SJRMC Renames Chapin Street Clinic to Honor Founder, 20th Anniversary
SOUTH BEND, October 13, 2006 -- Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center renamed the Saint Joseph Health Center the Sister Maura Brannick Health Center at an October 13th ceremony, honoring its founder who established the clinic, located on Chapin Street and Western Avenue in South Bend, 20 years ago.
"I never wish to take any credit for the Saint Joseph Health Center," Sister Maura Brannick said during the evening ceremony, which was held at the Northern Indiana Center for History. "If this community and Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center wouldn't have gotten behind it, it would not exist. I didn't have any money – just an idea."
That idea blossomed from its humble beginnings from a 400-square-foot, two-bay garage on Washington Street to its current location at Chapin Street and Western Avenue. Since its establishment in 1986, the clinic has provided over 70,000 patient visits.
"We are so fortunate to have Sister Maura Brannick as part of the Saint Joseph Family," said Nancy R. Hellyer, SJRMC's President and CEO. "In 61 years as a Sister of the Holy Cross, Sister Maura Brannick has touched the lives of thousands in hospitals from Indiana to Idaho and back. The last 20 years are symbolic of her remarkable career as she still spends much of her time at the Health Center, a true Godsend to residents of South Bend's near Westside."
Without her idea, Chapin Street and Western Avenue might still be a parking lot. It started simple enough as once a week Sister Maura Brannick would take free blood pressure screenings at the St. Augustine Church Soup Kitchen on Washington Street.
"This is where I got to really see poverty," she said. "These people had absolutely no healthcare and consequently they had no hope. This inspired in me the critical need for a health center."
Sister Maura Brannick's vision of providing basic healthcare services to the medically underserved on South Bend's near Westside became reality in 1986 when the community responded. The Saint Joseph Health Center's beginning was made possible through a gift from Maureen and Richard Welch and the generous time commitment of a handful of volunteer physicians and nurses. The Health Center has continued to grow with the support of donations from many businesses, groups, and individuals within the community. Since it opened its doors, physicians and community members have volunteered over 60,000 hours.
In her 61-year-career, Sister Maura Brannick has logged over 526,000 hours of inspiring dedication to her faith and to those who desperately need healthcare. And the clock ticks on, now at the Sister Maura Brannick Health Center.
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