Employee remembers father with generous donation

Michele Greenberg fondly remembers her father, Jack, for his generosity, kind heart and sense of humor. He often went out of his way to help those less fortunate. Michele is making a gift in memory of her father to enhance patient care at Swedish Covenant Hospital. She chose to generously sponsor Team SCH to support the Helping Hands Fund, which assists patients in our emergency department access medications they otherwise cannot afford.“When I first learned about the Helping Hands Fund, I thought it was something my dad would have appreciated and supported,” Michele said.Jack graduated from Von Steuben High School and after marrying Michele’s mother, moved within blocks of Swedish Covenant Hospital. As an office supplies salesman, he always brought a smile to the faces of his accounts. He was a dedicated father, and Michele remembers that during the blizzard of ’67, Jack and their neighbors got together to have milk for Michele delivered by helicopter. It was this type of generosity and his experience as a member of the community that caused Michele to make the connection.“No one expects to end up in the emergency department – so to have that unexpected experience and then not be able to afford the medications to get healthy is devastating,” Michele said.The Helping Hands Fund assists our most vulnerable emergency department patients access medications they otherwise cannot afford, allowing them to complete their medical treatment and return to health. Through this fund, patients have received antibiotics to help a wound heal, psychiatric drugs to intervene in a time of crisis, and blood pressure medications to bridge a gap while waiting for public aid approval. The average cost of medications provided through the fund is $100.Now in its second year, Team SCH brings together runners to raise funds on behalf of their participation in a race. On Sunday, September 25, Team SCH will participate in the Chicago Half Marathon & 5K to raise funds for the Helping Hands Fund. Team SCH runners agree to raise at least $100, the average cost of one prescription for a patient in need and in return receive great benefits.This generous gift was made during the employee giving campaign, which gives employees a chance to make a contribution to Swedish Covenant Hospital. All donations by employees will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $50,000 by a challenge grant from the Medical Staff of Swedish Covenant Hospital.To learn more about participating in or sponsoring Team SCH, visit the website or contact the Foundation at (773) 293-5121 or Foundation@swedishcovenant.org.