Exceptional care leads to grateful giving.
When a loved one receives lifesaving care far from home, there’s a special comfort in staying close by. Just ask the McNab family. Joe McNab is a tight end for the Eastern Illinois University football team. When he suddenly became ill at school, he was transferred to Carle Foundation Hospital. His parents stayed at the Carle Auxiliary Guest House while Joe received lifesaving care.
Because Carle Foundation Hospital is home to a Level I Trauma Center and Level III Perinatal Center, families from throughout Illinois – and beyond – often find themselves at Carle. That’s why the Carle Auxiliary built the Guest House. While loved ones receive critical care, family members stay in this beautiful home just steps away. Since opening 20 years ago, the Guest House has welcomed over 35,000 guests. And each guest stays for free, thanks to generous donations to Carle Health Center for Philanthropy. We’re extremely grateful to all the caring individuals who make this special place possible.
Gardening Angels create an oasis of hope and healing.
As long as there’s been a cancer center in Normal, there’s been a garden, tended by a handful of dedicated men and women who share more than a passing connection with the patients who walk through the center’s doors. Peggy Swerdlik, one of the longest-serving volunteers, lost her mother to cancer when Swerdlik was just 19. Sue Farrell-Stroyan and her husband Rich are proud parents of a cancer survivor. And then there’s Sharon Jaeger, who first viewed the garden from the other side of the window. “I did my chemo there in 2000,” says Jaeger, who felt its impact firsthand.
The small garden was planted at the request of the center’s first leaders. “It really started with Shari Morkin, who designed it,” Swerdlik said. Morkin had developed a reputation for creating butterfly gardens, including one at Oakland School, where Swerdlik used to teach. “She’s the butterfly queen in Bloomington-Normal,” said Swerdlik, who started helping with the garden in 1999.
At first, there wasn’t a lot to do. “It was still under construction, so I just picked up leaves and trash that first year,” Swerdlik said. Eventually, however, the blank dirt patch blossomed into a vibrant garden. And to maintain it, Swerdlik recruited a number of friends. Jaeger was one of several McLean County Master Gardeners who also joined the effort early on, bringing their expertise to the project.
When the original garden was cleared to make room for an expansion in 2013, Swerdlik kept some of the original plants, which provided the seeds for a much larger garden two years later. According to Stroyan, the new healing garden – which includes the terrace garden, a labyrinth and an expanded butterfly garden – was patterned after one at the Anschutz Medical Campus in Colorado. “Denver’s way ahead of everyone else in using gardening as a healing tool,” Stroyan said. “So that’s how we started.”
As the garden expanded, so did its role in the community. “The gardens weren’t just for patients and staff,” said Jaeger, who joined the new committee created to manage it. “We had therapeutic horticultural conventions and various conferences. We had cancer survivor nights there. Educational programming was always at the forefront of gatherings.” There were even a couple weddings in the sprawling gardens, including one that united two cancer patients in marriage and further forged the bond between the garden and the local community.
According to the volunteers, however, the real power of the garden is revealed in more quiet moments, when the crowds have vanished and the few who remain find themselves alone with their thoughts, the fragrant flowers and the gentle sound of a soft breeze stirring through the plants.
“I find it to be almost magical,” said Swerdlik, who recently met a woman who comes out every day and sits by the water feature while her husband receives treatment. “It’s so peaceful. And that’s what we wanted. I mean, truly, it was really for the patients … It wasn’t for us. But I certainly enjoy my time there,” Swerdlik said, adding, “I feel like it’s my secret garden.”
With their passion and commitment, the volunteers have earned a nickname from the garden’s visitors. “People refer to us as the ‘Gardening Angels,’” said Swerdlik, who’s honored to share the title along with the rest of a team that’s grateful not only for those who’ve tended the garden, but also for others whose generous gifts have provided plants, furnishings, a paved walk and an irrigation system that simplified the mammoth task of watering. If you’d like to earn your wings, Swerdlik says there are many opportunities available. “We’re always looking for volunteers.”
Less pills. More potential.
For four years, Carle psychiatrist Suzanna Kitten, MD, and the team from Carle Psychiatry and Psychology have been advocating for transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to become part of a comprehensive treatment approach for patients with depression who haven’t responded well to other treatments. Various things got in the way of that vision, including a pandemic that put a lot of plans on hold. But in May, the department finally got their wish, thanks to a $190,000 gift from the Greatest Needs Fund for Carle Foundation Hospital that opened the door to new and promising treatments.
That gift funded the purchase of a TMS machine and two helmets – one for patients with major depressive disorder and another for those with both major depressive disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder – with magnets placed in different parts of the helmets to stimulate various areas of the brain. The new equipment is being used in the interventional psychiatry clinic, which is designed for those patients most resistant to regular treatment methods.
The procedure itself is very simple. “In general, it’s very tolerable,” Dr. Kitten said. “Patients will feel kind of a tapping on their head when the pulse is being delivered.” The biggest side effect might be a small headache that’s easily treated with Tylenol or ibuprofen, and which usually subsides after about three sessions.
Because repeat exposures are required to help neurons build connections, patients approved for TMS typically receive daily 20-minute treatments, five days a week for five to six weeks. That’s a sizable time commitment for patients living in a busy world. But those who make it through the full course of treatments can experience impressive results. “For patients with depression, TMS has a 40%-60% response and remission rate,” Dr. Kitten said. That’s about double the rate that antidepressants can achieve. And those medications often come with a long list of side effects.
Around eight devices are FDA-approved for the treatment of depression, but Carle opted to go with a unit that offers “deep TMS.” Used in hundreds of clinics and hospitals around the world, deep TMS offers a number of advantages over traditional TMS, including greater neuron activation. With deeper and broader stimulation, it can also be used for a wide range of issues, including anxious depression and smoking addiction, although treatment at Carle is currently centered on major depressive disorder.
The purchase was a big win for regional mental health, according to Heather Hintz, director of Carle Behavioral Health, who’s grateful for the donations that made it possible. “Startup costs are very expensive,” Hintz said. “The Greatest Needs Fund allowed us to go ahead and move something forward in a time when budgets were constrained.” It also opened up new options for local patients who previously had to travel quite a distance to receive the treatment.
“Patients are interested, and providers have really engaged,” Hintz said. “They want to send their patients to it, and we’ve had several patients successfully complete the treatment.”
For Dr. Kitten, seeing the difference it makes for patients with difficult cases makes all of the team’s efforts worthwhile. “We’ve had people who were literally on disability for years start working again. It’s amazing to watch.” For a population that often experiences debilitating symptoms and has few treatment options, that’s a monumental shift. They’re not just getting treatment, Dr. Kitten said. “They’re getting their lives back. And to do that in psychiatry is such a win.”
Meet our newest team members.
Angie Hatfield Marker recently joined Carle Health Center for Philanthropy as our Director of Development for our Champaign-Urbana Service Area. Angie brings a wealth of experience in the fundraising field with a career spanning two decades and encompassing both the private and public sectors. Angie is dedicated to the Champaign-Urbana, Danville, Hoopeston and surrounding communities, where she’ll help extend the reach of Carle Community Health, ensure the future of the Carle Auxiliary Guest House and fund capital projects designed to enhance the world-class care Carle provides.
Tim Stedman also joined our team as Director of Development for our Greater Peoria Service Area. After more than three decades of progressive development experience in higher education, Tim spent most of his career in athletic development before transferring to the academic side eight years ago. He worked in the University Advancement office at Bradley University prior to joining Carle Health. Tim is originally from the Greater Peoria area and will be instrumental in helping us complete the Young Minds Project, advance support for Methodist College and expand Community Health Initiatives in Greater Peoria.
Five screenings. No excuses.
It all began in 2021 as hospitals began to emerge from the COVID-19 crisis and evaluate local healthcare needs. “So much got put on hold,” said Anne Bowman, director of Oncology at Carle Health Methodist Hospital. That included routine cancer screenings that help save lives. So, to get things back on track, the department hosted a free cancer screening event, where anyone could simply show up, be evaluated and get the screenings they needed.
That single day has since become an annual two-day event, with screenings held at different locations to maximize community outreach. As many as 150 people attend, ranging in age from 18 to the mid-80s. And no matter how many screenings they receive, they all pay the same price.
“There’s no charge at all,” Bowman said.
That’s because the cost is covered by the Greatest Needs Fund at Carle Health hospitals in Greater Peoria. Unrestricted gifts like these help our organization make the greatest impact possible.
Altogether, $30,000 in unrestricted gifts were set aside for this year’s two Cancer Screening Day events. The first, held at Carle Health Pekin Hospital in May, drew 70 participants. In total, more than 130 screenings were completed, including mammograms, lung cancer screenings, Pap smears, skin cancer checks and home-screening tests for colorectal cancer, which resulted in at least one cancer diagnosis. The next event was held October 20 at Carle Health Methodist North on North Allen in Peoria.
Without the Greatest Needs Fund, many of those tests would be cost prohibitive for those with high deductibles or no insurance. One lung cancer screening alone can cost hundreds of dollars, putting it well out of reach for many in our community. And that’s a problem, particularly in Peoria County, where lung cancer rates are higher than both the state and national averages. Nationwide, only 5% of those who are eligible for a lung cancer screening get tested. But Carle Health is working to change that. “We’ve done a lot of work with lung screenings in particular,” Bowman said.
According to Amber Fernandes, program coordinator for Oncology at Carle Health Methodist Hospital, one of the best things about the event is the convenience. “Most don’t come in just looking for one screening,” Fernandes said. “They’re looking to see what they can do now and how many they can knock out that day, which I think is a big win for the event.”
It’s not just a win for patients. It’s rewarding for oncology staff who participate because they know they’re making a difference. Bowman recalled a patient a couple years ago who was so grateful because a screening they otherwise wouldn’t have received led to a diagnosis and treatment. And that’s why they do what they do. “If we can catch cancer in an earlier stage, patients have more treatment options,” Bowman said, “leading to better patient outcomes and higher chances of survival.”
Armed and danger-less: Transformational care helps patients in Olney.
When the supervisor at Carle Richland Memorial Hospital Therapy Services asked Clinton Rauch if there was anything the department needed, the SaeboMAS (Mobile Arm Support) was the first thing that crossed his mind. This useful therapy device assists stroke patients by offsetting the weight of their arm, making it easier for them to control their movements and regain strength.
“Every time we’ve had a patient with a stroke, I thought ‘I wish we had that thing,’” said Rauch, an occupational therapist who works at Carle Richland. Rauch had seen the arm support used in other programs and believed it could make a difference for his patients. There was just one problem with that idea. “These things are expensive,” Rauch said.
The arm support and mobile stand costs nearly $8,000. And it’s a great example of how the Greatest Needs Fund makes transformational care possible at Carle by enabling purchases that go beyond standard department budgets. On October 13, Carle Health Center for Philanthropy hosted High Rolling for Health, a casino night event for Carle Richland. This signature fundraiser in our Olney Service Area raised more than $34,000 for the Carle Richland Greatest Needs Fund. All money in this fund – raised right here in the local community through donations and events like High Rolling for Health – stays right here in the local community, improving care for area patients.
Through the new arm support device, the Greatest Needs Fund at Carle Richland is helping patients regain not just their strength, but also confidence and independence. “In addition to exercises, we can set it up so that patients can use it during meals or to brush their teeth,” Rauch said. “Things like that can build their confidence and show them that they can do things for themselves.”
It’s also great for the team helping patients on the long road to recovery. “It’s almost like an extra pair of hands,” Rauch said. “When patients are using the support, I can focus on their body position and other things.” And as patients build strength, he can adjust the support provided, gradually allowing patients to bear more of the load and set new goals.
The mobile arm support can be wheeled wherever it’s needed, assisting patients throughout the hospital. “Of course, we use it for acute patients,” Rauch said, “but we can also use it on our swing-bed patients, who are Medicare patients and others who may be in the hospital for therapy.” While it’s only been in use for about a month, Rauch said it’s already making a difference in patient care. “This is such an awesome resource to have.”
There’s still time to make a gift in 2023.
Providing world-class healthcare, conducting impactful medical research, and training the providers and caregivers of tomorrow is a mission that depends on people like you, and we’re grateful for your generous support. As we approach the end of 2023, here are some simple and effective giving options to consider:
- A gift made by credit card or check to Carle Health Center for Philanthropy gives us the resources needed immediately to transform healthcare for those in your community.
- A gift from a Donor-Advised Fund to Carle also impacts our work immediately, and it comes from funds you’ve already set aside for reaching charitable goals.
- A gift from your IRA, transferred directly to us, can be beneficial if you’re age 70½ or over. The gift counts toward your required minimum distribution if one is due, and you pay no tax on the distribution.
Remember, to receive 2023 tax credit, all donations must be made by 11:59 p.m. CT on December 31, 2023.
