Vernon Hills Teen Donates $2,000 Machine to NorthShore Kellogg Cancer Center for Bar Mitzvah Project
Supporting a cause that holds personal significance while giving back to the community is a tradition observed by many young men and women during their bar or bat mitzvah. Thirteen-year-old Ryan Josephson of Vernon Hills engaged in this tradition as he marked this religious occasion. The young man raised $2,000 to purchase a DynaMap blood pressure monitoring machine for NorthShore University HealthSystem (NorthShore) Kellogg Cancer Center at NorthShore Highland Park Hospital.
Ryan dedicated his bar mitzvah project to the memory of his late grandmother, Susan Josephson, who battled cancer. He organized community members to support the cause with a car wash fundraiser, and many cars lined up for a scrub-down to help Ryan meet his $2,000 goal. After the car wash, donations from the community continued to come in to support his great cause.
"For my mitzvah project, I wanted to contribute something that the staff at NorthShore Kellogg Cancer Center can use every day. My family tells me I'm a lot like my grandma, and I wanted to do something to honor her," said Ryan. "With this donation, I was not only honoring my late grandmother, but I was also able to impact the lives of future patients by donating an important medical device that will be used regularly by the staff to help treat patients."
The DynaMap blood pressure monitoring device chosen by Ryan is used to measure patients' blood pressure, pulse and pulse oximetry. Accurate blood pressure measurement is important for the detection and treatment of a variety of ailments. This specific machine was chosen after speaking with Martha Wallace, Clinical Nurse Manager at Highland Park Hospital's Kellogg Cancer Center, who identified this piece of equipment as an asset that would provide an exceptional patient care experience.
This month, Ryan had the opportunity to present a check for $2,000 to Matthew Adess, MD, Medical Director of Kellogg Cancer Center at Highland Park Hospital. "We are delighted to accept this gift from Ryan in memory of his grandmother," said Dr. Adess. "We look forward to using the machine regularly with our patients and continuing to work toward providing quality care for patients."
About NorthShore University HealthSystem
Headquartered in Evanston, Illinois, NorthShore University HealthSystem (NorthShore) is a comprehensive, fully integrated, healthcare delivery system that serves the Chicago region. The system includes four hospitals in Evanston, Glenview, Highland Park and Skokie. NorthShore employs approximately 10,000 staff and has 2,400 affiliated physicians, including a 900-physician, multispecialty group practice with some 100 office locations. Further, NorthShore supports teaching and research as the principal teaching affiliate for the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine.
The NorthShore Research Institute focuses on clinical and translational research, including leadership in clinical trials, medical informatics and genomics. The NorthShore Foundation is the organization's primary philanthropic entity. The Foundation raises charitable contributions and engages volunteer friends in support of NorthShore's ongoing mission "to preserve and improve human life."
NorthShore has significant capabilities in a wide spectrum of clinical programs, including Kellogg Cancer Center, NorthShore Neurological Institute and NorthShore Orthopaedic Institute, as well as in cardiovascular care, high-risk maternity and pediatrics. NorthShore is a Magnet-recognized organization, the first in Illinois designated as a system to receive this prestigious honor that demonstrates excellence in nursing. NorthShore is a national leader in the implementation of innovative technologies, including its proprietary Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system. In 2003, NorthShore was among the first in the country to successfully launch a systemwide EMR system with demonstrable benefits in quality, safety, efficiency and service to patients. NorthShore has been recognized by multiple national organizations for this notable achievement.