FHN Focus

December 19, 2024

Next Week's Calendar
of Events:

December 19

Blood Pressure Screening
11 a.m.-1 p.m.
New Jerusalem Soup Kitchen, 4 E. Iroquois, Freeport
Open to the public; no cost or registration required.

December 22

Freeport Community Luminaria Night
Dusk
Along Stephenson Street and Lincoln Boulevard
Enjoy the beauty of the soft light of luminaries as FHN joins the residents around FHN Memorial Hospital in the annual lighting of the luminaria.

December 26

Blood Pressure Screening
1 - 4 p.m.
FACC, 890 W. Galena Avenue, Freeport
Open to the public; no cost or registration required.

Breastfeeding Support Group
4 p.m.
Freeport Public Library, 100 E. Douglas Street, Freeport
Bring your baby and join other moms to share knowledge and talk about the most up-to-date breastfeeding information. Discussions will be led by lactation experts from the FHN/SCHD Breastfeeding Task Force. This group is open to all moms and free to attend; visit fhn.org/breastfeedingtaskforce for more information.

December 27

Blood Pressure Screening
11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Golden Meals, 524 W. Stephenson Street, Lower Level, Freeport
Open to the public; no cost or registration required.

December 28

Blood Pressure Screening
9 - 11 a.m.
Pearl City United Methodist Church Food Pantry, 411 S. Main, Pearl City
Open to the public; no cost or registration required.

December 30

Blood Pressure Screening
8:30 - 11 a.m.
German Valley Food Pantry, 65 State Street, German Valley
Open to the public; no cost or registration required.

View all events

View past issues of the Focus

Welcome

Coming up in this week's issue of The Focus you'll find:

Celebrating Dr. Malladi's Retirement
Give the Gift of Life this Holiday – Give Blood!
Freeport Community Luminaria Night is Dec. 22
FHN Employee Discounts
FHN Career Corner
Help Spread the News: We’re Here, For You!
Celebrating Diversity and Inclusion and Worldwide Health
Our Sympathy
Classified Ads

Celebrating Dr. Malladi's Retirement

To celebrate Dr. Malladi's upcoming retirement, cake and punch will be served in the Private Dining Room in the hospital's lower level from noon to 1 p.m. Monday, Dec. 23.

We look forward to seeing you there as we send Dr. Malladi off into his well-deserved retirement!

Please note that this event is for FHN staff only and is not open to the public or his patients.

Give the Gift of Life this Holiday – Give Blood!

FHN is hosting a community blood drive Monday, Dec. 23. If you are at least 17 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds and are in general good health, please donate! Staff from the Rock River Valley Blood Center will draw blood from noon – 5 p.m. in the Globe/Deaconess rooms on the lower level of FHN Memorial Hospital.

Last year, FHN Memorial Hospital used 881 units of blood for our patients. We are counting on hospital staff and community members to help us replenish some of that blood! Walk-ins are welcome, but please sign up to donate at www.rrvbc.org – appointments help to ensure you can make your donation in a timely manner.

The Rock River Valley Blood Center is the only supplier of blood and related services to FHN Memorial Hospital, as well as Javon Bea Hospital-Riverside, Javon Bea Hospital-Rockton, OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center, UW Health Swedish American Hospital, and UW Carbone Cancer Center of Rockford, where many Freeport trauma/cancer patients are transferred to in severe cases.

If you are not sure if you are eligible to donate, please call RRVBC at 815-965-8751 to check. The FDA has changed many regulations concerning blood donations in the past year, so if you were ineligible to donate in the past, we encourage you to check your eligibility now.

Click here for an informational flyer to print and share.

Freeport Community Luminaria Night is Dec. 22

FHN is proud to again be part of the Freeport Community Luminaria Night, a chance to slow down and enjoy the beauty of the season.

Residents along Freeport’s Stephenson Street and Lincoln Boulevard – including FHN Memorial Hospital and the Leonard C. Ferguson Cancer Center at FHN Memorial Hospital – will light luminaria at dusk Sunday, Dec. 22, the last Sunday before Christmas. Visitors are encouraged to walk or drive along the streets to enjoy the view. This event is free and open to the public.

FHN Employee Discounts

Vizient Employee Discounts

To register for a free account with Abenity, enter “FHN” in the organization name field, and you’ll be directed to the Abenity dashboard. Navigate to the employee discount/perk that you’re looking for using the website’s menu system or search bar. You can also download the free, convenient Abenity app via the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store. Then follow the steps provided to access the discount.

• At the bottom of the main Abenity dashboard page, there are ways to look up categories of products, how-to videos, etc. Clicking on “New” or “Popular” will give you the list of products that people often ask about (rental cars, electronics, etc.)
• Abenity has discounts for zoos, amusement parks, museums, etc. in IL and elsewhere
• Neither Vizient nor FHN can guarantee that these employee discounts are the best deals available. You may be able to shop around for better deals via Groupon or other programs.

Example: Cellphone Discounts

Verizon Wireless
• Existing Verizon customers should look for the heading: “Already have a Verizon Wireless account?” and click the small arrow ( > ) underneath. Sign into your Verizon mobile account and follow the steps provided. For assistance, call the Verizon wireless employee validation center at 800-890-8007.
• New Verizon customers should go to a Verizon store to create an account and choose a plan or call the new account hotline at 800-922-0204.

AT&T Wireless
• Existing AT&T customers should log into their account and follow the steps provided. For assistance, call the AT&T wireless business division at 800-331-0500.
• New AT&T customers should go to an AT&T store to create an account and choose a plan (or call the new account hotline at 866-945-8251.) (NOTE: There is an option to print a coupon to bring to an AT&T store, but this will not work in Illinois, Wisconsin, or Iowa)
You will need to provide them with Foundation Account Number (FAN #): 02562984.

US Cellular

FHN employees are eligible for a Partner Employee Discount (PED) through US Cellular. (This offer is not through Vizient or Abenity). The discount is up to 15% off on qualified plans. See a US Cellular associate for more details. If requested, please provide the US Cellular representative with this PED code: PED4551. You will also be asked to verify your employment with FHN, which you can do by showing a paycheck stub or an employee name badge, and show a valid driver’s license or state ID.

Brown's Shoe Fit

FHN employees are eligible for a 15 percent discount on shoes from Brown's Shoe Fit in Freeport when you present your employee name badge. Payroll deduction is also available.

Butitta Brothers Automotive (Freeport)

FHN employees are eligible for a 10 percent discount on any service over $100, and will do scheduled pickup/delivery of staff vehicles while at work.

Family YMCA of Northwest Illinois

FHN employees get 15 percent off all membership categories with no joiner fee or contract required, a free 7-week group swim session for employee's child, one free personal training consultation and health and wellness orientation, plus free land and water fitness classes. Free childcare available to all YMCA members while working out or swimming.

Fitness Lifestyles

FHN employee corporate discounts include month-to-month ($53/mo) or annual agreements ($43/mo + 1-time $50 joiner fee). This membership includes all fitness classes, indoor heated pool, indoor track, pickleball, tennis, a women-only workout area, and cardio and strength equipment. Ask about a 10-day free trial!

Advantage Marketplace

FHN team members have access to thousands of other discounts on the FHN Staff Advantage Marketplace.

FHN Career Corner

There are many career opportunities within FHN. If you or someone you know is interested in new challenges go to our Career page, displaying the latest open positions.

FHN Team Members
Friends and Family

Help Spread the News: We’re Here, For You!

We have a lot to be proud of at FHN, from our talented, dedicated staff to the many advanced capabilities we offer our patients. We’re working hard every day to be sure we provide excellent care to our patients.

Each week, look to the Focus for good news to share about FHN in the form of downloadable flyers you can print and post or hand out to patients who may be interested. Also look for links to our most recent radio interviews and past interviews to listen to and recommend to others. Don’t forget to Like us on Facebook! Please encourage patients, friends, and family to also take advantage of these FHN information resources. Thanks for your help in promoting FHN!

Have you heard the latest radio interviews? Catch up on our Radio Broadcasts page!

Celebrating Diversity and Inclusion and Worldwide Health

December is …
National Safe Toys and Gifts Month
International Sharps Injury Prevention Month

December is Universal Human Rights Month. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was adopted by the United Nations in 1948 as a response to the Nazi holocaust and to set a standard by which the human rights activities of all nations, rich and poor alike, are to be measured. Some of the rights are: No one shall be subjected to cruel and inhuman punishment; being entitled to a fair and public hearing by an impartial tribunal; the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects; the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion; and the right to a standard of living to include food, clothing, housing, medical care, and necessary social services; the right to education; the right to participate in the cultural life of the community; not being arbitrarily deprived of their property; a speedy juried trial and the right to legal counsel.

Persons of the Wiccan faith celebrate Yule on December 22. During the winter solstice – the longest night of the year – the rebirth of the sun which is life-sustaining is celebrated. The Yule tree is decorated with fruit and candles are lit to represent the sun.

December 22 is Tohji-Tasai for persons of the Shinto faith. The sun is of central importance in Japan and this day celebrates the end of the Yin period of the sun in its declining strength and the growing power of the Yang period.

Mormons celebrate Joseph Smith’s Birthday on December 23. He was the American Mormon Leader, founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints.

Christmas Day is celebrated December 25. The day celebrates Jesus Christ’s birth more than 2,000 years ago. Customs include lighting candles, exchanging gifts and using evergreen decorations to celebrate the day, the most widely observed Christian festival of the year. In most communities, it is a family day.

The Jewish celebration of Hanukkah begins December 25. The Festival of Lights is celebrated for eight days. About 164 B.C., Maccabees, a small group of Jews fighting for religious freedom, won victory over the Syrians. The legend goes that to rededicate the Temple, they found only one jar of holy oil and miraculously, the candelabra remained lit for 8 days. An eight-candle menorah is lit.

Our Sympathy

We extend our sympathy to ...
Sarah Graybill (Central Scheduling) on the loss of her grandmother.
Debra Curboy (Admitting) on the loss of her brother.
Shevawn Brenner (Health Management) on the loss of her grandmother.

Classified Ads

The deadline to submit ads for each Focus is 10 a.m. the Thursday before publication. Please submit your classified ad information to Tammy Edler, and send your donation to the Foundation.