By Mark Gregory
Sports Editor
@Hear_The_Beard
mark@buglenewspapers.com
The Joliet Area Community Hospice facility was the first of its kind in the state of Illinois and now that facility will get a much-needed facelift.
The renovations are required to serve even more of those in need in Will County and beyond.
Currently, the hospice center has 10 beds, but after the $7 million expansion, the facility will have 20 beds and room for four more in the future.
The much-needed addition began with a simple conversation.
“We knew that our Hospice unit was full every day with waiting lists and at our annual dinner last year, I asked [state representative] Natalie Manley about adding more beds to our unit and she said it was a great idea,” said Joliet Area Community Hospice CEO Mary Sheehan. “The next day, I got a call from her office about introducing something to the rules committee and it was approved by all the departments of the government and signed by [then] Governor [Bruce] Rauner in no time flat. So, now we can increase our beds to 20 and we are also changing the space a little bit.
“We want that when you walk through the front door, you feel peace and healing and love from this amazing staff.”
After Manley got it through the House, the legislation, was sponsored by state senator Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant (D-Shorewood), pushed through the Senate and was signed into law by Rauner in August.
For Manley, it was her job — but with intimate knowledge of how JACH works.
“My mom came to Joliet Area Community Hospice on July 4, 2017 and she left this world and went to Heaven on July 10 and the more important thing I can tell you is that she got wonderful, compassionate care,” Manley said. “My mom was a single mom for almost as far back as I can remember and she was always our rock and so when you know things are changing, you want her to have the best care possible and the best thing they did while she was here, the staff not only took care of mom, they took care of her children. She would have loved that. My mom was a nurse and she would have loved that. She was able to live the last days of her life with dignity.
“With the legislation, I was doing my job. Joliet Area Community Hospice does not turn anyone away as long as they have capacity — you don’t have to meet any criteria and I don’t think people realize that. A lot of time there is a waiting list and I wanted other people to have the same experience as my family had. It was my honor to do what I could do to make that a possibility.”
So, now that the leg work is done and legislation has passed, JACH has rolled out its “Remembering from the Heart” campaign, hospice is aiming to raise $3.5 million to add beds, spaces for family gathering – including a spiritual room and family kitchen. The nursing station will also be relocated to bring nurses closer to the patients.
The board has already allocated the other $3.5 million and as of the public announcement date, JACH had raised $2,178,629 from public donors and center staff.
“Any form of giving is important in this capital campaign. Not everyone is able to be a million-dollar giver and give at that level,” said Vice Chair Tom Vana. “The most important gifts we get are any gift – that could be $5, $10, it is all very important. Please don’t think that if you can’t give $1,000 or $100,000 – every gift here is very important. If you are able to give at a higher level, we do have naming rights starting at $5,000.”
One of the large donors was the D’Arcy family, who pledged $200,000 to help the project come to fruition.
“This place is such a Godsend to so many people and so many families. This building was opened in 2004 and the need has grown so much more since then,” said Terry D’Arcy, co-chair of the campaign. “I have had experiences where I have experienced the love and care here and it is not only terminally ill. It wouldn’t be possible without the staff and volunteers.”
Groundbreaking on the project is set for April 24.