Of Elmhurst, Danelle says, “Many of our grandparents and parents live here. It’s our home. Our children’s home. The quality of our community healthcare touches every generation today and in the future.”
She should know—Danelle’s husband was born and raised in Elmhurst, and his parents and grandparents raised their families here. The Achepohl’s have continued that tradition by raising their four children in Elmhurst.
Danelle hopes to see extraordinary healthcare for many more generations to come. “We are an outstanding community hospital,” Danelle says. “The bottom line is, if you’re not healthy, life is very difficult. The quality of life depends on your health. You could have hundreds of millions of dollars in the bank, and it’s worthless if you wake up miserable and in pain.”
You can label Dan Welz in many ways. He’s a banker. He’s a community volunteer. But above all, he’s a father. And he’s a father with a special connection to EMHC.
All three of Dan’s children were born at Elmhurst Hospital. “The way I see it, the hospital gave me the three greatest gifts I have,” he offers.
That gratitude is partly why Dan continues to donate so much of his time to EMHC activities. He serves a Foundation Trustee and is a member of the Community Advisory Cabinet.
To Dan, the hospital isn’t just the birthplace of his children. It’s also a neighbor—the Welz family lives just two blocks away from the Center for Health. “When I learned the hospital had bigger and better things coming, I wanted to be part of that. There’s a lot of opportunity to help that process along, whether it is by helping conduct public relations, or serving on committees, or helping the hospital folks out,” he says.
So help he does, with the support of his wife, Allison, every step of the way. “She knows it’s a passion of mine,” says Dan. “I want to be part of bringing a new standard of patient-centered care to Elmhurst.”
“It’s up to individuals as to what they do with their money,” acknowledged Art Biddle. “Everyone’s different. We were just brought up to give back.” So he did.
When three generations rely on the same hospital for three decades, they get to know the place. And when one man credits his physicians—in this case, Dr. Gabriel Ubatuba and Dr. Phillip Cozzi—for saving his life, it really gets personal.
So in gratitude, Mr. Biddle and his wife made a donation and became part of the capital campaign for Elmhurst Memorial Hospital. They did it to show their appreciation and respect; they did it for the next generation. During the construction of the new building, Mr. Biddle brought his grandson, Liam, to watch. Someday, Liam may be a grandfather, too, with his own stories to tell.
When passionate donors like William and Carol Parrillo choose to give an extraordinary gift, they not only help turn dreams into reality, but they also inspire others to put their stamp on the future and allow the dream to thrive.
Center for Health Named to Reflect Extraordinary Gift
To acknowledge the Parrillos’ generosity, the Center for Health at York Street and Roosevelt Road was renamed the Elmhurst Memorial Center for Health/William and Carol Parrillo Building, where more than 3,500 visitors pass through its doors every day.
“Carol and I are pleased to leave a legacy for our children and grandchildren, and what better way than to support Elmhurst Memorial Healthcare, which will continue to serve the community for decades to come,” says William Parrillo, who is chairman and president of Safeway Insurance Company, headquartered in Westmont.
The Elmhurst Memorial Center for Health/William and Carol Parrillo Building anchors the east side of the campus and houses outpatient services and physician offices. The new hospital occupies the central area of the campus along with a medical office building to the west. Interior corridors connect all of the buildings and allow patients to move easily throughout the campus for office visits, diagnostic tests and inpatient care.
“Gifts like the Parrillos’ make a world-class healthcare facility possible,” says Mary Ann Malloy, M.D., capital campaign co-chair, Elmhurst Memorial Hospital Foundation Trustee and member of the Elmhurst Memorial Hospital medical staff. “It is vision like theirs that inspires others to help us advance the heart and science of healthcare.”
Physicians are an integral part of Elmhurst Memorial Healthcare because, often times, they are the face of the organization. Their philanthropic support is an important part of the Foundation’s program, as it sends a positive message to the patients they treat.
Prasant Atluri, M.D., a fellowship-trained upper-extremity surgeon with Hand Surgery Associates, SC, made his commitment to the capital campaign for the new integrated campus as a way to honor the longtime service of his father, Rajendra P. Atluri, M.D.
Dr. [Rajendra P.] Atluri was affiliated with Elmhurst Memorial Hospital for almost 30 years. He maintained a strong family medicine practice throughout that time and formed relationships with his colleagues that have lasted into his retirement. Dr. Atluri is remembered fondly by the senior operating room staff and surgeons. “We collaborated a great deal while we were practicing and challenged each other to provide the best care for our patients,” says the senior Atluri.
In addition to the Atluris’ shared service, they are committed to wellness and fitness. With that in mind, Dr. [Prasant] Atluri chose to honor his father on their campaign plaque in the Physician Fitness Room in the new hospital. “My family and I wanted a place to recognize my father’s commitment to Elmhurst Memorial Hospital in a space designated for physicians, fostering camaraderie, collegiality and collaboration amongst our peers.”
Nancy Knowles has been a consistent and generous donor to the Elmhurst Memorial Hospital Foundation for nearly 30 years, supporting a number of capital and programmatic initiatives. With the opening of the cancer center in October 2013, Ms. Knowles was impressed by the design of the building and the quality of care delivered in the unique healing environment that EMHC is known for. She decided to make a meaningful gift that would benefit the organization for years to come. In recognition of this generous gift, the center has been renamed the Nancy W. Knowles Cancer Center.
Ms. Knowles is a close personal friend of Mary Ann Malloy, M.D., an internal medicine physician with the Elmhurst Clinic, and Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Elmhurst Memorial Hospital Foundation. Through her leadership, Dr. Malloy has kept Ms. Knowles informed of the organization’s activities and plans for the new integrated campus—and Ms. Knowles has become even further involved in the life of the organization through the Foundation. “Nancy personifies the philanthropic spirit in her continued support of the EMH Foundation,” said Dr. Malloy.
Ms. Knowles is fully engaged in the organization’s mission to provide quality healthcare to the community. She works closely with Dr. Malloy to identify areas of need for funding opportunities within EMH. She has supported EMHC’s community health programs, including those focused on women’s health issues, cancer, and the Power of Prevention initiative.
Ms. Knowles brings to her philanthropic efforts not only her financial support but also her keen business expertise. She was a top executive in Knowles Electronics Holdings, Inc., a world leader in sub-miniature electronic hearing instrument technology and microphones. Ms. Knowles holds a B.A. degree in languages from the University of Iowa and is a Trustee of the International Shakespeare Globe in London, which houses the Nancy Knowles Theater (also known as “The Little Nancy Theater”).
A woman of wide-ranging interests and pursuits, Ms. Knowles serves as president of the Knowles Foundation, which supports a wide variety of causes that include arts and culture, education, social services and healthcare, the latter of which has benefited EMH.
During the capital campaign for the new main campus building project, Ms. Knowles selected the Physician Lounge for recognition of her contribution. It was her way of honoring the caregivers of Elmhurst Memorial Healthcare. “In this way, she is a true and thoughtful philanthropist. She has made an important impact on the communities we serve,” says Dr. Malloy.