Provena hospitals donate to US Navy international humanitarian effort
06/18/2007
As part of a continued commitment to building communities of healing and hope both locally and beyond, a group of Provena hospitals has contributed to the medical supplies donation program of Mission Outreach, a ministry of the Hospital Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis. The supplies will be deployed on the USNS Comfort, a U.S. Navy Hospital ship that will embark on a 120-day humanitarian deployment as a part of the U.S. Navy’s Project Handclasp. This donation is part of an ongoing partnership between Provena’s hospitals and the Mission Outreach donation program.
In support of this effort, Provena Saint Joseph Hospital in Elgin, Provena Mercy Medical Center in Aurora and Provena Covenant Medical Center in Urbana donated 32 manual hospital beds, 21 mattresses, 13 overbeds, five patient room chairs and a suction machine. Other donated items will be used in future outreach efforts. Donations are either surplus inventory from the hospitals or outdated equipment based on advances in technology or changes in regulations.
The USNS Comfort will stop at 14 ports in Central America, South America and the Caribbean during its deployment. The medical treatment facility will provide acute medical and surgical care in support of amphibious task forces in hostile areas. It is also equipped to provide full hospital service in conjunction with other government agencies involved in the support of relief and humanitarian operations.
“The commitment of the staff at our local hospitals to the Mission Outreach donation program has been so gratifying. It is a wonderful testament to their dedication to Provena’s mission of building communities of healing and hope,” shares Lindsey Artola, System Director of Advocacy at Provena Health. “This is a unique way to extend our healing ministry beyond our local communities.”
