercyhealthHospital and Trauma Center–Riverside.

■ Emergency Medical Systems (EMS):Area fire and rescue crews have purchased LUCAS Chest Compression Systemswith Foundation dollars.

■Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU):Mercyhealth Development Foundationcontinues to support the excellent care delivered in the NICU.

■Children’s Services: The Foundation enhances pediatric care in a variety of waysand continues to support the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile, a pediatric clinic onwheels that provides free medical and dental care for area children in need.

■The Mercyhealth Women’s Centers:Mercyhealth DevelopmentFoundation provides items that add to the comfort and care of the women whouse our services at the Women’s Centers in Wisconsin and Illinois.

■House of Mercy Homeless Center: Since 1996, the House of Mercy HomelessCenter in Janesville has provided shelter and support to more than 6,300 people,half of whom are children. Residents are not only given a comfortable bed, warmmeals and a safe place to call home, they also receive resources and counseling tomake a fresh start. The Foundation provides assistance with rent deposits,educational expenses, transportation and child care expenses, and more.

■Autism Support Fund (ASF): The Foundation’s Autism Support Fund makes financial resources available to families for social skills, classes, sensory equipment,respite care, safety equipment and therapeutic materials.

■Mercyhealth at Home (formerly known as Visiting Nurses Association) providescomfort, compassion and support through home health and hospice services wherever a patient resides. The Foundation funds complementary programs such as Making Memories, Pet Peace of Mind and Music for the Heart. In addition, the Foundation provides support for several scholarship programs

within Mercyhealth as well as innovative equipment and capital improvement projects.We look forward to working with our donors this year and in the future to continue

the good work of the Foundation and fulfill our mission of making lives better.

Thank you for your support,

Jennifer Johns, Director

MercyhealthDevelopment Foundation2400 N. Rockton Ave. Rockford, IL 61103(815) 971-4141. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2017 Board of DirectorsLinda Heckert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ChairmanJavon R. Bea . . . . . . . . . . . . . President and CEO,

MercyhealthMark Goelzer, MD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chairman,

Mercyhealth Board

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

StaffBarbra Bortner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vice President,

Community Relations, Marketing and PR, Mercyhealth

Jennifer Johns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DirectorRenee Dooman . . . . . . . .Foundation CoordinatorAnne Hagney . . . . . . . Public Relations SpecialistSharon Mattis . . . . . . . . Administrative AssistantRachael Micinski . . . . . Development Coordinator

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

“Giving” Quarterly PublicationAnne Hagney . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . EditorChris Hankins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Photography

Marc BarbeauKay BatesPaula BlackW. Walter BootheJulie BosmaDoug HawthornePhillip Higgins, MD

John HolevasScott K. LauePatrick J. O’KeefeMilton G. Schmitt, Jr., MDJeffrey R. Smith, MDKathy L. Weber

2

Inspire Heal Give

Mercyhealth Development Foundation

In this issue of Giving, we spotlight theextraordinary generosity of longtimeand dedicated employee Lorrie Pierce.

Lorrie, who has been with LegacyRockford for 38 years, serves asExecutive Assistant for Mercyhealth Vice President of Planning and BusinessDevelopment Sue Schrieber. Over theyears, Lorrie has been a steadfast andgenerous donor to the MercyhealthDevelopment Foundation (formerly the Rockford Memorial Development

Foundation), supportingsuch causes as theFamily GivingCampaign, NeonatalIntensive Care Unit(NICU), Wishbook, and

a variety of endowments. She recentlyachieved membership in the prestigiousTriumvirate Recognition Society, reflectingcumulative lifetime giving of $10,000and above. We sat down with Lorrie toask what inspires her to give.

Tell us how you first becameconnected to the health system?

I started working at RockfordMemorial Hospital in 1978 in HospitalAdministration where I assisted variousVice Presidents of Operations. Later, Isupported the Chief Financial Officer andvarious Board of Directors’ committees.Over the years, I had the honor to knowmany of our exceptional board memberssuch as Jack Packard and Jared Sparks,among others. I also had the pleasure ofassisting two of our Chief MedicalOfficers, Dr. Bill Moore and Dr. MiltonSchmitt, Jr., allowing me to work withmany of our wonderful physicians.

You have been such a loyal donor tothe Mercyhealth DevelopmentFoundation. Why do you give?

I have always felt blessed to have agood life. My husband and I are quiet

donors who lead a simple life. We havefour walls, transportation, and food onthe table and don’t need many materialthings. We were fortunate to be blessedwith a healthy child, and wanted to giveto those less fortunate so we began givingto the NICU. In the world today, it seemslike everything is “me-me-me” and I believewe should spend more time thinkingabout others. My very first donation was to the Wishbook because it wassomething tangible I could connect with.It feels good to give to things I’mpassionate about.

Why do you like donating to supportyour fellow partners?

I have worked here since I was 21 years old and am very loyal to themany co-workers I have known over theyears who have become like my secondfamily. I remember thinking what agreat idea the Family Giving Campaignwas because it allows me, through theCrisis Fund, to support my co-workersduring difficult times. Donating is easy;any donation amount is appreciated andcan be contributed via payroll deduction.

What books have you been reading lately?

I love to read, especially thrillers likethose by James Patterson, and I still havemy Nancy Drew books! I just finished reading The Magnolia Story about Chip and Joanna Gaines telling how theystarted their house renovation business,ultimately leading to a show on HGTV.Their story of putting family first, theirlove for each other, and faith in Godinspires me and ties in with my secondlove of watching HGTV.

Tell us about your family.

My husband, Joe, is a QualityManager and has worked at UTCAerospace Systems for 37 years. We haveone daughter, Jessica, who is a highschool English teacher. She and herhusband, Rick, live in Peoria and have a“fur baby” named Roxie, a black labwho they rescued four years ago. She’sour adorable and very spoiled “granddoggie” who we enjoy walking inBaumann Park in Cherry Valley whenshe comes for a visit. ❖

Longtime employee and steadfast donor Lorrie Pierce recently became a member of theTriumvirate Recognition Society through generous donations to the MercyhealthDevelopment Foundation.

Spotlight

Loyal and Dedicated Employee Continues to Give

3

Giving

is not normal at all — having surgeries,taking medication, going to countlessappointments. “It can be traumatic forpeople, so having something else to offerthem can make a huge difference.”Kathy further explained the Oncology

Massage Therapy Program’s success andwhy she feels it is so effective. “This isnot something you can get from a pill.When I touch them, I make them feelvalued. I’m giving them permission to be

in a state of true relaxation, a safe placefor a short while where they don’t haveto think about their illness.”Cindy Joesten, Lead Radiation Therapist

at Mercyhealth Hospital–Rockton Avenue,emphasizes how appreciative patients arefor this benefit. “After the massage,patients always tell us how wonderful it was,” Cindy said. “In fact, it’s soimportant that a dedicatedmassage roomwas included in the design of the newly

remodeled infusion center.”In addition to massage therapy, the

Mercyhealth Development Foundationalso helps support other programs thatenhance care for cancer patients such asmusic therapy and pet therapy. If you areinterested in finding out more aboutMassage Therapy or other programs, orin making a gift to the Oncology Fund,contact the Foundation at (815) 971-4141. ❖

Massage Therapy Brings Soothing Relief to Cancer Patients Continued from page 1

“I’ve spent very little time being idle since Iretired,” proudly replies Marilyn Sowerswhen asked what keeps her going at age

87. One of her favorite ways to stay active is by volunteering for the Rockford Memorial HospitalAuxiliary, logging in more than 4,800 hours of service since she joined this dynamic group in2001. Marilyn explained that it was her need tokeep busy after the loss of her husband and, later, a son that first led her to volunteer. “I needed to dosomething different and make some new friends. It was time to pull myself up by my bootstraps andgo on. Life isn’t always meant to be a bowl of cherries. There are some lemons,” she said.

The main focus of Marilyn’svolunteer hours has been theHospital Auxiliary Gift Shop,where she has served as a card and gift buyer as well as Auxiliary Gift ShopCommittee Chair for the past 10 years. “It’s the people, both the customers andvolunteers I work with, who make it worthwhile,” Marilyn commented. AnotherAuxiliary project close to her heart is providing new hats and mittens to students

at Conklin and Welsh Schools. “This is the third year we have done this, and the kids are sweet. The smiles and thank yous we receive are most rewarding.”In addition to Mercyhealth, Marilyn also volunteers at her church, Riverside Community, and

enjoys caring for her own lawn and flowers. Also, she picks up two of her great grandsons two daysa week from school, and attends many of their extracurricular activities. “I went to 28 Little Leaguebaseball games this summer,” Marilyn said, “and this is the third generation to participate.”This November, Marilyn was presented with the Auxiliary’s top honor, the Alma Fringer Award,

named in honor of the Auxiliary founder. “I was so surprised and overwhelmed by the honor,”Marilyn said. “It was amazing! The Auxiliary is very good to their volunteers.” Volunteer ServicesCoordinator Karen Hargraves commented on how deserving Marilyn is of the award, describing heras “vibrant, giving and dedicated.” Marilyn feels fortunate to be surrounded by her family which includes one son, three

granddaughters, six great grandchildren, and two brothers (she had five!). “We play lots of cards and share meals together.” Although she’s weathered tough times, Marilyn says, “The good Lord has been good to me, and I have a lot for which to be grateful.” ❖

Active Volunteer Gives Time and Talent

SpotlightVVOOLLUUNNTTEEEERRVVOOLLUUNNTTEEEERR

Marilyn Sowers

4

Mercyhealth WelcomesNew Vice President of

Home Care

Mercyhealth is pleased towelcome Bob Walters as itsnew Vice President of Home

Care. Bob oversees home care, hospice,durable medical equipment and olderadult services. He is responsible forstrategic planning, operations, financialprocesses and department functions. With more than 23 years of

experience in thehome care field,most recently fromAllina HealthSystem inMinneapolis, Bobhas also managedhome care servicesat Aurora Health Care, Ohio Health and Prohealth Care. He earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from theUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison, and a master’s degree in business administration from DeVryUniversity/Keller Graduate School. In looking to the future in his new

role, Bob said, “Home care is the newfrontier of health care, and Mercyhealthis leading the way towards innovation. I look forward to further strengtheningthe commitment within ourcommunities.” ❖

Bob Walters

Mercyhealth Development Foundation

Foundation Announces 2017 Premier Fundraising Events

5

Mercyhealth DevelopmentFoundation invites you toattend two black tie

fundraising events this year, along withour annual Golf Play Day. ■ The House of Mercy Charity Ballwill be held on Saturday, April 29, at the Janesville Country Club, 2615 W. Memorial Dr., Janesville. This funand elegant evening begins at 5 pm with a social hour, hors d’oeuvres andcocktails, followed by a gourmet dinner,music and a live and silent auction. Proceeds from the Charity Ballwill be

used to support The House of MercyHomeless Center, a 25-bed facility inJanesville that provides homeless familieswith short-term emergency shelter andaccess to housing, job placement andchild care resources. Since opening in 1996,the Center has provided shelter and support to more than 6,300 individuals,half of whom were children. Moniesraised will provide homeless familieswith individualized success planning,rent deposits, education expenseassistance, transportation and child careassistance, and other expenses.

Charity Ball tickets are $100 perperson. Also, please consider donatingan item to the event’s silent or live auction.For more information, or to purchasetickets, contact Renee Dooman at (608)741-2422 or rdooman@mhemail.org.■Also save the date of Monday, June 26,for the Foundation’s annual Golf PlayDay. This year’s event will be held atThe Beloit Club in Beloit.■ Please also mark your calendars forthe Mercyhealth Gala (formerly theRockford Health Gala) scheduled forSaturday, September 30, at Giovanni’s in Rockford. Watch for more detailscoming soon on this spectacular event.❖

Golfers enjoyed a beautiful day on the links at the 2016 Ambassadors’ Golf Play Day. This year’s event is scheduled for Monday, June 26, at The Beloit Club, in Beloit, Wisconsin.

Mercyhealth Community Board Member Larry Squire (left) purchases a ticket for theCharity Ball wine pull from volunteer Emily Hesse (right) while Mercyhealth DevelopmentFoundation Director Jennifer Johns cheers him on.

Gala Wine Auction Co-Chair Julie Humpal and her husband, Tom Humpal, dance to thesounds of One Night Band at Rockford Health Gala 17: We’re Building It! held last May.This year’s gala is set for September 30, 2017, at Giovanni’s in Rockford.

Giving

Mercyhealth Development Foundation ThanksAmbassadors’ Toy Drive Sponsors, Volunteers and Partners

The Ambassadors ended 2016with another successful HolidayToy Drive, raising more than

$15,000 and piles of toys for pediatricpatients to enjoy year-round. It was agreat day of festivities with breakfast,holiday music from the Lola Bard Carolers,a live broadcast from WREX-TV, and aspecial visit from Santa. Following a briefprogram that included testimonials fromyoung patients who have benefitted fromtoys during their illnesses, Santa deliveredthe donated toys to patients hospitalizedon the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit,Pediatric Unit, and Pediatric IntensiveCare Unit of Mercyhealth Hospital–Rockton Avenue.

The Mercyhealth DevelopmentFoundation extends its gratitude to Toy DriveCo-Chairs Anthony Cellitti,Jessica Koltz, and Jody Schumacher,along with the following generous Toy Drive Sponsors:

PREMIER SPONSORMercyhealth MD-1 Physicians

SANTA SPONSORSATS Medical Services, Inc.City Fire Fighters Union Local 413Dickerson & Nieman RealtorsJoe Cooling & Sons, Inc.Larson & Darby, Inc.

TREE SPONSORSMeghann Houck, MDPaper Recovery Service CorporationRasmussen CollegeRK DixonSchmeling Construction Co.Sebert LandscapingShopko FoundationDr. Charles and Bobbi SmithWilliams-Manny, Inc.

SLEIGH SPONSORSBallard Companies, IncCarpetland USALinnette CarterHagney Architects, LLCIllinois Bank & TrustMechanical, Inc.Joe & Cookie ScandroliWilson Electric Co.

Many thanks to these individuals and businesses along with numerous ELF SPONSORS whose contributionshelped put smiles on many children’sfaces and made the Holiday Toy Driveso successful. ❖

6

Giving

Brian Weavel and sons Alec and Evan carry in toys for the 2016Ambassadors’ Holiday Toy Drive. The Weavel family spoke aboutthe importance of toys in helping Alec cope with a new diagnosis ofjuvenile diabetes.

WREX-TV morning reporter Austin Love interviews AmbassadorBobbi Smith about how toys are used to help pediatric patients atMercyhealth. Love and WREX-TV meteorologist Morgan Kolkmeyerreported live from the Toy Drive during their early morning show.

Santa put smiles onchildren’s faces by

delivering new toysdonated through the Toy Drive to

patients on thePediatric Unit of Mercyhealth

Hospital–RocktonAvenue.

Mercyhealth Development Foundation

7

Mercyhealth DevelopmentFoundation helped delivernew winter clothing to

students at Dennis Early ChildhoodCenter in Rockford for its Snow AngelDonation Program on January 19. The donation was made possible by apartnership between the Foundation,Blain’s Farm & Fleet and the RockfordMemorial Hospital Auxiliary.“We’re very excited to partner with

Blain’s Farm & Fleet to help DennisCenter and its young students,” said Jennifer Johns, Director,Mercyhealth Development Foundation.“Mercyhealth participates in events likethis because it reflects our ongoingcommitment to improving educationalopportunities and growth in ourcommunity. We serve with a passionfor making lives better — especially our youth.”Dennis Early Childhood Center,

located on Rockford’s southwest side,promotes positive social, academic, andfamily outcomes for all its students.Dennis Center serves 330 three- and

four-year-old students, and theirfamilies, working to prepare childrenfor kindergarten.“We are very thankful to have this

generous gift made possible byMercyhealth and Blain’s Farm &Fleet,” said Jenny Keffer, Principal,Dennis Early Childhood Center.

“This donation allows our students to enjoy outdoor activities, such asplaying outside, sledding and building snowmen.”The donation consisted of 454 brand

new items, including snow boots, snow bibs, mittens, hats, scarves andwinter coats. ❖

John Alexander, ODTodd Alexander, MDNelly Amador, MDColleen Anderson, MDCarolyn Bengtson Hutchison, MDRoger Bohn, MDJason Bredenkamp, MDRonald Burmeister, MDErbert Caceres, MDFrancisco Carrion, MD

Todd Chaffin, MDDavid Deutsch, MDJohn Dorsey, MDGareth Eberle, MDJose Gonzalez, MDNorman Hagman, MDDavid Hansen, MDJames Harker, MDRichard Hayes, MDGillian Headley, MD

Phillip Higgins, MDMeghann Houck, MDJohn Hovis, MDRobin Hovis, MDWilliam Hutt, MDSyed Irfan, MDThomas Jaquet, MDKelly John, DPMLester Jurgens, MDMohsin Ali Khan, MD

Kyle Legrand, ODDonald McCanse, MDKorrin Meier, MDMaryanne Miller, MDWillard Moore, Jr., MDAlan Mowbray, MDRonald Oberfoell, ODCharles Osadjan, Jr., MDKevin Peifer, MDDonald Rabor, MD

Angela Rodriguez, MDMilton Schmitt, Jr., MDNadeem Siddiqui, MDJeffrey Smith, MDTim Swain, III, MDDavid Thompson, ODMatthew Twohig, MDConnie Vitali, MDSheldon Weiss, MD ❖

Thank You, Legacy Rockford’s Physicians Circle 2016

Many thanks to the following 49 physicians who participated in Legacy Rockford’s Physicians Circle in 2016, contributing$51,272 to support the Mercyhealth Development Foundation. Current and past members of the Mercyhealth MedicalStaff are eligible for membership in Physicians Circle through annual gifts of $500 or more.

Foundation Partners with Auxiliary and Blain’s Farm & Fleet for School Clothing Donation

Children from Dennis Early Childhood Center in Rockford pose with representatives fromthe Rockford Memorial Hospital Auxiliary and Mercyhealth Development Foundationafter receiving donations of new winter clothing in a partnership with Blain’s Farm & Fleet.

8

Non-Profit Org.U.S. PostageP A I D

Rockford, ILPermit No. 685

2400 N. Rockton Ave.Rockford, IL 61103(815) 971-4141

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

©2 0 1 7 M e r c y h e a l t h D e v e l o pm e n t F o u n d a t i o n • 5 . 5M / M S 2 / 2 - 1 7 P h o t o g r a p h y : M E R C Y H E A LT H • D e s i g n : B U G L E R D E S I G N I N C .

Giving

Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs)have become popular means to provideretirement income. Today, billions of

dollars are owned through these tax-advantaged savings vehicles. Even withthe Required Minimum Distributionrules for mandatory withdrawal (RMDs)

— which typicallybegin at age 70½ —many of these planswill still have largebalances at the deathof the owner orsurviving spouse.

A Tax Trap for FamilyYou may be surprised to learn that

IRAs can become tax traps when youleave your account upon death to a non-spouse beneficiary. Since the funds inIRAs represent money that has not yetbeen subject to income tax, giving theaccounts to individual heirs exposes the

funds to significant income taxes. Inother words, after your lifetime, your IRAcan be seriously depleted by income taxes.

The Best Asset to Give AwayBecause of these tax realities, IRAs

become the first place to look as a “givingpocket” for those who have charitableintentions in their estate plan. With thetaxes that can be saved in giving away thesehighly taxed assets, it actually makes thecost of giving less than giving other assets.For those with interest in directing dollarsto the charities of their choice, ratherthan to Uncle Sam in the form of taxes,IRAs become the ideal pocket for giving.

How to Give Your IRA The simplest way to leave the balance

of an IRA to the charities of choice afteryour (and your spouse’s) lifetime is to listyour hand-picked, favorite charities on abeneficiary designation form provided byyour IRA administrator.

The questionoften becomes,“what percentageof my IRA shouldbe directed toheirs, and whatpercentage shouldbe directed tocharity?” The percentage to eachmay be set at anyamount between

0% – 100%. You retain completeflexibility with this type of planningbecause your IRAs remain available toyou for your entire life should you need to use them, and the beneficiarydesignations are changeable at any time— leaving you in total control.When you update your estate plan,

remember that IRAs are a preferred and very smart “pocket” for estate giving. ❖

The Smartest Pocket for Giving

Johni Hays, JD, Senior Vice President, Thompson & Assoc.

INSIDETHIS ISSUE

Providing Soothing Relief… 1

Spotlight on Lorrie Pierce… 3

Premier Fundraising Events… 5

Toy Drive Recap… 6