Intended to encourage private donations for the project, the grant will match gifts up to $2 million on a dollar-for-dollar basis, through August 2010.
The bone marrow transplant unit is part of a patient care initiative to redesign and renovate a complete Oncology Acute Care Center on the sixth floor of Loyola University Hospital. One of the center’s four wings will be devoted to bone marrow transplant patients and their families.
The bone marrow transplant unit will be relocated to a more isolated from corridor traffic and noise. The hospital will also house a centralized and expanded nursing station to provide patients and families with a one-stop location for registration and other services.
The project will include the conversion of patient rooms to private from semi-private as well as the addition of exercise equipment in patient rooms; a group exercise room; a meditation room; a family room.
The family room will also be provided with a galley kitchen, wireless Internet access and computers with webcams. The rooms also feature a meditation room for reflection, prayer and private discussions.
Consult rooms will also be integrated for patients and family members to meet with doctors, nurses and other health care staff. Artwork and waterfall features will define the ambiance of the hospital.
Additionally, new air filtration systems will allow for more efficient use of hospital space and enable patient access to additional therapeutic programs.
The total cost of the new design and renovation will be $15 million. Loyola already has raised $10 million from individual donors, while an additional $2 million will be obtained from private donors to match The Coleman Foundation’s $2 million grant. Loyola University Medical Center will provide the remaining $1 million.
The new bone marrow transplant wing will be named the Coleman Foundation Bone Marrow Transplant Center. Since the 1980’s, the Coleman Foundation has actively funded programs to improve access to quality cancer care in the Midwest, said Michael Hennessy, president and CEO of the Coleman Foundation.
The Chicago-based Coleman Foundation is a private, independent grantmaker that focuses on the Midwest and supports education, cancer care and services for the disabled.
The foundation previously funded Loyola’s Coleman Foundation Image Renewal Center, which uses specially trained staff to provide products and services for cancer patients, such as breast prosthesis fittings, hair alternatives and skin care products.
