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Community Corner

Silver Cross Newborns Cuddled with Care during Holidays

It’s was an interesting Christmas for the Bourque-Bowman family of Shorewood. On Dec. 23, Jamison Patrick was born at 3:25 p.m. in the Women & Infant Services Birthing Center at Silver Cross Hospital.  Jamison is Geoff and Jackie’s first child to be born at Silver Cross. Not only did Jackie get to deliver in the comfort of the hospital’s luxurious Birthing Suites, but little Jamison was “wrapped with care” thanks to a generous donation from Childerguild.

 

The women’s auxiliary, that has been supporting women and children’s services at Silver Cross Hospital for over 100 years, donated 50 sleepers to be given to newborns during the holiday season.  Each sleeper is imprinted with the phrase—“wrapped with care at Silver Cross Hospital”; a slogan that the Childerguild members and hospital staff take very seriously. 

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“For years, we had been giving stockings to parents at Christmastime that were large enough to fit the baby inside for photos, but we had heard over the years that many moms already had one.  So now our member, Toni Howen, decided to purchase these special sleepers that could be used not only during the holidays but in the weeks ahead,” said Phyllis Etheridge, President of Childerguild. 

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“It’s the perfect gift to celebrate the birth of my baby boy,” said Jackie Bourque.  “It was very thoughtful of them to honor our son during the holidays.”

 

100 years of Support for Moms & Children

Founded in 1910, by 13 benevolent women who had no children of their own, Childerguild was formed to benefit the obstetrics and pediatrics departments at Silver Cross Hospital.  In the early years, Childerguild raised funds through private donations and by hosting card parties.  The members took a hands-on approach to this organization by sewing layettes and clown dolls for the pediatric patients at Silver Cross.  During the war years, members knitted sweaters for the military and gave financial support to the American Red Cross, Navy League and the Salvation Army.  As ardent supporters of the children in our community, Childerguild also made contributions to the Herald News free milk fund and the local community chest.

 

Today, Childerguild raises funds by hosting their annual Ball in November and by operating the hospital’s gift shop.  The Childerguild Gift Shop is open seven days a week and is located in the lobby at Silver Cross Hospital.  Customers are offered many unique items in the Childerguild Gift Shop, which features distinctive gifts, jewelry, unique handbags, toys, books and darling baby clothes.  For more information, call the Silver Cross Volunteer Services Department at (815) 300-7117.

 

Birthing Center a Must for Expectant Parents

Silver Cross expects to deliver more than 2,000 babies by the end of 2013.  Expectant parents are choosing to deliver their babies in the Hospital’s new Birthing Center which opened on Feb. 26, 2012 at I-355 and Route 6 in New Lenox.  Cutting-edge medical technology combined with spa-like amenities is making the birthing experience all the more memorable for area parents.   The new Birthing Center has 12 luxurious birthing suites designed for labor, delivery and recovery so parents can have the convenience of staying in the same room through recovery followed by a stay in one of 30 private mother-baby suites.  Each private suite is fully-equipped with a bathroom with a shower and immersion tub to help with labor pains, blanket warmer, refrigerator, wireless internet access, 30” flat screen TV system, and a comfortable sofa-sleeper so family members can stay around the clock. 

 

A variety of pain relief methods is available 24 hours a day provided by an anesthesiologist.  And for deliveries requiring surgery, there are two complete cesarean suites.  Lurie Children’s Hospital neonatologists and pediatric hospitalists are onsite 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. And if needed, Lurie Children’s pediatric cardiologists are available to analyze a baby’s echocardiogram in real time through a video linkage with Silver Cross. For more information about the new Silver Cross Women and Infant Birthing Center visit www.silvercross.org/specialdeliveries.  For a referral to an obstetrician/gynecologist or pediatrician on staff at Silver Cross, visit www.silvercross.org or call 1-888-660-HEAL. 

  About Silver Cross Hospital Silver Cross Hospital is a not-for-profit health care provider serving Will County and southwest suburban communities since 1895. Silver Cross has been recognized as a Thomson Reuters 100 Top Hospitals National Award winner for seven consecutive years and as a Hospital of Choice by the American Alliance of Healthcare Providers. With over 3,500 employees, physicians and volunteers, Silver Cross operates a new 289-bed acute care hospital at I-355 and Route 6 in New Lenox and 8 satellite facilities providing outpatient services and physician offices. To learn more about Silver Cross Hospital or a referral to a physician on staff, visit www.silvercross.org or call 1-888-660-HEAL (4325).  Physicians on Silver Cross Hospital’s Medical Staff have expertise in their areas of practice to meet the needs of patients seeking their care.  These physicians are independent practitioners on the Medical Staff and are not the agents or employees of Silver Cross Hospital. They treat patients based upon their independent medical judgment and they bill patients separately for their services.
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