Loyola Medicine's Pediatric Mobile Health Unit Celebrates 25 years on the Road
July 12, 2024
Categories: Pediatrics
MAYWOOD, IL – Loyola Medicine proudly announces a celebration of the 25th anniversary of its Pediatric Mobile Health Unit. This landmark event marks a quarter-century of providing crucial health care services to over 157,000 children in underserved communities throughout the Chicago area. The celebration, showcasing Loyola's dedication to making pediatric health care accessible, will take place on Wednesday, July 31, 2024, from 9 – 10 am at PASO West Suburban Action Project located at 3415 W. North Avenue in Melrose Park, Illinois.
Since its inception in 1998, Loyola's Pediatric Mobile Health Unit has played a critical role in offering a wide range of medical services directly to communities in need. Functioning as a fully equipped pediatric doctor’s office on wheels, it has been a beacon of hope and health, providing routine physical exams, immunizations, health screenings and educational sessions to children and young adults up to age 21.
Program Director Susan Finn, MSN, APRN, CPNP, has been involved with the Pediatric Mobile Health Unit since its inception. She says this milestone is remarkable, "Each day we encounter struggling families. Helping them access health care and linking them to resources is a privilege. In this time, we have touched the lives of people from all over the world, welcoming them to our community."
"At the height of last year's measles outbreak, Loyola Medicine's Pediatric Mobile Unit provided critical support at migrant shelters, which were identified as areas of high measles risk," says Jerold Stirling, MD, chair of pediatrics at Loyola Medicine. "By offering free vaccinations directly at these shelters, the unit helped prevent the spread of disease and protected our most vulnerable communities."
The 25th-anniversary event will include tours of the Pediatric Mobile Health Unit, allowing attendees to see the facilities firsthand, understand its impact and enjoy a short program with refreshments. This celebration aims to honor the hard work of Loyola Medicine's staff, the generosity of its donors and the strong community partnership that has supported this initiative.
"A major campaign we have been working on for years has been Health for All," says Ana Torres of West Suburban Action Project. "Our goal is to keep our community healthy by providing resources to residents regardless of their status. This program helps to ensure that children in our community are able to have a clinic in their neighborhood, which will in turn make their school admissions an easier process." The West Suburban Action Project is a community partner which the Pediatric Mobile Health Unit serves on a regular basis.
The event is open to staff, donors and community members, highlighting the program's achievements and the critical support of its stakeholders. With the newest 30-foot mobile unit launched in October 2014, equipped with two clinic rooms, Loyola Medicine continues its pledge to visit 300 sites annually, emphasizing the importance of children's health and well-being. For more details about the Pediatric Mobile Health Unit or to arrange a site visit, please contact 708-216-3299.
About Loyola Medicine
Loyola Medicine, a member of Trinity Health, is a nationally ranked academic, quaternary care system based in Chicago's western suburbs. The three-hospital system includes Loyola University Medical Center (LUMC), Gottlieb Memorial Hospital, MacNeal Hospital, as well as convenient locations offering primary care, specialty care and immediate care services from nearly 2,000 physicians throughout Cook, Will and DuPage counties. LUMC is a 547-licensed-bed hospital in Maywood that includes the William G. and Mary A. Ryan Center for Heart & Vascular Medicine, the Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, the John L. Keeley, MD, Emergency Department, a Level 1 trauma center, Illinois's largest burn center, the Nancy W. Knowles Orthopaedic Institute, a certified comprehensive stroke center, transplant center and a children’s hospital. Having delivered compassionate care for over 50 years, Loyola also trains the next generation of caregivers through its academic affiliation with Loyola University Chicago’s Stritch School of Medicine and Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing.
Established in 1961, Gottlieb Memorial Hospital is a 247-licensed-bed community hospital in Melrose Park that includes the Judd A. Weinberg Emergency Department, the Loyola Center for Metabolic Surgery and Bariatric Care, Loyola Cancer Care & Research at the Marjorie G. Weinberg Cancer Center, acute rehabilitation, a transitional care center, childcare center and fitness center. Founded in 1919, MacNeal Hospital is a 374-licensed-bed teaching hospital in Berwyn with advanced medical, surgical and psychiatric services and a 68-bed behavioral health program.
For more information, visit loyolamedicine.org. You can also follow Loyola Medicine on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or X (formerly known as Twitter).
About Trinity Health
Trinity Health is one of the largest not-for-profit, faith-based health care systems in the nation. It is a family of 127,000 colleagues and more than 38,300 physicians and clinicians caring for diverse communities across 26 states. Nationally recognized for care and experience, the Trinity Health system includes 93 hospitals, 107 continuing care locations, the second largest PACE program in the country, 142 urgent care locations and many other health and well-being services. In fiscal year 2024, the Livonia, Michigan-based health system invested $1.3 billion in its communities in the form of charity care and other community benefit programs. For more information, visit us at www.trinity-health.org, or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and X (formerly known as Twitter).