CDH Introduces Expansion with Community Day

DuPage was in motion for Central DuPage Hospital’s Project Move Community Day Sunday. Tours led groups around the expansion, including state-of-the-art private rooms, nurses’ stations, lobbies, auditoriums and more.

Entertainment for both kids and adults included a DJ from K-Hits 103.4, activities and demonstrations from different CDH departments, and an inflatable brain and heart. Three of the ’85 Chicago Bears were signing autographs while Zumba, yoga, tai chi, and aerobics classes were scheduled throughout the day.

At the start of the event around 400 runners participated in the CDH Winfield Run, which benefitted the Winfield Historical Society. There was a 5K and 10K race which went from 8-10am.

“It’s a real community celebration. We wanted to let everyone have a sneak peak before it opens,” said Jill Brown, Vice President of marketing and communications at CDH.

One of the easiest things to notice outdoors at the event was the giant inflatable organs in the parking lot. Diane Broadley was at the brain getting the word out about stroke prevention.

“People tend to ignore the signs and we want to teach them to be aware,” Broadley said, “Prevention is key.”

Myles Rose, founder of Interactive Exhibits from Houston, Texas was explaining all the parts of what he said is the world’s largest heart. The inflatable organ is used to educate the public about heart conditions. It displays a heart attack, coronary artery bypass, mitral valve defect, and other problems.

“This person is obviously not doing too well,” Rose said. “Going through the heart … it’s an easy and fun way to learn about heart health,” he added.

At a nearby tent, attendees decorated sneakers for Mission Outreach, an organization that provides medical and other basic supplies in developing countries. CHD bought 1,000 pairs of sneakers to be decorated at the event.

“Doctors and nurses [from the organization] will bring the sneakers over to third world countries where children are in need of shoes,” said Amy Jo Steinbruecker, CDH’s senior media relations specialist.

Indoor activities included autographs from Chicago football legends Dan Hampton, Gary Fencik, and Otis Wilson.

Jill Braselton, CDH Injury Prevention Coordinator, and her group ThinkFirst were giving demonstrations on injury prevention and teaching kids about traffic and pedestrian safety. The group has been involved with CDH for 21 years.

Pediatrics and the American Cancer Society were giving out information and had educational games. The CDH Cancer Care department gave free massages which, according to Steinbruecker, “are the same massages given to cancer patients here.”

Brown said the CDH team wanted to try something different for the community on Sunday, "and include our mission of health and action. We wanted to have the event as soon as the building was done and wanted the community to be able to tour the space to see what we’ve been working on for the last four or five years,” she said.

The expansion includes 202 private rooms “all designed so the nurses can provide better care” Brown said.

During a tour, Tammy Pressley explained how the new rooms are fitted with the latest health-care technology.

“Notice the wide doors for wheelchairs … and portable IV stands. Each room has a 42” flat screen … The bed remotes control almost everything from the window shades, to the room temperature, and even have more specific buttons to page for basic needs such as water, these buttons are separate from the emergency assistance button. This is more efficient for nurses and staff to meet patient’s exact needs before they even get to the room,” she said.

The expansion also has family lobby areas with kitchens and large windows “for when family members who stay here for days or weeks at a time have a place to go when they need a break,” Steinbruecker explained.  There is also high-tech nurses’ station on the second floor, “I call it the command center,” said Steinbruecker.

Debra O’Donnell, Chief Nursing Officer at CDH said she is excited about the expansion. “We had a great team designing the rooms. A lot of people were involved including the nurses. The staff was involved from the beginning and they gave great input,” she said.

“The environment here is really calming and relaxing which is important when supporting patients and their families. We also want the staff to enjoy coming to work every day and with this new facility they will,” O’Donnell added.

The airplane-shaped expansion will be open for use on Aug. 7.