For nearly a decade, Patient Room #7 at the NorthShore Kellogg Cancer Center at Highland Park Hospital became familiar and comfortable for Andrea (“Andy”) Rosengarden. It was in that room that Andy received her regular infusions while being treated for multiple myeloma. And with each visit, Andy was greeted and cared for by the attentive and supportive nurses who work at the cancer center.
Those nurses came to be like close relatives to Andy and her family over the years. While Andy sadly passed away in October 2020, her family, husband Michael Rosengarden and children Alyssa Friedberg, Scott Rosengarden, and Stephanie Rosengarden, never forgot their experience in making such a personal connection with the nursing staff.
Spurred by a desire to memorialize Andy and to honor the nurses who became like family to them, the Rosengarden family made a gift to NorthShore University HealthSystem (NorthShore) to establish a nursing education fund for the Kellogg Cancer Center at Highland Park Hospital.
The Andrea Rosengarden Nursing Education Fund provides much-needed resources to the cancer center nurses, such as funds that enable nurses to undergo testing to become an Oncology Certified Nurse (OCN®). The fund also supports continuing education needs for nurses, such as sponsoring conference attendance to learn about the newest cancer treatments and symptom-management strategies.
Support of oncology nursing education in Kellogg NorthShore is crucial to ensuring that nurses receive the required and necessary training that ultimately leads to top-quality, safe nursing care to every patient in the Kellogg Cancer Center. Thanks to donor support like the Andrea Rosengarden Nursing Education Fund, our nurses are able to attend national conferences, complete their ONC training, and continue the education and enrichment of their nursing careers. None of this would be possible without generous external philanthropic support, and for that, we are extremely grateful.” – Deb Damen, Clinical Nurse Manager, Kellogg Cancer Center, Highland Park
Andy generously gave of her time as a volunteer for A Safe Place/Lake County Crisis Center, helping victims in domestic abuse situations. Her life of service and giving to others will live on through Kellogg Cancer Center nurses, who will continue to support and care for future patients and their family members.
In memory of Andy Rosengarden, a plaque was recently dedicated outside the infusion wing (right outside Andy’s Patient Room #7) to honor her grace and courage and to underscore the lasting connection nurses have with their patients.
If you’re interested in learning more about supporting nurse education at NorthShore or making a deeply meaningful gift in honor of a loved one, please contact Kaitlin Czurylo, NorthShore’s Annual Giving Officer, at kczurylo@northshore.org or 224.364.7226.
Masthead Photo: Back row (left to right): Adam Friedberg, Alyssa Friedberg, Michael Rosengarden, Michelle Rosengarden, Scott Rosengarden, Deb Damen; Front row (left to right): Kathleen Collins, Sofiya Bektemirova
