ROGER MONROE
When the people at St. Francis, OSF Healthcare, and the Children’s Hospital, announced they were giving the boot to the St. Jude Clinic, I don’t think anyone was more shocked than I was, and for good reason.
I doubt anyone has been associated and involved with St. Jude in Peoria longer than this writer. In the 1960s, I worked with Jim Maloof recruiting teenagers to join the Teen March. I was with Methodist Hospital in 1971 when the agreement was signed with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to open a clinic to treat children with cancer. It was the first affiliate of the nationally known hospital founded by Danny Thomas.
The Peoria clinic was the inspiration of pediatrician Dr. Robert Hart, who had been referring children to the Memphis hospital. It was an exciting development made possible by the leadership of Realtor Maloof, who became Mayor of Peoria in 1985. In the November issue of “Heartbeat,” the monthly hospital publication, I wrote about the signing of the agreement consisting of Maloof, Associate Administrator Don Larson, Methodist trustee Clarence Yordy and Dr. Hart. The clinic officially opened January, 1972, on the fifth floor of the hospital’s Glen Oak Wing with the support of other doctors such as pathologist John Taraska, surgeon Stu Roberts, and Morie Adland.
The first executive director of the clinic was Marge Crowl. She was a delightful woman with a big heart to go along with a big, beautiful smile, and a strong determination to make the affiliate a big success. We worked well together producing “The St. Jude Star,” a publication filled with important information for families and the community.
There were others who followed Marge with the same passion for supporting the children and their families. The clinic was staffed with nurses who were the best. Among the best was Joanne Johnson, a true angel. I remember when she and Dr. Hart were called in the middle of the night by the staff to sit, to comfort, to love a 15-year-old who said, “I don’t want to die alone.”
Using the protocols of the St. Jude hospital in Memphis, the survival rate started to dramatically improve. More children stricken with cancer were recovering. More doctors were referring young patients to St. Jude in Peoria. I can’t say enough about Jim Maloof and what he did for children and their families starting with the first St. Jude Teen March in 1960. Teens like John Meisinger and many others wearing big Danny Thomas buttons went door-to-door asking for donations. Then came Mike McCoy and Gene Pratt organizing a walk/run at Landmark Recreation Center followed by the now iconic St. Jude runs that have raised millions of dollars so families receive free, state-of-the-art healthcare for their children.
Danny Thomas came to Methodist Hospital to see first-hand the rapidly growing St. Jude Midwest Affiliate. Not surprising, he was a big hit with everyone with his charm and charisma. When I asked Danny if he would speak before our student nurses at Helen House, he agreed. What a moment it was for everyone when he was the featured speaker at a community St. Jude fundraiser the night before. I was thrilled to serve as the emcee at that momentous event. There were many other special people who visited the Methodist facility, including former President Gerald Ford, actress Ann Jillian and “Mr. Green Jeans” Hugh Brannum from the “Captain Kangaroo Show.”
You can’t trace the history of the St. Jude Midwest Affiliate without mentioning the WEEK Telethons, which started in 1978 thanks to station general manager Bill Adams. The first broadcast with Maloof and Vic Burnett raised $90,000. One of the telethons was produced at the Shrine Mosque in the 200 block of North Monroe. Maloof asked me to do a “live” interview with the Clay Johnson family during the show held on the Temple’s massive stage.
WHAT HAPPENED? The St. Jude Midwest Affiliate at Methodist Hospital ended when OSF Healthcare successfully recruited St. Jude to officially become a part of its Children’s Hospital in 2000. That affiliation ended with the announcement May 11, that OSF was no longer going to partner with St. Jude, effective this June 30. For some reason, the carefully crafted news release created chaos for some in the local media. WEEK-TV incorrectly headlined the story, “St. Jude Clinic To Go Independent.” Two local morning talk show hosts said the announcement was confusing. But the announcement was clear: The St. Jude Clinic was closing at St. Francis. Peoria would no longer have a clinic because the staff of doctors and nurses are employees of OSF.
The hospital’s primary business function is to make money in order to fund its health-care services. Maybe its leaders determined they could make more money providing care for kids with cancer without St. Jude. The OSF website describes all of the wonderful things its cancer institute provides, but fails to acknowledge its long tenure with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. It doesn’t clarify whether treatment for children will be free, as it has been for decades at Methodist, St. Francis, and Memphis. Some supporters of St. Jude believe OSF broke multiple terms of their agreement and are urging attorneys in Memphis to consider legal action.
The only positive out of this disappointing development comes word from Mike McCoy, that he and the thousands of volunteers will continue to raise money to care for children with cancer under the umbrella of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis — without cost to families thanks to fundraising events like the recent Corvette drive and the forthcoming 49th annual St. Jude Telethon on WEEK-TV, Saturday, Aug. 1.
THANK YOU! I close with special thanks to LaDona Fishkin, Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of Peoria. She invited me and my guest to the organization’s annual observance last month at the Jewish synagogue. It was an honor to participate.
QUOTE OF THE MONTH: “All gave some; some gave all. Remember them this Memorial Day.” — Harry S Truman