New diagnostic imaging arrives at Mercy Hospital

The most sophisticated imaging capability has arrived at Mercy Hospital and Medical Center with the recent installation of the Philips Brilliance 64-channel CT scanner.

Commonly referred to as the “64-slice,” the scanner is a stateof-the-art diagnostic tool that produces precise and detailed threedimensional images of virtually any organ in the human body in record time. In most instances a standard high-resolution scan of the heart, brain, or lungs takes only seven seconds. A scan of the entire body takes about 30 seconds.

Near-perfect image quality and the ability to rotate and examine three-dimensional photos allow physicians to view images with increased clarity and greater detail, leading to improved clinical diagnosis.

Offering the ability to “freeze” motion, the 64-slice can examine a beating heart, providing non-invasive images of the heart and its major vessels without the blurring caused by motion. Paul A. Jones, MD, Mercy’s chief of cardiovascular services, stated, “This leadingedge technology offers patients access to unprecedented heart and vascular disease evaluation and exemplifies our commitment to offer quality, state-of-the-art health care to Chicago.”

Promising applications of the 64-slice include evaluations for coronary artery disease, carotid artery disease, abdominal and thoracic aortic disease, pulmonary embolism, and acute stroke.

In addition to improved clinical diagnosis, the 64-slice benefits patients with shorter exam times, single-breath holds for scanning, and more rapid results to facilitate treatment, resulting in less tension and more comfort.

The 64-slice scanner is housed in the Radiology Department at Mercy Hospital. A physician’s order is required to schedule a scan. For more information, visit www.mercy-chicago.org or call (312) 567-2600.

 

Ukrainian art museum celebrates 35th

The Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art (UIMA) will celebrate its 35th anniversary on Saturday, Oct. 7. UIMA presents arts exhibitions, literary evenings, musical events, and educational programs.

The event also will honor Achilles N. Chreptowsky, UIMA’s founder and principal benefactor; Wasyl Kacurovsky, its first curator and principal art expert; and Konstantin Milonadis and Michajlo Urban, the first artists to exhibit at UIMA.

The event will be held at the Ukrainian Cultural Center, 2247 W. Chicago Ave., at 6:30 p.m. and will feature a cocktail hour with music followed by dinner and a film presentation. For more information, contact Helen Pryma at helen@pryma.net, call (630) 240-7112, or log on to www.uima-art.org . UIMA is located at 2320 W. Chicago Ave., (773) 227-5522.

Independent Schools Fair to be held for Oct. 29

Families wanting to learn more about private schools are invited to attend the free Independent Schools Fair Sunday, Oct. 29, from noon to 2:30 p.m. at the Chicago History Museum, Clark Street and North Avenue. Parents and children visiting the fair will be admitted free to the museum.

Chicago area independent schools offer a wide variety of choices for families, ranging from traditional, classical programs to offerings that emphasize the arts or specialize in programs for gifted students. School representatives will be on hand to discuss programs at their schools, choosing and applying to schools, and financial aid. “We have added the information sessions this year to respond to parent interest in our schools and independent school education generally,” said Cokey Evans, fair coordinator.

Representatives from local and boarding schools from Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana will be available for those seeking information. The Independent Schools Fair is organized by the Lake Michigan Association of Independent Schools. For more information, call (773) 797-5110 or email cevans@fwparker.org.

Double Ten Parade scheduled for Oct. 8

Chinatown opens its Double Ten festivities with a parade on Sunday, Oct. 8, starting at 12:30 p.m. along Wentworth Avenue.

October 10, known as Double Ten, is the date of the 1911 Wuchan Uprising in Hubei Province, the first successful revolt against the Qing (Ching) Dynasty. Encouraged by the revolutionary ideas of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, members of the army led a rebellion after the munitions in their armory accidentally detonated.

The doctor, who previously had led several failed attempts at revolution, ironically was in the U.S. at the time recruiting overseas support. His direction and influence inspired a generation that would eventually end the feudal domination of China’s dynastic monarchy.

Both the Republic of China (ROC, or Taiwan) and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) claim Dr. Sun Yat-sen as their national hero.

Taiwan adopted October 10 as its official independence day, although the PRC adopted October 1 as its own. Double Ten is celebrated in a traditional Chinese manner throughout all major Chinatowns across the U.S.

Festivities will begin with floats sponsored by major Chinese businesses and organizations. For information, call the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association at (312) 225-6198.
 

—Susan Fong

 

Lakeside Bank holds pet photo costume contest

Lakeside Bank, 2200 S. Archer Ave., is sponsoring its first pet photo costume contest in honor of Halloween. Entrants may submit a photo of their dog or cat in costume. One grand prize winner will receive a $200 grooming and boutique package from the Furry Beastro, a pet bakery, spa, and boutique located in Old Town.

Five runners-up each will receive a $50 boutique package from the Furry Beastro.

For every entry Lakeside Bank receives, it will donate $10 to Pets Are Worth Saving (PAWS) Chicago.

Founded in 1997, PAWS Chicago is the city’s largest non-profit, no-kill humane organization. For information on the rules and how to enter, log on to www.lakesidebank.com and click on “special offers.” Photos must be submitted via e-mail by Tuesday, Oct. 31.

 

Mercy Home installs Fr. Scott Donahue
as new president

Mercy Home for Boys & Girls recently installed the Rev. L. Scott Donahue, a Catholic priest, as the eighth president in its 119-year history at an outdoor Mass on its West Loop campus at 1140 W. Jackson Blvd.

More than 800 Mercy supporters and friends joined the Rev. John Canary, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Chicago, in celebrating Fr. Donahue as he assumed leadership of the youth home.

Cardinal Francis George named Fr. Donahue Mercy’s new president and CEO following the retirement of the Rev. James J. Close, who oversaw the home for 33 years.

Fr. Donahue had worked under Fr. Close’s mentorship since 1990, when he joined Mercy Home’s Board of Regents. In 1993, Fr. Donahue became assistant to the president. “I could tell shortly after meeting him that Scott had the intellect, the instincts, and the good common sense that will make him a great leader for the home,” Fr. Close said. “I’m confident that Scott will carry on our tradition of care and of good stewardship of our resources.”

In 1996, Fr. Donahue was named associate president, a position he held for ten years and during which he helped Fr. Close preside over the largest expansion of the organization and its services in its history.

In 2000, Frs. Close and Donahue launched Mercy Home’s Legacy of Miracles campaign to raise $10 million and to expand and open more homes for at-risk youth. As a result, the Rev. James J. Close Home was opened on Mercy Home’s West Loop campus in 2003.

In addition to 16 years of involvement with Mercy Home, Fr. Donahue holds a master’s degree in social work from Loyola University Chicago as well as one in theology from St. Mary of the Lake Seminary and one in applied spirituality from the University of San Francisco.

Fr. Donahue said he has built his ministry around a passage from scripture that reads, “’What has been given to you as a gift, give as a gift.’ I am thankful for the generosity and goodness of so many wonderful people who make it possible for us to help youth change, grow, and prosper.”

For more information, call (312) 738-7560 or log on to www.mercyhome.org/site/PageServer.

 

Fundraiser set for Ronald McDonald House

The Auxiliary Board of Christ Medical Center will present a gala fundraiser, Calling All Angels, on Wednesday, Oct. 11, at Lexington House in Hickory Hills, IL.

Proceeds will go to Advocate Christ Medical Center and the Ronald McDonald House for Hope Children’s Hospital. Parents needing temporary housing while a seriously ill child is at Hope Children’s Hospital can stay at the Ronald McDonald House.

The evening will include cocktails, a silent auction, dinner, and a fashion show featuring European couture and celebrity models.

Candace Valentino is chairwoman for the silent auction and donations. For information, call (708) 684- 5252.