Chicago, Ill. (June 24, 2024)—Today, St. Bernard Hospital, located on Chicago’s South Side, announced the official celebration of its 120-year anniversary. The hospital, located in Englewood, stands as the only community hospital in the neighborhood that still serves families in need of care for urgent issues and preventative services.
During the week of June 24, the hospital is hosting several internal celebratory activities for staff, including a Founder’s Day Mass and hospital rededication on Wednesday, June 26. The Mass will celebrate the safety-net hospital’s commitment of service to Englewood that began on June 26, 1904.
“St. Bernard is humbled and proud to celebrate 120 years of delivering quality care to our community.” said Patricia Merryweather-Arges, Board Chair and Executive Director of Project Patient Care at St. Bernard Hospital. “We remain committed to our mission to address the holistic needs of our community and continuing the legacy of the hospital’s founding sisters, showing exceptional cultural sensitivity and understanding of the unique challenges the people we serve face.”
In addition to the Founder’s Day Mass, St. Bernard Hospital recently hosted a Ladies’ Tea that brought together some of the hospital’s longest-serving women staff members and included special remarks via video from Illinois Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton. The hospital will continue its commemorative activities later this year with a Community Healthcare and Fitness Event and an Anniversary Gala.
With safety net hospitals declining nationwide and closing at an alarming rate, St. Bernard Hospital remains steadfast in its commitment to health equity. The hospital treats about 68,000 patients annually, of which 80% rely on Medicaid to pay for medical expenses. The mission of St. Bernard Hospital is to care for the sick and promote the health of the residents in the community while witnessing the Christian values of respect, dignity, caring and compassion for all person.
St. Bernard Hospital’s 120-year milestone not only reflects its history, but its ongoing commitment to closing the 30-year life expectancy gap that exists between Englewood and other, resource-rich communities in Chicago.
“Over the years, we’ve made significant improvements to the hospital, not the least of which was the addition of a new, state-of the Ambulatory Care Center, which opened in 2016,” said Charles Holland, President and CEO of St. Bernard Hospital. “Our patient safety improvements, improvements to the Emergency Department and more underscore our dedication to providing the same level of safe, high-quality care that patients expect from any other hospital in Chicago. We look to do that for many more years.”
For more information on the Founders Day Mass and upcoming activities for St. Bernard Hospital’s 120-year celebration plans, visit stbh.org/120.
About St. Bernard Hospital
St. Bernard Hospital and Health Care Center has served the Englewood community and Chicago’s South Side since 1904. The hospital has 174 licensed beds and offers primary and specialty care, behavioral health services, dental care, imaging and rehabilitation among its services. Our mission calls us to care for the sick and promote the health of the residents in the community while witnessing the Christian values of respect, dignity, caring and compassion for all persons.
