DECATUR - Founded more than 130 years ago by the Hospital Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis, St. Mary's Hospital has seen its share of changes. A groundbreaking last month marked the beginning of a new era of growth for the hospital as officials, employees and community members marked the start of a $31 million project.
The construction of a new main lobby, emergency department, clinical laboratory and additional facility parking will be finished by 2011, hospital officials estimated, ushering in the second phase of the three-part, $70 million redevelopment project.
Kevin Breheny, chairman of St. Mary's Board of Directors, announced that a community fundraising campaign to generate $10 million, about a third of the money needed to complete the hospital redevelopment's first phase, already has generated $7.5 million. The Sisters already had pledged the other two thirds of construction costs, Breheny said.
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Decatur Mayor Mike McElroy said the expansion will create opportunities for the community.
"It creates jobs for the Decatur-area work force at a time when they are much needed," he said. "It creates excitement in the community when new construction is under way. The vision for St. Mary's goes well beyond brick and mortar; it's the vision of hope."
First on the minds of those who spoke before the crowd gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking seemed to be the bravery and dedication of the Hospital Sisters, who have continued working to better the health of Decatur through all the intervening years.
"What keeps us coming back regardless of the challenges is the mission," Breheny said of his continued involvement with the hospital.
St. Mary's President and CEO Kevin Kast, who also serves as president of the Hospital Sisters Health System Central Illinois Division, referred to the four Decatur-area sisters, JoAn Schullian, Chaminade Kelley, Jocelyn Serwatka and Anna Phiri, as the hospital's "owner/operators."
"They truly are very, very engaged in the direction of the hospital," he said. "Their input is sought on every major matter, and their influence is felt every day."
Dr. Phil Barnell, who heads the emergency department at St. Mary's, encouraged the group to remember those nuns, nurses and physicians who came before. Fueled by love and the desire to further the hospital's mission, they worked tirelessly to take care of patients and make the emergency department what it has become today, he said.
Despite its expanded space and commitment to technology, the most important benefit of the new emergency department will be the way it is used to serve, Barnell said.
"It's a tool to reach out into the fabric of our community and fight disease and alleviate suffering and help mend the broken spirits that we encounter."
