Advocate Health Care

What an unforgettable evening celebrating 50 years of Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital. We are deeply grateful for the donors, supporters, teammates, volunteers and physicians who make our hospital who it is—and for the patients who trust us with their care every day. We were especially honored to recognize former hospital President, Dave Fox, our Good Samaritan of the Year, for his extraordinary leadership, generosity and lasting impact. Thank you to all who are part of our past, present and future.

Laura has been a dedicated volunteer at Advocate Children’s Hospital in Park Ridge for the past 19 years. She shares her volunteer journey and what it means to her. “I retired from my career of owning a sporting goods store and suddenly I had a lot of time on my hands. My kids were in school, and my husband was still working. I love kids and thought volunteering in pediatrics would be a good fit for me. I started volunteering five days a week since I had the time and at the time this was needed. It was wonderful helping the kids and parents. I brought unit-based toys and games and would stay in some rooms to play board games and card games with the kids. I began to support our animal assisted therapy program once a week, which was a great fit since I love dogs. It was wonderful seeing the kids’, parents’ and staff’s faces when we brought the dog around to visit. The program expanded the outpatient clinic, and I was approached to support the program in my schedule. When the volunteer program expanded to NICU, I was asked if I was interested. Of course, I said yes. I love holding babies, and that has become such a wonderful part of my week. I am currently volunteering three days a week. This includes supporting animals in the clinic area once a week, providing volunteer services to patients in our NICU and supporting dog therapy on the pediatric floor on Thursdays.” Thank you, Laura, for your dedication to our patients and families.

Andrew, a patient at Advocate Children’s Hospital in Oak Lawn, loves creating art and is a frequent visitor to our art therapy studio. Andrew worked with our art therapist Lori to design the 2026 Nurses Week shirt, which was worn by 3,000 teammates across all Advocate Children’s Hospital sites. Andrew, surrounded by his family, returned to the art therapy studio to see his final design printed on the t-shirts. Inspired by this year’s Olympics Nurses Week theme, he created a meaningful design that thoughtfully connected Olympic attributes to our outstanding nurses. Andrew and his family received shirts of their own and he was surprised with a framed version of the design that was signed by nurses across Advocate Children’s Hospital, thanking him for his creativity. Way to go, Andrew! Thank you for creating such a beautiful and impactful design to celebrate our nurses.

Anibal’s journey at Advocate Health is one of resilience, purpose and choosing a different future. He began his career in environmental services at Advocate Trinity Hospital and, while working full time, enrolled in the Workforce Development Upskilling Program—designed to help teammates grow their careers through education, training and hands-on support. Through the program, Anibal completed certified nursing assistant training while continuing to work full time, often juggling demanding schedules and long hours. With support from his leaders and the Workforce Development team, he stayed focused on his goal: doing more for patients. “I care about people,” Anibal said. “I wanted to be in a position where I could really help patients when they need it most.” That commitment culminated in a graduation ceremony earlier this year, where Anibal was recognized alongside fellow Workforce Development Upskilling Program participants. Surrounded by his mother, sister, leaders and teammates, he shared a story shaped by resilience after losing loved ones to gun violence and a determination to change his future. “There was a point where I felt like I wasn’t going anywhere in life,” he said. “I had to put my foot down and decide to do something with myself.” On April 6, Anibal officially stepped into his new role as a CNA at Advocate Trinity—transitioning from behind-the-scenes work to direct patient care. “This isn’t just a career change, it’s a pathway to purpose,” said Michele Smith, vice president of workforce development and career innovation for Advocate Health. “Anibal’s commitment to growth while serving patients reflects the best of Advocate Health. By investing in our teammates and removing barriers to opportunity, we help create meaningful careers and stronger communities.” And Anibal isn’t stopping here. With continued support through Workforce Development, he’s already exploring future opportunities in medical imaging—proof that one pathway can open the door to many more. His advice for teammates considering the program: “Go for it. It won’t cost you anything but time, and it can change your life.” Learn more about our benefits and explore new opportunities: https://careers.aah.org

Each May, Illinois recognizes the vital role of nurses, and this year more than 40 direct care nurses—including Chief Nursing Officers from hospitals across our system—joined Advocate Health Care in Springfield for our annual Nurse Advocacy Day that coincided on Florence Nightingale Day. At the Capitol, our nurses engaged with dozens of state leaders and lawmakers, including Senate President Don Harmon, Senator Bill Cunningham, Senator John Curran, Senator DeWitte, and Representatives Gill, Slaughter, LaPointe Evans, and Leader Robyn Gabel. Throughout the day, they elevated critical policy priorities that directly impact patient care and access, including Medicaid, protection of the 340B program and advancement of the Nurse Licensure Compact. We are proud of our nurses for their leadership, advocacy and commitment to strengthening health care across Illinois.

This week, we proudly celebrated Nurses Week by recognizing the heart and soul of healthcare — our incredible nurses. Each day, they bring compassion, expertise and unwavering dedication to their patients, teammates and communities. From offering comfort during difficult times to delivering exceptional care, their impact resonates far and wide. Thank you to our amazing nurses for everything you do. We honor and celebrate you this week and always!

Mary, manager of clinical operations for general pediatrics at Advocate Children’s Hospital in Oak Lawn, recently celebrated her 40-year work anniversary. Mary reflects on her career taking care of adult patients at Advocate Christ Medical Center and pediatric patients at Advocate Children’s Hospital: “I graduated from St. Xavier University in 1985. My goal was always to work at Advocate Christ, so I transferred to 7 South on the Christ campus on April 21, 1986. I truly enjoyed working with the adult population but also wanted to venture out into the world of pediatrics, so I transitioned to the newborn nursery where I not only took care of newborns but also worked with NICU infants that were transitioning to home. I then worked in the PICU where my love for pediatrics grew. I took a detour into the world of care management that led me into leadership. I became the manager of care management and social work. This role was over both the adult side and pediatric side. My sense of inquiry and looking to grow and expand my knowledge base brought me to 4 Hope at Advocate Children’s Hospital in 2015 when I accepted the manager position and 4 years later added 2 Hope within my scope of leadership. I truly love being a nurse and working with the most amazing people here. As a parent and also a grandparent, I take the responsibility of caring for children very seriously. Parents and caregivers have entrusted myself and my team to care for their children at their most vulnerable time. My goal is that our patients and their families feel that they are being treated in a safe and caring environment.” Congratulations on 40 years, Mary, and thank you for your unwavering dedication to our patients and their families!

There’s a special baby boom happening inside the NICU at Advocate Children’s Hospital in Oak Lawn. 💕 To date, 20 of our NICU nurses have recently welcomed — or are preparing to welcome — babies of their own. This Mother’s Day, they’re sharing heartfelt messages and celebrating the unique bond they have caring for families while growing their own. Thank you to NBC News for sharing their story: https://nbcnews.to/4uH9XEl

It’s a baby boom! 👶🍼 Since the start of the year, the NICU team at Advocate Children’s Hospital in Oak Lawn has been experiencing what they’ve dubbed a “baby boom” – with pregnancy announcements coming almost weekly. As of today, there are 20 NICU nurses on the unit who are either currently pregnant or have recently welcomed a baby – with one nurse expecting twins. One of those nurses included in this baby boom is Nora, who has worked in the NICU for nearly a decade. After years of caring for newborns and supporting families during some of their most emotional moments, she became a first‑time mom herself, just in time to celebrate her very first Mother’s Day. Nora welcomed her baby, Thomas, on May 2 at Advocate Christ Medical Center. The thing she’s looking forward to most about motherhood? Seeing the bond she will have with her own baby after taking care of so many babies that she treats as her own in the NICU. ❤️ Stay tuned as we share more of the baby boom new arrivals throughout the year!