Centralia, IL – Over 50 supporters attended as SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital Foundation - Centralia hosted a ceremony for the Sister Clarette Healing Garden on November 7. Located to the south of SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital is a special garden that inspires hope and life within all who visit, has been dedicated to Sr. Clarette Stryzewski for her years of faithful service and leadership.
The dedication ceremony began with Sister Andrea Chudzik providing a prayer of gratitude for the opportunity to gather and honor one of her fellow Felician Sisters for years of selfless leadership. Kim McMillan, Chair of St. Mary’s Hospital Foundation, thanked the donors of the project for helping pave the way to health for all who are served by the hospital. Reverend Monsignor David Darin followed with a blessing of the healing garden. He expressed his honor to participate in the dedication; mentioning he was born in St. Mary’s Hospital and had the pleasure of working with Sr. Clarette and the Felician Sisters.
Damon Harbison, SSM Health Illinois President, elaborated on Sr. Clarette’s service to the hospital and within our community. “Sr. Clarette became the President of St. Mary’s Hospital in Centralia in 1983 where she served until 1995 and where she changed the healthcare landscape for Centralia and the surrounding communities forever. She was instrumental in beginning a mammography program, she brought the first ever state of the art linear accelerator and broke ground on a new behavioral health unit. Along with so much more. Ultimately, she successfully negotiated the Joint Venture agreement between the Felician Sisters and SSM Health in 1996 merging Good Samaritan Hospital and St. Mary’s Hospital into the SSM Health family. She continued to serve on the SMGSI Board of Directors until December 2022,” says Harbison.
 |
 |
Sister Clarette Stryzewski’s unwavering dedication to St. Mary’s Hospital spanned over four decades where she continually put the needs of patients, physicians, and employees above all other priorities. As a very small token of deep appreciation, SSM Health chose to honor Sr. Clarette’s extraordinary service to our ministry by capturing elements of her character and personality throughout the Healing Garden.
“With the Foundation Board of Directors, I extend a heartfelt thank you to each donor whose generosity and love helped create the healing garden. Each paver in the garden is a reflection of love; love for Sr. Clarette, love for those who have gone before us, love for family, friends and colleagues. It was blessing to have our dedication on a beautiful day, surrounded by those who care so deeply about St. Mary’s Hospital and our community. We welcome our patients, their families, our employees, and the community to visit the new healing garden. Our hope is that they find it to be a place to seek peace, rest, and rejuvenation,” says Kay Zibby-Damron, SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital Foundation Director.
Pavers are still available for purchase. Additional pavers will be installed bi-annually. You may choose to honor or memorialize someone special to you with an engraved paver for gifts of $250 (7.5”x15” paver), $500 (15" x 15" paver) or $750 (15" x 22" paver). Learn more about the SSM Health St. Mary's Foundation - Centralia or call the Foundation Office (618-899-1047).
About SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital – Centralia
SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital – Centralia, operating in partnership with the Felician Sisters, is a 113-bed hospital specializing in behavioral health, bariatric surgery, wound/hyperbaric care, cancer treatments, and minimally invasive general surgical care along with pediatric emergency and NICU telemedicine program in conjunction with the physicians at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital of St. Louis, Mo.
In 2016, SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital was named a “Best Hospital” by US News and World Report for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Healthgrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award for seven years in a row; the Pulmonary Care Excellence Award five years in a row; and in recent years the Critical Care Excellence Award. It also was recognized in 2016 through Quest by Premier Inc. with the Citation of Merit Award for High-Value Healthcare.