Healing Gifts Spring 2014 - Better Together | Page 2

Partners in caring “Nancy has a compassionate heart, and she’s always had a global perspective,” Andy says. They have also opened their home for some of the many fundraising concerts they’ve organized: Andy assembles a group of jazz musicians including himself, while Nancy serves as conductor and event manager. Both accomplished instrumentalists—Andy composes jazz for the church and plays the saxophone and Nancy plays the oboe and piano—the couple met when they each were part of the music ministry at Grace Lutheran Church in River Forest. Their shared passion for music has strengthened not only the bond between them, but also the Church Jazz Ministry of St. Luke Lutheran Church in Chicago, among other churches and not-forprofit organizations. One of those organizations is the Heart and Vascular Institute at Christ Medical Center, which was the beneficiary of a combination house concert–presentation on advances in cardiac surgery they hosted. Andy and Nancy have had many connections to Advocate Health Care many times over the years. Among other things, Andy provides legal counsel to the system—but they had no personal experience of Advocate’s hospitals in Oak Lawn until Vijay Singh recruited Andy to serve in a volunteer leadership role there. “Andy is the kind of person who gets his energy from touching other people and helping them achieve their potential,” says Vijay, a business associate of Andy’s who has served as chair of the medical center’s Development Council. “It is not work for him—he has a passion for it.” That desire to enable others to achieve their potential also inspired Andy and Nancy to make a generous charitable donation to help start a pediatric autism program at Advocate Children’s Hospital—Oak Lawn. Rooted in faith Underneath their countless hours of service, their charitable giving and their enthusiastic championing of causes within their extensive social and professional circles lies a firm foundation of Christian faith. That faith draws them to Advocate Health Care’s mission, which is rooted in a fundamental understanding of human beings as created in the image of God and deserving of dignity and respect. “Advocate’s spiritual and emotional dimension is huge,” Just as Andy Tecson and Nancy Hagen can do more together than they can on their own, each of Advocate’s hospitals is strengthened by groups of volunteers who combine forces and resources to help ensure quality health care close to home: • Development Council members serve as ambassadors in their communities, sharing stories of the impact their local hospitals have and inviting other residents, caregivers and business leaders to join them in supporting Advocate’s health care mission. • Special event committees plan galas, golf outings and o ther gatherings that raise funds for programs identified as priorities by hospital leadership. Events are also a great way to introduce hospitals to prospective supporters. • Auxiliaries and similar service organizations raise funds through sales and other activities, and then donate the proceeds to support hospital programs they designate. “Miracles happen in our hospitals every day, and we get to see the tangible results of our efforts,” says Terry Graber, who chairs Advocate Charitable Foundation’s Board of Directors. “What could be more rewarding than knowing you are making a difference in people’s lives?” For more information about fundraising volunteer opportunities at Advocate, please contact Jennifer Cosby-Thanos at 630.929.6915 or [email protected]. says Nancy, who wishes that her family had received that kind of support when her father passed away from multiple myeloma. Andy agrees. “The concept that God has power to be a healing force in the world really resonates with us,” he says. “It goes beyond the miracle of modern medicine to become something truly transcendent.” The faith that sustains their commitment to Advocate also explains their joyful spirits. “Andy and Nancy bring a quality of compassion, love and humanity that inspires and transforms others,” Vijay Singh says. “They’re a wonderful team.” ■ Spring 2014 – healing gifts – 11