St. John Hospital & Medical Center: Detroit
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Media Contact: Brian Taylor, (248) 849-2236
More than 80 donors and friends of St. John Hospital and Medical Center (SJH&MC) gathered on Jan. 14 to celebrate the dedication of the Van Elslander Pavilion’s first private floor, 4 North, which will care for cardiac patients.
The floor was made possible through the generosity of the Fontbonne Auxiliary, a major volunteer fundraising organization for SJH&MC. Established in 1947, the organization is named for Mother St. John Fontbonne of the Sisters of St. Joseph, a sponsoring congregation of SJH&MC.
Linda Lloyd of Grosse Pointe was the Fontbonne President when they decided to make a $1 million pledge to SJH&MC’s $30 million expansion campaign, "We Believe." The pledge was given to name a floor of the Van Elslander Pavilion after Sister Verenice McQuade, SSJ, who retired as the Director of Community/Patient Services at SJH&MC one year ago. Sister Verenice, of Grosse Pointe, has dedicated a significant portion of her life to the hospital and to helping others, providing comfort and support to patients and families.
“It was truly our honor to donate an entire floor in honor of Sister Verenice, as we feel she has been the very heart and soul of SJH&MC for many years and will always hold a very special place in our hearts,” said Mrs. Lloyd, former Fontbonne President.
The McQuade floor, also known as 4 North, has 36 private rooms (with 108 more to come on other floors of the Van Elslander Pavilion in coming months). Every aspect of the new large patient room has been designed to enhance the healing environment and maximize comfort for patients and their families.
Rooms have been designed with family in mind, and include beautiful furniture and fixtures, private bathrooms and sofas to allow overnight stays by family. The privacy of the room, in addition to sound absorbing materials on the floors and ceilings, help to maintain a quieter and more peaceful hospital environment. Each room has a flat-screen television and state-of-the-art cardiac monitoring.
Additionally the floor has a beautiful waiting room, family conference room, physicians team conference room, architecture to support SJH&MC’s migration to computerized charting, and custom nurse work space that keeps the nurses close to the patients.
Sister Verenice couldn’t be more pleased.
“When I first heard they were raising money in my honor, I was so surprised, and very happy,” she said. “Especially for something as dear to me as St. John Hospital and Medical Center.” She also enjoyed the dedication ceremony, which gave her the opportunity to reunite with many dear friends she doesn’t see as often since retiring in Jan. 2007.
“We’ve been looking forward to this moment for a long time,” said David Stephens, President and CEO. “To be able to enjoy it, and see Sister Verenice’s delight was a true honor.”
The McQuade floor opens on Wednesday, Jan. 16. The next unit is scheduled to open on Feb. 29.
Debra McCarty, 2006 White Christmas Ball Chair; Linda Lloyd, former Fontbonne President; Mary Berg, 2005 White Christmas Ball Co-Chair; Sr. Verenice McQuade; JoAnn Miller, Fontbonne President; Patricia Minnick, 2005 White Christmas Ball Co-Chair.
Back
