When Christmas comes along each year, loved ones both present and lost come to people’s minds. This-combined with the spirit of giving during this time of year-inspired Community Healthcare System to find a way to enable people to give back while remembering and honoring loved ones.
Community Healthcare System hosted three virtual Christmas events this year, including the Lights of Life, Wings of Healing and Angel Tree celebrations.
Lights of Life
For the Lights of Life celebration, participants could purchase a light for $5 in honor or memory of a special person in their lives or purchase a light for $15, which also allowed them to send one of three pins to the person they decided to honor: a pink breast cancer awareness pin, a crystal lavender cancer awareness pin or a hope lapel pin. Regardless of the type of purchase, all honorees received a card about the donation and all proceeds were given to Community Cancer Research Foundation of Northwest Indiana.
The Lights of Life trees followed the same color scheme with pink and lavender lights to bring awareness to breast cancer and all cancers. The trees, outside of Community Hospital in Munster, were illuminated on December 1.
“Each light reminds us of the journey of courage and hope that begins with a cancer diagnosis,” said Leo Correa, CEO of St. Catherine Hospital and executive sponsor of Cancer Care Services at the hospitals of Community Healthcare System. “Each light shines brightly within us all and brings us together for a common goal: that is, to press on for a cure.”
The Munster High School Chorale, directed by Luke McGinnis, sang “Seasons of Light” for the celebration.
Lights of Life began in the year 2000 to support Community Cancer Research Foundation (CCRF) of Northwest Indiana. CCRF works to advance cancer detection, diagnosis, treatment, education and prevention efforts at the hospitals of Community Healthcare System. Community Hospital, St. Catherine Hospital and St. Mary Medical Center have been nationally recognized as Centers of Excellence for lung and breast cancer care. CCRF offers a range of services from clinical research trials and studies to patient counseling through their cancer journey.
“Cancer, in all its forms, is very personal to you,” said Jonathon Lee, MD, medical director of Oncology Services. “It is also a personal journey for us.”
CCRF has a resource center in Munster, called the Cancer Resource Centre, which allows Northwest Indiana residents to receive help close to home.
“Every doctor, nurse’s assistant, nurse, everybody I have encountered, has been so very nice and so very supportive,” said Carole Selund, a cancer survivor. “I was very happy to be able to stay locally and have all the technology that I might have had to seek in Chicago, including a robot that operated on me at Dr. Sharma’s direction.”
View the virtual Lights of Life event here.
Wings of Healing
Also featuring holiday lights, the Wings of Healing event honored loved ones through angel ornaments, which were hung on a tree in the hospital chapel during St. Catherine Hospital Auxiliary’s 26th Annual Wings of Healing Tree Lighting ceremony.
“We remember and we honor all those who are and will forever be in our hearts, especially at this time of year,” said Edward L. Williams, PhD, president of St. Catherine Hospital board of directors and board member of Community Foundation of Northwest Indiana. “Together, we wrap ourselves up in and are comforted by their memories, by their angel wings.”
For $10, participants could have an angel hung on the tree in honor or memory of someone, and for $25, participants could have an angel mailed to the honoree. All honorees received a card notifying them of the donation.
The Wings of Healing program began in 1995 to finance scholarships for students pursuing a career in the medical and healthcare fields.
“More than $150,000 has been awarded to individuals who are passionate about caring for others,” said Teresa Pedroza, system director of Mission Integration and Volunteers. “Several have stepped into rewarding positions with Community Healthcare System. Others begin as RNs or service and clerical workers. Today, they manage critical care units and administrative offices.”
The ceremony closed with Deacon Michael Halas leading participants in prayer and musician Joey Edwin and singers Miguel Valtierra and Kathy Vanek performing “Away in a Manger.”
Wings of Healing program is accepting donations to the St. Catherine Hospital Auxiliary scholarship fund until February 1, 2022.
View the virtual Wings of Healing event here.
Angel Tree
Similar to the Wings of Healing ceremony, the Angel Tree event gave participants the option to purchase an angel to hang on the tree located in the west lobby of St. Mary Medical Center. The angels were purchased in memory or honor of someone for $10 and the option to purchase an angel for the honoree available by delivery or pick up for $25.
“Each light reflects hope for someone’s bright future,” said president of St. Mary Medical Center Janice Holguin. “These lights honor a family member, a friend, a co-worker or a departed loved one who is in your heart. As we all know, those who touched our lives stay in our hearts forever.”
The funds from this event are designated for scholarships for people in the medical and healthcare fields. St. Mary Medical Center’s Auxiliary Angel Tree celebration began in the 1990s, was brought back in 2019 and has continued to serve as an annual tradition to this day.
“The scholarship committee has awarded $52,000 in scholarships in the last four years to individuals in our community who are pursuing degrees in healthcare or the medical field,” said Cheryl Anderson of the scholarship committee.
The ceremony concluded with Hobart High School Wolfgang Singers performing “There’s Still My Joy.”
View the virtual Angel Trees event here.
Giving to the hospitals of Community Healthcare System and related organizations offers hope, health and healing to many individuals in Northwest Indiana. Next up in February is the Hearts of Hope virtual ceremony. Each donation to the Hearts of Hope fundraising event helps to fund vitally needed trials and studies for heart disease close to home in our neighborhoods. To learn more about Hearts of Hope and other meaningful gifts available through the hospitals of Community Healthcare System, visit www.COMHS.org/donate.
