Mercy Rockford Health System issued the following announcement on Sept. 19.
Mercyhealth leadership, donors, community leaders and staff came together yesterday, September 18, to dedicate the Pediatric Healing Garden at Javon Bea Hospital and Physician Clinic—Riverside. The beautiful weather and outdoor rooftop location created an ideal setting for the celebration, which attracted a crowd of nearly 100 people.
Through generous gifts from donors, the Mercyhealth Development Foundation raised the $850,000 needed to create this tranquil green space located off the Pediatric Playroom on the third floor of Javon Bea Hospital—Riverside, which is home of the only State of Illinois-Designated Children’s Hospital in northern Illinois.
Filled with interactive play equipment, benches and beautiful flowers, the Garden provides a calming green space that brings relaxation and healing to patients and their families, and an escape from the stress that often accompanies illness or injury.
Mercyhealth President/CEO Javon Bea led a brief program that also included remarks from Dr. Mary Baldauf, Chair of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, and Foundation Board President Patrick O’Keefe.
“Our goal in creating the Pediatric Healing Garden was to promote healing and a sense of well-being for the smallest of our patients and their families. We cannot thank you enough for your generosity in helping to make this a reality,” Bea told the crowd.
Dr. Baldauf related heart-warming stories of the many ways the rooftop garden has been used since it opened in January, ranging from a place to watch fireworks on the Fourth of July, hold an Easter Egg Hunt in spring and even have a snowball fight this past winter.
“So many memories have already been made in the Garden, and it is transformational to see how it has helped patients gain a sense of normalcy, by having a safe place to play, to laugh and to have fun with their families,” stated Baldauf.
Original source can be found here.
Source: Mercy Rockford Health System
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