10 Years at Its New Lenox Campus, Silver Cross Advances to Meet Community’s Growing Needs
Toward the end of February 2012, Corey Anderson knew she would be delivering her first child at Silver Cross Hospital . What was still up in the air was whether the delivery would take place at the hospital’s longtime Joliet campus on Rt. 6 and Walnut Street – or three 3 miles east at the soon-to-be-opened replacement hospital at Rt. 6 and Interstate 355 on February 26.
Upon his arrival on Feb. 26, 2012, Jimmy Anderson (front left) of Homer Glen earned the honor of being the first baby born at Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox. Jimmy is joined by his mom, Corey, dad, Jim, and younger brother, Jacob.
As it turns out, Anderson visited both campuses before her son’s birth.
“I went to the old hospital the night before with contractions, but nothing happened, so they sent me home. The next morning, I called and said things were happening, so they told me to grab some breakfast and go to the new hospital,” Anderson explains.
She arrived around 7:45 a.m. Feb. 26, 2012, and son, Jimmy, would arrive nearly 12 hours later at 7:29 p.m., making him the very first baby born at the new Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox.
“They took excellent care of me,” she remembers. “The next day, I got baskets of goodies from the nurses – onesies, baby toys, mom care items. And we got season tickets from the Joliet Slammers, delivered to the hospital by their mascot.”
Jimmy, now a fourth-grader at William E. Young School in Homer Glen, is nonplussed about the honor of being the first baby born at the new Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox 10 years ago. His brother Jacob would be born there 18 months later.
By that time, the new Silver Cross Hospital, originally founded in 1895 by the Will County Union of King’s Daughters and Sons, was well-established in its new home and thriving as a 300-bed regional medical center built to serve the needs of a growing community.
In just 10 years, Silver Cross has had 253,000 patient admissions, 752,000 emergency visits, 2.8 million outpatient visits and delivered 28,000 babies at its New Lenox campus!
“What was once a cornfield has been transformed into a vibrant, ever-growing regional medical center allowing us to focus on our mission to improve the health of those we serve and advance wellness in the community,” explains Ruth Colby , President and Chief Executive Officer of Silver Cross.
In the past decade, Silver Cross has partnered with several of Chicago’s leading academic medical centers so residents wouldn’t have to travel far for cancer care , advanced pediatrics care , rehabilitation , or stroke care .
The hospital started the Midwest Institute for Robotic Surgery , a robotic surgery program that today is Chicagoland’s busiest and most successful.
In 2019, Silver Cross introduced an open-heart surgery and structural heart program , and now has an expansive lung cancer program . Also, in 2019, through its partnership with Silver Oaks Behavioral Hospital , Silver Cross helped bring needed mental health services to the area.
In 2020 and 2021, Silver Cross opened two urgent care centers , one in New Lenox and one in Mokena, and in the next few weeks will be opening the first and only neonatal intensive care unit in Will County.
Along the way, Silver Cross earned numerous national awards for safety, quality and patient experience including a 5-Star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, a 100 Top Hospital recognition and Straight A’s for patient safety from the Leapfrog Group .
To honor Silver Cross for its many contributions to the community over the past decade, the Village of New Lenox read a proclamation at its February 14 Village Board meeting. Colby and Scott Paddock, Senior Vice President of External Affairs for Silver Cross, were present during the reading of the proclamation by New Lenox Mayor Tim Baldermann.
“We’re incredibly honored and thankful to have Silver Cross as part of our community, continuously providing impeccable healthcare and medical service to our residents,” Baldermann said.
In response, Colby offered gratitude for the community’s support.
“You welcomed us with open arms long before our New Lenox campus officially opened in 2012, and you’ve continued to support us as we grow and expand to meet the healthcare needs of our patients and the communities we serve,” Colby said. “We are forever grateful for your friendship, partnership and faith in Silver Cross.”
For more information about Silver Cross Hospital , visit www.silvercross.org
