HR1108 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1108 LRB096 21814 GRL 39732 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to honor Eleanor (Ellie) O'Connor Clarke of Lake Forest for her work as a vital link between Horizon Hospice and Palliative Care and Children's Memorial Hospital and other organizations, including Catholic Theological Union, Catholic Charities of Lake County, Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart in Lake Forest; and

WHEREAS, Ellie joined the Horizon Hospice Board of Directors in 1982 at the invitation of Horizon's founder, Ada Addington, following the 2-year struggle and loss of her young daughter, Eleanor, at the age of 9 to brain cancer; Ellie was interested in supporting other families who were coping with loss, both through the dying process and in the aftermath; and

WHEREAS, Ellie has been a steadfast advocate for improved care for children with life-limiting illnesses and their families since the mid-1990s, when she was president of the Woman's Board at Children's Memorial; she envisioned Horizon Hospice and Children's Memorial Hospital working together to deliver high-quality hospice and palliative care to dying children and their families; and

WHEREAS, Ellie was instrumental in the creation of All About Kids, a Horizon Hospice program that works in collaboration with Children's Memorial Hospital to provide pediatric palliative care to all children with life-limiting illnesses and their families in metropolitan Chicago, regardless of the ability to pay; and

WHEREAS, Ellie and her husband, Charley, were extremely grateful for the care that their daughter Eleanor received at the hospital and were determined to show their gratitude by giving back; because Ellie knew the value of having someone to talk to while coping with the illness of a child, she became a volunteer ombudsman for parents of children diagnosed with brain tumors; and

WHEREAS, Ellie assisted in initiating "Heartlight", a grief support group for bereaved parents and their surviving children; the group has become a model for family grief support groups everywhere; and

WHEREAS, Ellie and her family established the Eleanor Clarke Research Scholar in Developmental Neurobiology in memory of their daughter; and

WHEREAS, Because of the generous contributions of time and funding through the years, Ellie served Horizon well as a donor, a board member, and a member of the benefit, development, and finance committees; and

WHEREAS, Ellie and her family are establishing the Eleanor Clarke Learning Library at the new Ann & Robert Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Eleanor Clarke for her many accolades and thank her for her time and generosity for hospice care and outreach to others in need; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to Eleanor Clarke, Horizon Hospice and Palliative Care, Children's Memorial Hospital, Chicago Theological Union, Catholic Charities of Lake County, and Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart in Lake Forest as a symbol of our esteem and respect for this fine woman of distinction.