SwedishAmerican to Celebrate its 106th Anniversary &
Host Founder’s Week Activities, June 4 – 9
SwedishAmerican Hospital was founded on June 6, 1911. To celebrate and honor its 106th anniversary, SwedishAmerican, a division of UW Health, is hosting a week-long celebration, June 4 – 9.
On Sunday, June 4 from 1 – 4 PM, the SwedishAmerican Regional Cancer Center is hosting National Cancer Survivor Day, an event that is held globally on the first Sunday in June. All cancer survivors and their families are invited to join us for a special survivorship celebration at the Regional Cancer Center, 3535 North Bell School Road, Rockford.
The day will be filled with hope, inspiration and friendship and will feature a variety of activities including:
- Write a message and hang it on our wish tree
- Listen to the soothing sounds of a cellist and bag piper
- Visit with our SwedishAmerican Caring Canines and SwedishAmerican’s mascot SAM the dog
- Create special art projects
- Partake in our monarch butterfly release
- Hear from SwedishAmerican physician Dr. Srivani Sridhar on holistic health and Alane Curry on oncology rehab
- Visit educational booths featuring the American Cancer Society, Styling for Pink, Pink Heals Association, Livestrong and Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and more
- Enjoy light snacks and refreshments
On Monday, June 5 at 11 AM, the Regional Cancer Center will dedicate space in the Center to all current cancer patients, survivors and their families. The space will be called Katy’s Place and will offer holistic and oncology support services from support groups to art classes to yoga and more. The space is named after Katy Stenberg, a Rockford resident and former SwedishAmerican RN who courageously fought non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and lived a remarkable 17 years cancer free. She then developed MDS in 2015 and passed away in August of 2016.
Also on Monday, SwedishAmerican will kick-off a peanut butter & jelly drive at 21 SwedishAmerican locations throughout the community. Why peanut butter and jelly? Peanut butter is a great source of protein, a shelf-stable food, and one jar of peanut butter and jelly can provide multiple meals to a child in need throughout the summer months. Donations will be accepted through Friday, June 16 and given to the Rock River Valley Food Pantry and other local pantries throughout northern Illinois.
On Tuesday, June 6, SwedishAmerican will hold its 4th annual employee wheelchair relay races from 12:00–1:00 PM near the Heart Hospital entrance. Employee teams, including two teams from senior leadership, will decorate their wheelchairs and race against each other in a fun and safe relay course. Prizes will be awarded to the fastest wheelchair team and best decorated wheelchair. Following the race, SwedishAmerican will present a check to the Rockford Park District Therapeutic Recreation Department.
Wednesday, June 7 is “Wellness Wednesday.” BetterLife Wellness is hosting a wellness fair from 7 AM – 1 PM for its employees and the community. A variety of booths will be set-up in the Heart Hospital lobby for individuals to explore.
Wednesday also kicks off our SwedishAmerican Commitment to Caring rallies, taking place throughout the day Wednesday and Thursday at the UW Health Sports Factory. Every year the organization holds these rallies where thousands of our Associates affirm their commitment to service excellence at SwedishAmerican.
On Thursday, June 8 at 10 AM in the Healing Garden, the SwedishAmerican Foundation will host a special news conference to announce the winners of its first annual Caring for the Community Grant. The Foundation will give away a total of $150,000 to not-for-profit organizations that complement the SwedishAmerican Foundation mission and vision, making the Rockford region a healthier and more secure place to live, work and raise families.
Friday, June 9, will conclude the week with the SwedishAmerican Foundation’s annual Founder’s Day picnic for employees and volunteers from 11 AM–1:30 PM under the Big Top near Camelot Tower. The picnic is hosted by the SwedishAmerican Foundation.
Lastly, SwedishAmerican is hosting its annual Employee Service Award Banquet on Friday at the UW Health Sports Factory. Hundreds of employees will attend and enjoy dinner and entertainment. Winners will be announced for the Dr. Henry C. Anderson Quality Award, an award to honor individuals who have made significant contributions to improving healthcare quality. The award, bearing Dr. Anderson’s name, reflects the values he brought to our organization: a commitment to excellence; sound judgment; principled leadership; and exceptional integrity. A winner also will be announced for the first annual Dr. Bill Gorski Mission Award, an award to honor a SwedishAmerican associate who has lived out SwedishAmerican’s mission by providing excellence in healthcare and compassionate care to the community.
For more information on SwedishAmerican’s Founder’s Week, please contact Public Relations/Community Engagement Specialist Katryna Kirby at (779) 696-4340.