Former patient thanks hospital with $2.1 million donation

A former cancer patient who wanted to express gratitude for the care received during a recent hospital stay has donated $2.1 million to Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington.

The donation was made anonymously, and all hospital officials would say Monday is that the person is “a community member and a hospital volunteer.”

The hospital was created using donations from the community and the Quaker Oats Company, hospital spokesman Mike Deering said, but this charitable gift “definitely ranks as one of the largest.”

The largest gift, of more than $5 million, came from the namesakes of the hospital's Wayne and Patricia Kocourek Family Cardic Care Center.

The $2.1 million donation has not yet been earmarked for a certain hospital project.

“It'll be used for the advancement of clinical programs. One of our focuses here is on innovation,” Deering said.