Great People. Great Stories. - Life in Your County and Beyond

LIFE IN YOUR COUNTY AND BEYOND

FA L L 2 0 1 6

Building

a healthy tomorrow

At Mercyhealth, passion drives us to deliver medical excellence with a compassionate touch for the very best patient experience.

Located on I-90 at E. Riverside Boulevard in Rockford, this beautiful and spacious hospital and medical center campus will feature: •

188 private room inpatient beds

•

A state-of-the art women’s and children’s hospital • • • • •

•

Level I (highest level) trauma center

•

An adult sub-specialty hospital, including plastic and reconstructive surgery, brain and spine care, endocrinology, orthopedics, pulmonology and heart services, and more

•

Technologically advanced operating suites and surgical services to support a full range of inpatient and outpatient surgery, including minimally invasive surgery, image-guided surgery and robotic surgery

•

Comprehensive diagnostic center with lab and imaging

•

Multi-disciplinary physician care clinics serving adult and pediatric patients

•

Comprehensive cardiac, peripheral and neurovascular interventional laboratory

That’s why we’re excited that area residents will soon have access to a new hospital specially designed to serve women and children.

State-designated regional perinatal center The highest level neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) Pediatric and pediatric intensive care (PICU) units High-risk maternity care Pediatric emergency services

Opening January 2019

Rockford Health System is now Mercyhealth

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DE AR RE ADER:

ON THE COVER: THE BERGERSEN FAMILY HAS BEEN RUNNING

As a young journalist, I often told friends I preferred interviewing people who had never been interviewed before. That is to say, I loved bringing out the spontaneous passion in a person, whether that be about his hobby crafting unique mailboxes, her goal to create a new community advocacy group or his love for teaching.

VALLEY ORCHARD FOR 38 YE ARS. SEE STORY ON PAGE 26.

There is nothing quite like discovering a great person who has a great story to tell.

That, of course, is where we got the name for this publication. There are so many people and organizations in the Rockford area whose stories deserve to be shared. In this issue alone, there is:

38

44 44 A STRONG

SUPPORT SYSTEM

Family relies on Level III NICU staff

50 COMMUNITY CALENDAR

F E A T UR E S 6 REDISCOVERING THE GARDENS

Businessman brings new life to beloved spot

Cancer patient finds the care she needs

Great People. Great Stories. | Fall 2016

new hospital

Mercyhealth teams up with Crusader Community Health

38 ABOVE AND BEYOND

Singer rehabs building to open restaurant

Family appreciates trauma care far from home

The singer who has raised more than $100,000 through crowdfunding to open a restaurant on Rockford’s west side (page 20).

•

The 16-year-old motocross competitor who was severely injured hundreds of miles from home, but found compassionate doctors and nurses who helped him heal (page 38).

We have found many tales worth telling. But we need your help. Do you work at a school with a teacher who has initiated extraordinary class projects? Do you know a young person who is gifted athletically, musically or in some other way, and is destined for great things? Is there an unsung hero in your neighborhood who is making a difference in the world? Do you belong to an organization that has a unique story to tell?

Beth Earnest

Rockford brings back the "Anything That Floats" Race

20 LEAP OF FAITH

•

Together, we can make sure that everyone in the Rockford area knows about our wonderful people and rich stories.

34 PHOTO ESSAY:

A BELOVED TRADITION

The young boy who survived after being born at less than 24 weeks’ gestation, thanks to the experts at Mercyhealth Rockton Avenue Hospital's (formerly Rockford Memorial Hospital) Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (page 44).

If you have an idea for a story or want to list your event in our community calendar, please e-mail me at editor@gpgsmagazine.com. And, if you would like to send us a photo to be published in our community photo section, we welcome any and all submissions.

Orchard has survived for nearly four decades

12 "LIKE FAMILY"

4

30 A PARTNERSHIP TO

IMPROVE LIVES

18 LOOKING TO THE FUTURE Mercyhealth breaks ground on

20

26 AGAINST ALL ODDS

•

EDITOR, “GREAT PEOPLE. GREAT STORIES.”

30

Visit us at gpgsmagazine.com LIFE IN YOUR COUNTY AND BEYOND

5

REDISCOVERING THE GARDENS BUSINESSMAN BRINGS NEW LIFE TO BELOVED SPOT

F

or David Anderson, an afternoon walk through Anderson Japanese Gardens in Rockford is more than just a stroll. It’s an outreach opportunity — a chance to network, inspire, encourage … and collect demographic information. As he gives his guest a brisk tour, he greets every visitor with a warm smile, sometimes asking them where they live, sometimes offering to take their picture. He is the consummate salesman — no small coincidence, since he used to work in the sales department of his father’s plastic injection molding company.

David Anderson, who grew up playing in Anderson Japanese Gardens, has been running the facility for five years.

6

Great People. Great Stories. | Fall 2016

LIFE IN YOUR COUNTY AND BEYOND

7

He wasn’t always this excited about the Gardens, which began in 1978 as his family’s backyard project. When his father, John, first asked him to take over management of the facility one cold November day in 2010, David couldn’t imagine a worse idea. He didn’t know anything about gardens and had no interest in learning more.

But as he delved further into it, he discovered his own way to make an impact — by turning the Gardens into an active, alive entity that offers programming for all ages.

NEW IDEAS John, a successful businessman, fell in love with Japanese Gardens when he saw the beauty of Portland Japanese Gardens in Portland, Oregon. He asked designer Hoichi Kurisu to turn his swampy backyard into such a place, and by the 1980s, it

had expanded so much that visitors wanted to come see it. He and his wife Linda allowed outsiders to tour the Gardens by appointment only at first, and gradually began opening it on the weekends and then during the week.

In 1998 they turned it into a not-forprofit entity. By the time David took over for the 2011 season (seasons run from May through October), it was well-known as one of the foremost Japanese gardens in the United States.

John Anderson, right, created Anderson Japanese Gardens in his backyard. Over the years, it grew into a national treasure.

Almost immediately, David began exploring how he could bring programming to the facility. The first event he created was Uncorked in the Gardens, an evening of wine tasting that was meant to be an educational event but turned into a social gathering. It was so popular that it became an annual favorite. Other offerings soon followed, including a

lecture series; Garden Explorers, a program for preschoolers and their parents that brings in local celebrities and musicians, storytellers and other entertainers; and the Japanese Summer Festival, a celebration of traditional cultural arts at the end of July that offers tea ceremonies, performers, children’s games and Japanese art demonstrations.

And then there is David’s pride and joy — Tuesday Evening in the Garden, a music series that attracts bands from across the country. The facility hosted its first such event in 2012, hoping it could average 150 people in its first year. Right away, the event surpassed all expectations, drawing 580 people on its first night. “We had built a place of community where people could come together,” says David.

Feeding the Gardens' fish is a daily ritual for David.

8

Great People. Great Stories. | Fall 2016

Anderson Japanese Gardens’ innovative programming has attracted the attention of many others across the nation. Ken Brown, professor of Asian art history at California State University, Long Beach, says the Rockford garden is one of the leaders in a national trend toward planning more events inside Japanese gardens.

“As a historian, I think using gardens LIFE IN YOUR COUNTY AND BEYOND 9

Families gather for the Garden Explorers program to hear guests read stories and sing songs.

for social functions makes sense,” says Brown, who has written two books on Japanese gardens. “Centuries ago, Japanese people used their gardens for poetry readings, music and other community events. In the 20th century, these gardens became tourist attractions, like art on a wall. In America, we assumed that was the pure experience and copied it — but it wasn’t.”

There has been more of a societal trend over the past five years to break down previously established barriers, Brown says, which is why Japanese gardens have become more open to new ideas.

“Gardens are a place where people have the most meaningful experiences of their lives,” he says.

RAPID GROWTH Because he’s more of a businessman than a horticulturist, David likes to use the numbers to prove his point.

Tuesday Evening in the Garden, once thought to be a radical idea, has been averaging nearly 750 people per performance. Compared with May 2015, the number of garden visitors 10

in May 2016 had increased by 43 percent. Last year, nearly 50,000 walkin guests made the trek to Anderson Japanese Gardens, with 1,700 people on Mother’s Day alone.

That’s because David has been using social media to help his family’s garden climb to higher heights than ever before. On Facebook, he uses paid promotion and meticulously researched keywords to bring key audiences to his facility. For example, he ensures that parents of young children looking for “jogging stroller” and “swimming lessons” will happen across Anderson’s Facebook page, where they will discover its many programs for children. He casts his net wide, promoting as far north as Minneapolis.

And the promotion is working: About 80 percent of the people who visit Anderson Japanese Gardens come from outside the greater Rockford area.

David loves seeing the garden succeed, and he loves meeting the people who come there. “You wouldn’t believe the number of notes I receive from

Great People. Great Stories. | Fall 2016

people who thank us for providing this wonderful place where they can forget about their problems,” he says.

Every year, he and his staff are coming out with more ideas … and every year, the public is eating them up. “The overarching goal of the Gardens,” David says, “is to make a positive impact on people. And I believe we are doing that.”

"The overarching goal of the Gardens is to make a positive impact on people.

And I believe we are doing that."

DAVID ANDERSON

LIFE IN YOUR COUNTY AND BEYOND 11

LIKE FAMILY ” CANCER PATIENT FINDS THE CARE SHE NEEDS

W

hen Sharon Love underwent surgery to remove her endometrial cancer in 2013, she thought she had dodged a bullet. She was living in DeKalb, IL at the time, and saw her doctor when she noticed post-menopausal bleeding. Sharon was diagnosed with cancer and had a complete hysterectomy — meaning a surgeon removed her uterus, ovaries and fallopian tubes — at a hospital in Chicago. She did not need to have chemotherapy or radiation therapy, so she promptly returned to her job as an office manager at Northern Illinois University’s (NIU) Convocation Center.

After undergoing treatment for a cancer recurrence, Sharon Love celebrates her clean bill of health with her grandchildren, from left: Emiah Jakymiw, 2; Nora Jakymiw, 6; and Beckett Love, 1.

12

Great People. Great Stories. | Fall 2016

LIFE IN YOUR COUNTY AND BEYOND 13

disruptions to her life. Sharon and her husband, Scott, love to travel and usually spend much of their winter in Florida. Rather than sacrifice an entire winter because of chemotherapy treatments, the staff arranged it so that Sharon could finish a round, go to Florida for a week and then be back in time for her next treatment. They helped her find a lab in Florida where she could undergo necessary blood draws.

Sharon and her husband Scott still were able to travel during her treatments, thanks to the Mercyhealth Cancer Center staff's flexibility.

Sharon became close with the staff at the Mercyhealth Cancer Center on the Rockton Avenue campus, including, from left: Lisa August, RN, BSN,

she checked in with me to find out how I was doing both physically and emotionally.”

OCN; Andrea Hicks, RN, OCN; and Kelly Whitehead, RN, OCN.

Two years later, however, all was not well: Sharon — who had moved to Loves Park, IL by this time — started experiencing extreme pain in her abdomen. In December 2015, she saw her primary care physician with Mercyhealth, who ordered a computed tomography (CT) scan. The scan showed spots in her abdomen, and a subsequent biopsy revealed her cancer had returned — this time in her abdominal wall. Sharon’s primary care physician referred her to May Hashimi, MD, medical oncologist at the Mercyhealth Cancer Center on the Rockton Avenue campus.

complaints of pain during follow-up visits. “He should have picked up on it, as I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who experienced a recurrence in this way,” she says. She had thought she was in the clear, and instead was preparing for six rounds of chemotherapy at the Mercyhealth Cancer Center. So she and

her family prayed for her recovery, and she trusted that Dr. Hashimi would help her return to full health again.

“Dr. Hashimi is very empathetic,” Sharon says. “She’s understanding and willing to spend time answering my questions. Throughout my treatment,

“I try to put myself in my patients' shoes,” says Dr. Hashimi.“There is no silly question. Every question is important. I encourage my patients to write down all their questions and concerns so they can remember everything they want to know during their appointments. All of their

concerns are legitimate and will help us manage and treat them better.”

The entire staff at the Mercyhealth Cancer Center, in fact, did everything

During treatments, Sharon says she felt like she was visiting family at the Mercyhealth Cancer Center. “The staff there was always so upbeat,” she says.

“At the Mercyhealth Cancer Center, it’s a small facility, and the staff are right there in the room with patients all around them. It’s very comfortable.

They chatted with me during my treatments, and I would learn all

“Dr. Hashimi is very empathetic. She's understanding and willing to spend time answering my questions.” – Sharon Love they could to make Sharon feel comfortable and well cared for. They went out of their way to minimize

about their lives. One nurse was getting married, so we talked about her wedding.”

“Cancer can always recur,” says Dr. Hashimi. “At times, one cell is able to escape to the bloodstream and settle elsewhere. There is no test at this point in time that can tell us exactly why that cancer cell escaped to another area.”

Sharon poses with May Hashimi, MD, medical oncologist at Mercyhealth, left picture; and

Sharon was upset that her previous oncologist in Chicago had ignored her 14

Stephanie Clark, RN, BSN, right picture.

Great People. Great Stories. | Fall 2016

LIFE IN YOUR COUNTY AND BEYOND 15

MERCYHEALTH CANCER CENTER The Mercyhealth Cancer Center on the Rockton Avenue campus offers a comprehensive program based upon patient needs. It is staffed by board certified medical oncologists; a radiation oncologist; a nurse practitioner; oncologycertified nurses in infusion, navigation and education; a social worker; a dietitian and a financial navigator. The oncology team carefully plans each patient’s care according to individual needs.

To schedule an appointment, call (815) 971-6188.

Sharon enjoys some quality time with her grandkids.

The office staff, too, was exactly what Sharon needed to feel like she was at home. “They have so many patients,” she says, “but they always have a smile on their face and know exactly what you need.”

Sharon finished her chemotherapy treatments in April and is now in remission. She retired from NIU in 2014 and spends her days reading, gardening and playing with her three young grandchildren.

“I’m grateful that I’m free of cancer,” she says. “There’s always that thought nagging at the back of your head that it could come back, but for now I’m going to enjoy my life. After a cancer diagnosis, you start appreciating each day you have and making the most of it.”

“After a cancer diagnosis, you start appreciating each day you have and making the most of it.”

SHARON LOVE

16

Great People. Great Stories. | Fall 2016

LIFE IN YOUR COUNTY AND BEYOND 17

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE MERCYHEALTH BREAKS GROUND ON NE W HOSPI TAL

Several groups of community supporters, leaders and government officials help Mercyhealth break ground on the largest construction project in Rockford's history.

The new hospital will offer an expanded range of pediatric subspecialties, including pediatric cardiologists, endocrinologists, gastroenterologists, intensivists, neurologists, pulmonologists, surgeons and hospitalists.

“This hospital reflects our commitment to provide the highest level of care for women and children in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin,” says Javon R. Bea, Mercyhealth President and CEO. “The facility will create jobs for physicians, caregivers and support staff.”

Mercyhealth broke ground on the hospital in June and has been grading and excavating the land throughout the summer and early fall. Plans call for the building to be completed in September 2018, with patients

occupying rooms in January 2019.

The current Rockford Memorial Hospital campus (now called Mercyhealth Rockton Avenue Hospital) will continue to operate with a comprehensive emergency department, urgent care and 94 adult inpatient hospital beds. The facility also will continue to offer a cancer center, surgical center, ancillary services and a variety of primary care physicians.

The new E. Riverside Blvd. campus will have 188 private inpatient rooms and extensive specialty services, including: • A state-of-the-art women’s and children’s hospital • Level III (highest level) Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) • Pediatric and pediatric intensive care (PICU) units • High-risk, state-designated perinatal care

• •

•

•

•

•

Pediatric emergency services Level I (highest level) Trauma Center State-of-the-art operating suites and surgical services to support a full range of inpatient and outpatient surgery, including minimally invasive surgery and image-guided surgery Comprehensive diagnostic center, with lab and imaging Outpatient primary and specialty physician care clinics, serving adult and pediatric patients Comprehensive cardiac, peripheral, and neurovascular interventional laboratory

“We are excited to be part of the Rockford region,” says Bea, “and we truly are passionate about finding the best possible ways to improve the level of care we provide for our community.”

T

his fall, Mercyhealth is laying the foundation for a state-of-the-art facility that will meet the health care needs of women and children across the southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois region. The multiregional system is building a $505 million women’s and children’s hospital at the intersection of E. Riverside Boulevard and I-90 in Rockford.

Left: Rockford Mayor Larry Morrissey, left, and Mercyhealth President and CEO Javon Bea hold the sign that will grace the road to the new

Local business leaders and politicians pose for a photo with Mercyhealth leaders at the groundbreaking.

Mercyhealth hospital. Right: A a local news reporter covers the historic groundbreaking.

18

Great People. Great Stories. | Fall 2016

LIFE IN YOUR COUNTY AND BEYOND 19

LEAP OF FAITH SINGER REHABS BUILDING TO OPEN RESTAURANT

“I believe if we just get really brave and beautify this area, it will make a difference,” says Emily, who sold musical instruments, computers and her wedding dress to amass enough money to buy the building at 1404 N. Main Street. “People treat this area the way it makes them feel, and if we make this building — and the area around it — look really nice, they will respect that.”

Emily first bought the building in February 2015, after a long and exhaustive search for a place that was within her budget. The Main Street building was in bad condition, but she reasoned that if she worked hard, she could bring it up to restaurant-level.

Then she found out about the asbestos — and about the $100,000 she would need to remove it. And she decided to ask for help. As so many of her musician friends have used crowd-funding web sites such as Kickstarter to fund

projects, Emily thought she would give it a try. She recorded a video, used both social and traditional media to promote her project, and built a Viking ship that she and her husband took to local farmers' markets to spread the word. She pledged to give rewards to those who donated, ranging from a free

music download for a $5 donation to a catered, in-home concert for those who gave $10,000. Pregnant at the time, she thought about offering her funders the chance to name her unborn baby for a $50,000 donation, but Kickstarter only allowed donations up to $10,000. So she decided to name her own child.

In less than two months, Emily met her goal — and she gained community-wide support for her pet project. “This project feels like it was bigger than me, which is why it succeeded,” she says.

LIFE-CHANGING EVENT A graduate of Auburn High School in Rockford, Emily first attended culinary school and then received her bachelor's degree in music business from Columbia College in Chicago. She spent years touring the country with her original songs, all while based in Chicago.

Then, in 2013, her beloved father died suddenly of a heart attack and her world turned upside down.

I

n one of singer Emily Hurd’s newest songs, “Far Cry,” she writes: “Give me something to believe in, I will sink my teeth in, and leave a mark.” Leaving a mark is exactly what she intends to do … in the city that shaped her, educated her and comforted her in her time of need. Emily is deep in the throes of starting a new restaurant on Rockford’s west side — in an area that has struggled to develop a thriving shopping and eating district.

Emily Hurd has produced 14 full-length albums.

20

Great People. Great Stories. | Fall 2016

“I don’t think I was ever planning to move back to Rockford,” she says. “But I needed to be with my mom. And then I started wondering, What will I do here?

LIFE IN YOUR COUNTY AND BEYOND 21

Will I teach music lessons?” She came to the conclusion that it was finally time for her to open her own restaurant in her hometown.

She and her now-husband Mark Christensen were high school sweethearts who had gone their separate ways, but when her dad died, they reconnected and had married by the next year. Throughout the process of trying to open the restaurant, he has been her rock, she says, and to thank him, she is naming the restaurant The Norwegian in honor of his heritage.

The eatery will be a breakfast and lunch destination, serving a mix of Scandinavian and soul food.

Though Emily's Kickstarter campaign ended more than a year ago, she still is performing for the people who donated to her campaign.

While Emily initially had not planned to do more than run a restaurant, she added “landlord” to her job title when she bought the building. It includes a second floor that is perfect for office space, and Emily has put hundreds of hours of sweat equity into that area to ready it for occupation. She wants to rent the spaces out at a low price to

others who dream of starting their own businesses. “My business plan shows my restaurant losing money for three years,

“I don't think I was ever planning to move back to Rockford, but I needed to be with my mom." – Emily Hurd

Emily, her husband Mark Christensen and their 1-year-old son, John, have made their home on Rockford's west side.

22

Great People. Great Stories. | Fall 2016

so I need to make just $500 a month so my building doesn’t bleed in the meantime,” she says.

While she’s still traveling to Chicago once a week to play with her band and playing various other gigs, Emily — who has released 14 albums — has spent the majority of her time over the past year and a half working on the building. For six months alone, she was simply scraping tar off the floor of the upper level so a flooring company could scrape off the final layer and reveal the underlying maple floors. She keeps a ukulele close by, and when she becomes inspired during her workday, she writes.

That’s where “Far Cry” came from and another song, “Behind the Lights,” about the “small folks” like herself who are trying to make their “old town” come alive.

“I believe if we just get really brave and beautify this area, it will make a difference.”

EMILY HURD

LIFE IN YOUR COUNTY AND BEYOND 23

Mark has worked alongside his wife as they rehabilitate the building they own.

Included among those “small folks” are Doug and Holli Connell, owners of video editing company Engine Studio. They met Emily through mutual friends and were so inspired by her efforts that they decided to buy their own building just two doors down from her. They, too, live on the west side and want to join her in revitalizing the area. “We’re telling everyone we know to rent space in her building,” says Holli. “We want to fill it with friends and colleagues and people who get that it’s important to save buildings.”

LOOKING AHEAD Slowly but surely, Emily is moving forward … even as her home life becomes more of a balancing act.

Already parents to 1-year-old John, Emily and Mark are expecting a second child in February. “We’re piecing it together with family help,” says Emily, who has become used to working hard while pregnant.

She’s simply keeping her eyes on the prize: a beautiful breakfast and lunch nook that will do justice to the historic

building in which it is housed. “I don’t believe I’m the right person for this job,” she says, as she brushes a paint-smeared strand of hair away from her face, “but I think that just being willing to do it makes me the person who’s supposed to do it.”

Emily hopes to open The Norwegian in spring 2017. To learn the latest news about her progress, visit emilyhurd.com/blog.

“I don't believe I'm the right person for this job, but I think that just being willing to do it makes me the person who's supposed to do it.”

EMILY HURD

Emily says she named her restaurant "The Norwegian" to honor her husband Mark's Scandinavian heritage.

24

Great People. Great Stories. | Fall 2016

LIFE IN YOUR COUNTY AND BEYOND 25

AGAINST ALL ODDS ORCHARD HAS SURVIVED NEARLY FOUR DECADES

While Raoul did not grow up on a farm, he spent many hours on friends’ and relatives’ farms as a child. After attending college on the G.I. bill, Raoul took a job performing field service work for a material handling company.

He had a steady job that paid well, but could never quite get the idea of farming out of his head. Then, when he was 30, a friend suggested they visit an apple orchard in Wausau, WI. The orchard owner told them what a wonderful business it was, and on a whim they decided to open their own orchard. “Talk about babes in the woods,” says Raoul, laughing ruefully.

“We didn’t know a thing about the business.”

They found an old dairy farm in the summer of 1977, spent the summer and fall clearing it out, and in the spring they planted 1,800 apple trees — mostly by hand. They meticulously cared for each tree, individually punching holes in the soil and threading irrigation to them. Then, in the fall of 1978, Raoul’s partner decided he didn’t want to be an orchard owner anymore. So, Raoul was all

alone in the venture — but he had a passion, and that fueled him more than anything else could.

Stan Asp, who worked with Raoul and has been his friend since the mid1970s, remembers how Raoul used to use his two weeks of vacation from his full-time job to prune all his trees in the spring. “The whole endeavor was so time-consuming,” Stan says. “He had to do it during his vacation, because the pruning needed to be finished within a certain amount of time.”

FAMILY BONDING From the beginning, Valley Orchard always was a family business. Though Raoul did not marry his wife Jodie until 1981, they were dating when he started the orchard; in fact, she was the one who persuaded him to take the plunge and become a farmer. “He loves the smell of the earth, the quietness,” Jodie says. “It was something he always wanted to do."

Their twin sons, Brett and Brandon, spent their childhood following their father around the orchard. “I’d come

Blackberries are just one of the many types of fruits and vegetables Raoul grows in his orchard — besides apples, of course.

home from work and the kids were driving my wife crazy, so she’d say, ‘Take them with you,’” he says. And so he would load the kids and his beloved yellow Labrador retriever Mandy into his truck and zip on over to his second job. Once they reached the orchard, the boys and dog would run around the fields while he took care of business. “It was a wonderful life for a dog — and the kids loved being outside so much,” he says.

As the boys grew older, they began working in the store and helping out

R

aoul Bergersen likes to laugh about his early years of owning an apple orchard. He’s the first to admit he was incredibly naïve about the whole endeavor. In fact, an orchard specialist from the University of WisconsinExtension who advised him at the very beginning admitted to him years later that he didn’t think Raoul had a chance of making it in the apple business. Yet make it he did — and 38 years later, Valley Orchard is a vital part of the Cherry Valley community and a destination for many families come apple-picking time.

Raoul Bergersen has put his heart and soul into his beloved apple orchard.

26

Great People. Great Stories. | Fall 2016

LIFE IN YOUR COUNTY AND BEYOND 27

Every year, he and his staff pull out old trees and plant new varieties — they have about 22 different kinds of apples now. Raoul works hard to keep up with new trends in apple varieties, but he still has a few trees with not-aspopular varieties, such as Paula red. “I like the apples, so I can grow them if I want,” he says with a defiant twinkle in his eye.

Valley Orchard, located at 811 E. State Street in Cherry Valley, has been providing produce for the community for 38 years.

when they weren’t in school. Now, Brett manages the orchard’s Facebook page. Both boys will take over the

than 5,000 trees. “I’m here seven days a week,” he says, picking a few ripe blueberries off a bush as he strolls

“He loves the smell of the Earth, the quietness.

It was always something that he wanted to do.”

– Jodie Bergersen

business when their father steps down.

“There’s never been a question that we want to keep it in the family,” says Raoul.

through the fields. “This place has grown from a labor of love to a fullfledged business, but I still love it.”

Thirty-eight years after starting the orchard, Raoul now spends much of his time on the management end of the business and leaves most of the “fun stuff” to his staff. But he still gets his hands dirty — and he has no intention of retiring anytime soon. For him, Valley Orchard represents decades of sweat labor and is proof that a man with a dream can succeed.

“I intend to do this until I can’t anymore … or I die,” he says. “And if I die, I hope it happens out in a row of apple trees.”

For more information about Valley Orchard, visit thevalleyorchard.com.

STEADY GROWTH “This place has grown from a labor of love to a full-fledged business, but I still love it.”

R AOUL BERGERSEN

Raoul's wife Jodie encouraged her husband to open Valley Orchard because she knew it was his passion.

28

Great People. Great Stories. | Fall 2016

Valley Orchard has grown into so much more than just a place to buy apples.

Raoul and Jodie realized early on that in order to build a customer base, they needed to offer produce at other times of the year besides the fall. So, they planted strawberry bushes, blueberry bushes, pumpkins, squash, raspberry bushes, cherries and rhubarb. They also began offering jams, jellies and pies — baked with their own apples — in their store.

Raoul retired from his full-time job four years ago and dedicated himself to the orchard, which now boasts more

Raoul's boys, Brandon and Brett, have worked alongside him for years and will take over the orchard when he is unable to run it anymore.

LIFE IN YOUR COUNTY AND BEYOND 29

A PARTNERSHIP TO IMPROVE LIVES MERCYHEALTH TEAMS UP WITH CRUSADER COMMUNIT Y HEALTH

DENNIE ROGERS, MD, FACOG OBSTETRICIAN, GYNECOLOGIST, AND MATERNAL FETAL MEDICINE SPECIALIST AT MERCYHEALTH

C

rusader Community Health is a community-based health care organization that has been serving people in need in the Rock River Valley area since 1972.

Recently, Mercyhealth formed a partnership with the Crusader Women’s Health Services team that will benefit all women who seek prenatal care at the clinic. Beginning in January, women with high-risk pregnancies will see the maternal fetal specialists at Mercyhealth Rockton Avenue Hospital (formerly Rockford Memorial Hospital), and all Crusader patients will deliver their babies there.

“Mercyhealth has the highest level of maternal fetal and neonatal care in the

30

region,” says Gordon Eggers, president and CEO of Crusader Community Health. “We felt we would be providing our patients with the most excellent foundation of care by aligning ourselves with Mercyhealth.”

About 30 percent of the women who seek prenatal care at Crusader have high-risk pregnancies — either because they had a previous highrisk pregnancy, they are under the age of 18, or they have a condition such as chronic high blood pressure or diabetes. Mercyhealth has highly trained fetal medicine specialists who have vast experience caring for mothers with high-risk pregnancies.

It also offers a Level III (highest level)

Great People. Great Stories. | Fall 2016

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), which provides care for premature, critically ill and injured newborns.

“We also are excited about the opportunity to collaborate with Mercyhealth for other services,” says Vicki Beck, director of women’s health at Crusader, “such as gynecologic urology, gynecologic oncology and pediatric sub-specialties.”

The following are stories from some of the providers most closely involved with Mercyhealth and Crusader:

Giving birth is a beautiful thing. I love all facets of family planning, but I have found myself particularly drawn toward patients who have pregnancies that are far from routine. I also enjoy reading new research and being able to implement it right away into my

practice. Both of those reasons are why maternal fetal medicine was a natural fit for me. In my practice, I care for women who are experiencing complex pregnancies and work with them to keep their babies safe.

Many of the women who seek care at Crusader Community Health have circumstances such as high blood pressure, diabetes, tobacco usage and problems with early labor. Their caregivers at Crusader already provide extraordinary care for them, and we add to that. We offer all patients a complete and detailed ultrasound scan, which takes into account the patient’s background to give us a better idea of what we should focus on. If there is a problem with a woman’s pregnancy, we do everything from the simplistic to the most complex treatments to help our patients.

At Mercyhealth, our moms have a whole team of experienced specialists caring for them — and we want to ensure they have the healthiest delivery possible.

LIFE IN YOUR COUNTY AND BEYOND 31

JENNIFER DOBSON, APN, CNM

ANTOUN AL KHABBAZ, MD, FACOG

CERTIFIED NURSE MIDWIFE AT CRUSADER COMMUNITY HEALTH

OBSTETRICIAN AND GYNECOLOGIST AT CRUSADER COMMUNITY HEALTH

Before I became a midwife, I was a labor and delivery nurse and cared for many women who were in need. I have come to love that population. I feel like I am using my talents and skills to help people who don’t always have access to health care.

At Crusader, we have six nurse midwives who do deliveries in the hospital. We love to see the joy on our mothers’ faces right after they give birth, and we want to make sure they have the very best care. That’s why we are so excited about this partnership with Mercyhealth. Our

Some women want a more natural experience when they are pregnant, so they seek out a midwife to provide their prenatal care and deliver their baby. Midwives can give patients access to pain medication if they desire it, but we also support our patients through breathing exercises and other natural pain relief methods. Our patients feel like they have ultimate control over the whole process — yet they still have access to emergency care, as we do all our deliveries in the hospital.

32

Great People. Great Stories. | Fall 2016

midwives, nurse practitioners and obstetricians already work closely together as a team, and we can now add the perinatologists to that team.

Our patients will have access to the highest level NICU without having to be transferred from one hospital to another.

I have always been interested in community clinics. Before I came to Rockford 10 years ago, I spent four years working at a hospital in rural Kentucky, caring for people who had very limited access to health care. I have a special love for patients who are most in need of medical care.

and residents. I recently was promoted to associate professor at the school, and I have received three teaching awards over the years. I enjoy the opportunity to teach the skills I have learned to the doctors of tomorrow. I am looking forward to working with

these students in Mercyhealth’s new women’s and children’s hospital, which is slated to open in 2019. I feel this will be a state-of-the-art facility that will allow us to give our patients the very best of care.

I also have a special love for obstetrics and gynecology, because it’s such a happy specialty. There is nothing happier than delivering a healthy baby. I enjoy making a difference in my patients’ lives, and I feel truly appreciated by the community and by my patients.

I have been able to incorporate my fondness for academic work into my practice by working with University of Illinois at Chicago medical students

LIFE IN YOUR COUNTY AND BEYOND 33

PHOTO ESSAY: A BELOVED TRADITION ROCKFORD BRINGS BACK T H E “A N Y T H I N G T H A T FL OAT S” R ACE

The Guilford Vikings

Whiskey’s Roadhouse

A

fter a 17-year hiatus, the Rock River Anything That Floats Race returned to Rockford in August. The entries had to be powered by anything other than a motor, including wind, paddles or mechanical paddles. More than 49 groups entered their homemade boats; all proceeds benefitted the Rockford Fourth of July fireworks. Metro Insulation won the first-place award, and ABF Trucking won the People's Choice top prize.

The Metro Insulation team members celebrate their first place and Judges' Choice wins.

34

Great People. Great Stories. | Fall 2016

Spectators take in the race at Prairie State Brewhouse.

LIFE IN YOUR COUNTY AND BEYOND 35

My Major Award

Good Morning Rockford

Metro Insulation

Shark Chasing Canoe

WIFR (Anchors Away)

Release the Kraken

The Discovery Center

36

Great People. Great Stories. | Fall 2016

RadioShack

LIFE IN YOUR COUNTY AND BEYOND 37

ABOVE AND BEYOND FAMILY APPRECIAT E S T R AUMA CARE FAR FROM HOME

A

s 16-year-old Matt Hannah laid on the ground after wiping out during a race at Byron Motosports Park, he wasn’t concerned over the fact that his chest hurt or that his leg was bent the wrong way. Nor was he thinking about how he would need to undergo surgery at a hospital 500 miles from his hometown of Fair Play, MO. No, his mind was still on the race: While he knew he was out of the running for first prize, he was anxious to know whether his good friend was in the lead.

Before his accident, Matt Hannah spent every weekend traveling to motocross competitions.

38

Great People. Great Stories. | Fall 2016

LIFE IN YOUR COUNTY AND BEYOND 39

Rockford Memorial Hospital), there were the emergency department and Level I Trauma Center physicians and staff, who gave Matt the immediate care he needed for his injuries, which included a broken femur, a collapsed lung and a broken rib. Then there were all the staff in the pediatric ICU and on the pediatric floor of the hospital who cared for Matt — as well as his parents — as they endured a nearly week-long stay so far from home.

At home in Fair Play, MO, Lane, Matt and Saundra Hannah now are following up with their own orthopedic surgeon.

Fortunately for Matt, there were plenty of other people who had his back, medically speaking: There were the Motosports Rescue of Byron emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and lead paramedic Staci Todd, who were the first responders at the scene, and John

Pakiela, DO, FACEP, associate EMS medical director for Mercyhealth, who also was there to help triage accident victims and assess whether they needed transport to the hospital. Once the EMTs transported him to Mercyhealth Rockton Avenue Hospital (formerly

“We have had dealings with several different hospitals, and our experience here was completely different,” says Saundra, Matt’s mom. “Everyone at Mercyhealth went above and beyond to show us they cared about him.”

BAD ACCIDENT, QUICK CARE Matt, the youngest of four children, has been competing in motocross — cross-country racing on motorcycles — competitions since he was 12. During the week he attends high school at home in Fair Play, and nearly every weekend

Matt says the nurses and other caregivers treated him like he was their sibling.

he and his parents travel across the country to competitions. He has experienced several injuries, including breaking his leg, both wrists and his

followed in the family’s recreational vehicle (RV). “Dr. Pakiela had me on the right medications, because I wasn’t feeling a whole lot of pain,” recalls Matt.

“Everyone at Mercyhealth went above and beyond to care for our son.”

– Saundra Hannah

“I was at the hospital before I really knew what was going on.”

From the beginning of Matt’s hospital stay, his parents felt welcomed by the hospital staff. “When the doctors talked to us, they all explained things so I could understand them, and they weren’t annoyed if I asked a question,”

collarbone, but none of those incidents required a hospital stay.

Matt's focus for the past few years has been on his racing — as is evidenced by his vast collection of awards.

40

Great People. Great Stories. | Fall 2016

At the North Central Regional Championship on June 11 and 12 in Byron, IL, Matt was racing well until he hit what motocross enthusiasts call a “breaking bump” — a rough, bumpy area in the dirt. As he shot over the handlebars, his foot hooked the bike, bending his leg backward to his back as he landed on his stomach.

Dr. Pakiela determined he needed immediate treatment. “We knew he needed pediatric trauma-level care, and Mercyhealth has a Level I (the highest level) Trauma Center with a wide range of pediatric specialists,” says Dr. Pakiela. So Saundra rode with her son in the ambulance as Matt’s father Lane

Though they were worried about their son, Saundra and Lane knew he was in good hands at Mercyhealth.

LIFE IN YOUR COUNTY AND BEYOND 41

MOBILE PHYSICIANS Dr. Pakiela is one of seven Mercyhealth emergency medicine physicians who staff MD-1, a mobile emergency medicine vehicle that responds to emergency scenes.

says Saundra. “Everyone who came into the room was on the same page, and there was lots of communication between the different doctors. When Matt’s nurse didn’t think something was right, she would find another nurse, and they wouldn’t stop until they solved the problem.”

Mercyhealth has three MD-1 trucks — one for the Rockford area, one for Walworth County, and one for Rock County in Wisconsin. “The MD-1 truck contains all the equipment needed to stabilize critically injured trauma patients,” says Dr. Pakiela.

“We act in conjunction with the local emergency medical services professionals. We have certain medications that the ambulances don’t carry, and the physicians have advanced trauma skills and equipment to treat complex trauma

Matt’s accident was on Sunday, June 11, and by Monday, June 12, he was in surgery to place a titanium rod in his femur. He also required a chest tube to drain out air from around his collapsed lung. While Saundra mostly stayed in Matt’s room, Lane parked the RV in the hospital parking lot and cared for the family’s Yorkshire terrier, Biscuit.

Hospital staff offered to help the Hannah family with their basic needs, including doing laundry and making grocery runs.

patients in the field outside the hospital, including video airway equipment, chest tubes, central lines and portable ultrasound.”

MD-1 responds to major traumas

Not only were they caring, says Saundra, but they also were considerate.

“Whenever they had to do checks in the middle of the night, they tried not to disturb Matt as much as possible,”

she says. “Most of the time I didn’t even know they were there. I think that’s awesome.”

Adds Matt: “You would have thought the nurses were my brothers or sisters, the way they were treating me.”

HOMECOMING The Hannahs left for home on Saturday morning — six days after Matt’s accident. Shortly after returning home, they saw his orthopedic surgeon, who was very complimentary about Matt’s out-of-town care. “He told us he wouldn’t have done anything differently,” says Saundra. “I just felt comfortable and at ease the entire time Matt was in the hospital. He couldn’t have been in better hands.”

Will Matt be back on the track soon? It depends on whom you ask: His mother isn’t so sure, but Matt wants to return to the sport he loves as quickly as possible. “I want to be able to make a living in the industry,” he says.

and staffs some events, such as the motocross championship. “It wasn’t a question of ‘if’ there were going to be injuries at the championship — it was a question of ‘how many,’” says Dr. Pakiela.

“You would have thought the nurses were my brothers and sisters, the way they were treating me.”

MAT T HANNAH

John Pakiela, DO, FACEP, associate EMS medical director for Mercyhealth

42

Great People. Great Stories. | Fall 2016

LIFE IN YOUR COUNTY AND BEYOND 43

A STRONG SUPPORT SYSTEM FAMILY RELIES ON LEVEL III NICU STAFF

W

hen they learned they were expecting twins, Brett and Angie Flannery were overjoyed. They eagerly looked forward to life as a family of four, and up until Angie’s 21st week of pregnancy, that future seemed to be a certainty. Then, their world came crashing down: Angie experienced a placental abruption — separation of the placenta from the wall of the uterus — and she was rushed to the hospital. Initially, she was at a different facility, but was transferred to Mercyhealth Rockton Avenue Hospital (formerly Rockford Memorial Hospital) because it had a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). “At the time, I had no idea what any of that meant, or why a Level III NICU was so special,” says Angie.

Angie, Evan and Brett Flannery enjoy their time outside.

44

Great People. Great Stories. | Fall 2016

LIFE IN YOUR COUNTY AND BEYOND 45

Mercyhealth doctors worked to stabilize Angie and give her twins as much time as possible before they were born, but on August 2 at 23 weeks, 5 days’ gestation, Evan and Faith were born. Faith was not ready for the outside world, and she died when she was 3 days old.

Most babies who are born at less than 24 weeks’ gestation experience significant problems. Just like many other premature babies, Evan had underdeveloped lungs and required a ventilator. Even when he returned home in February 2012, he still needed oxygen and was unable to breathe

completely on his own until he was 3. When Evan was just 1 month old, he needed heart surgery, which caused him to have a paralyzed vocal cord on one side. And when he was 5 months old, he needed laser surgery on both eyes because his eyes were not developing well.

Evan, however, was a fighter, and though he came close to losing his life, the array of neonatal and pediatric specialists and staff were able to give him the care he needed during the seven months he was a patient there.

HOME AWAY FROM HOME While a Level II NICU can only treat babies born at greater than 32 weeks' gestation, a Level III NICU is able to treat the tiniest of premature infants and offer a full range of support for sick babies, including respiratory, cardiac and nutritional care. While Evan was receiving care at Mercyhealth's NICU, his parents became mainstays there. In the mornings, Brett stopped by on his way to work, and after the two were done working for the day, they met at the hospital and stayed with Evan until it was time to sleep and begin again. “We lived on cafeteria food,” says Angie. “I don’t remember cooking at all.”

46

Brett and Evan Flannery love taking walks together at home in Rockford.

Great People. Great Stories. | Fall 2016

LIFE IN YOUR COUNTY AND BEYOND 47

breathe on his own, he still requires a feeding tube because he has no desire to eat. He also suffers from sensory processing disorder, a condition in which the brain has trouble receiving and responding to information that comes through the senses.

But he has grown into a bright, loving little boy. Now 5, he is happy and likes to be on the move all the time. “Evan is awesome,” says Brett. “He’s so much fun to be around.”

“The brain develops all the way through gestation,” says Gillian Headley, MD, neonatologist at Rockford Memorial.

“The development that occurs in utero is different than the development that happens outside the womb. Once a baby is out of the womb, everything changes and he experiences trauma.

That completely changes the wiring of the brain.”

he was their own child,” says Angie.

“We could feel they genuinely cared.”

A BRIGHT FUTURE Evan was discharged on February 24, 2012. While the doctors and therapists were able to help him overcome many of the challenges he faced because of his premature birth, he had plenty of roadblocks ahead. While he can now

Throughout all the challenges and concerns, Evan’s physicians, nurses and therapists remained a strong support system for his family. “We felt like we were part of the family on the unit,” says Brett. “Because we came every night, we were there more than most of the nurses and doctors.”

Evan had three primary nurses who often would switch shifts to make sure one of them was caring for him. After he was discharged, one of those nurses even came to their house on her own time and watched Evan so they could take a much-needed break every once in a while. “The nurses treated him like 48

Great People. Great Stories. | Fall 2016

His parents brought him back to Mercyhealth to the NICU follow-up clinic, where physicians and other highly specialized staff track the NICU graduates’ neural development. “We want to see whether there are any deficits we can provide therapy for,” says Dr. Headley.

Evan now is preparing to enter kindergarten in 2017 — a milestone his parents never would have thought possible when he was fighting for his life as a tiny infant. “He’s truly a miracle,” Angie says.

The Parent Advisory Council - Top from left: Shirley Mondesir, Randi Warren, Christina Bergin, Ashley Johnson, Toby Johnson, Jennifer Guymon, Anne D’Astice and Becky Pringey. Sitting from left: Angie Flannery, Anne Herkert and Lauren Keen.

THE PARENT ADVISORY COUNCIL Parents of NICU babies offer unique perspectives on policies and procedures and can provide valuable feedback. With that in mind, Mercyhealth leaders created a Parent Advisory Council in the summer of 2015 that is now comprised of nine different families — all of whom have had children in the NICU. The parents have become members of different NICU committees and have provided feedback on policies and procedures.

They also serve as a support for parents who currently have children in the NICU. “The council is giving parents the opportunity to give back and heal themselves,” says Anne Herkert, family support coordinator in the NICU. “When the parents are listening to discussions on these committees, they often have something to add that we didn’t think about.”

Angie Flannery, who sits on the council, says it not only has given her an opportunity to give back, but it has provided her with a longstanding support group. “Part of what made our stay at the NICU really special was that we had formed a makeshift support group among the parents who had children on the unit. When we were discharged, we weren’t sure what to do. This council has given us the next step.”

LIFE IN YOUR COUNTY AND BEYOND 49

CALENDAR

MERCYHEALTH

OF E V EN T S

CL A S SE S – FA L L 2 016

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

28 PARANORMAL TOUR

4-5 MONSTER JAM

2 HOLLYBERRY HOLIDAY BAZAAR

AT TINKER SWISS COTTAGE

BMO Harris Bank Center 300 Elm St., Rockford

11:30 am-4 pm Fairhaven Christian Retirement Center 3470 N. Alpine Rd., Rockford

7 pm Tinker Swiss Cottage Museum and Gardens 411 Kent St, Rockford

Tinkercottage.com

Thebmoharrisbankcenter.com

12 ROCKFORD SYMPHONY – GREAT CHORUSES AND OVERTURES FROM OPERA 7:30 pm Coronado Performing Arts Center 314 N. Main St., Rockford

Coronadopac.org

17 ANDERSON GARDENS – 2016: A YEAR IN REVIEW 7 pm Anderson Japanese Gardens 318 Spring Creek Rd., Rockford

Andersongardens.org

18 SUITE TO SUITE 7:30 pm Mendelssohn Hall 406 N. Main St., Rockford

Mendelssohnpac.org

Gorockford.com

9 STRAIGHT NO CHASER 8 pm Coronado Performing Arts Center 314 N. Main St., Rockford

Coronadopac.org

17-18 ROCKFORD SYMPHONY

BREASTFEEDING

INFANT AND CHILD CPR

HOLIDAY POPS CONCERT

If you are choosing to breastfeed your baby, this one-time class offers practical information and support to enhance your breastfeeding experience.

It is very important that mothersto-be have strong support of their decision to breastfeed, so we strongly encourage that your partner or another support person attend this class with you. Classes are held 6:30-9 pm on November 21 and December 12, and 9:30 am-noon on November 12 and December 3. Class fee is $25.

A basic CPR class is very valuable for new parents, grandparents or babysitters. Learn simple techniques that can save the life of your baby. This is a free, non-certified course. Class will be held 1-4 pm on December 3.

Coronado Performing Arts Center, 314 N. Main Street, Rockford

Rockfordsymphony.com

SAVE THE DATE SEPTEMBER 29, 2017 MERCYHEALTH DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION GALA Giovanni’s Restaurant & Convention Center, 610 N. Bell School Road, Rockford

PREPARING FOR CHILDBIRTH Mercyhealth offers a class to prepare for both a vaginal or cesarean birth, as well as for becoming a parent. These small classes are especially recommended for first-time moms-to-be and their support persons. Classes are held 9 am-4 pm on November 19 and December 17. There also is a three night option: Classes are held 6:30-8:30 pm on November 3, 10 and 17; and on December 1, 8 and 15.

50

Great People. Great Stories. | Fall 2016

SAFE SITTER The Safe Sitter program is a nationwide, not-for-profit, medically oriented instructional program designed to train young persons aged 11 to 13 how to be safe baby sitters. The program teaches baby sitters proper childcare skills and how to handle major and minor medical emergencies. Safe Sitter is a 14-hour, two-day course that is held 9 am-4 pm on December 29 and 30. Class fee is $60.

SIBLINGS UNDERSTANDING NEWBORNS This class helps prepare children ages 3-10 for the arrival of their new baby brother or sister and to reassure them of their special role in the family. Class fee is $5 per child. Class will be held 6-7:30 pm on November 17.

SMOKING CESSATION PROGRAM Looking to quit smoking? Mercyhealth offers a smoking cessation program, a free four-week class with one-hour weekly meetings. For more information, call (815) 971-LUNG. This program is affiliated with the American Cancer Society's Fresh Start Program.

Mercyhealth offers a wide variety of classes for the community.

For more information and to register, call (815) 971-1999 or visit rockfordhealthsystem.org/classes.

LIFE IN YOUR COUNTY AND BEYOND

51

New name.

The same great care you’ve come to expect.

Rockford Health System is now Mercyhealth Passion drives everything we do to deliver medical excellence with compassionate care for the very best patient experiences. It inspires us to rise above what’s good and make lives better every day. So go bolder, shine brighter and live the passion that moves you.