Please Join Us in Supporting the Barnes Foundation

Professional Medical is proud to support the fundraising efforts of the Barnes Foundation, including their upcoming "Cocktails for a Cause" event on September 28. We hope you'll "like" the Barnes Foundation Facebook page to learn more about this exciting event as details become available! You can also learn more about the Barnes Foundation and purchase Cocktails for a Cause tickets by visiting the organization's website. 

Join Us Today for the Barnes Foundation's Sizzlin' Summer Raffle!

The Barnes Foundation's Sizzlin' Summer Raffle is finally here! If you're in the New Lenox area, we hope you'll join us at the ProMed headquarters (1917 Garnet Court) from 3:30 to 5 p.m. for the drawing, a complimentary barbeque, children's games, a bake sale and exclusive day-of-event drawings.

There are some great prizes up for grabs, including:

• $2,500 grand prize
• $1,500 monetary prize
• Trump Tower Chicago Hotel and premier restaurant packages (2 winners)
• Electric grill and steak package
• Golf foursome package
• $100 cash prize (4 winners)

Raffle tickets are $10 each and you don't need to be present to win. Tickets will be sold here until 3:30 p.m. CST today. Good luck!

Barnes Foundation Makes Holiday Donations to to Local Charities

Thanks to the generosity of ProMed employees throughout the year, the Barnes Foundation, established by ProMed's president and founder, Terry Barnes, will be making donations to two local charities this holiday season.

Each  month, ProMed employees have the option of donating $5 to the Barnes Foundation in order to wear jeans to work on Fridays. This year, "Jean Fridays" raised a total of $3,000.

The funds will be donated to the George Werden Buck Boys & Girls Club in Joliet, Illinois, who will put the donation toward their Toys for Toys program, and the The Children's Enrichment Foundation, a charitable foundation managed by Children's Habilitation Center in Harvey, Illinois.

"It is so rewarding to know that when we collect together, we can make a real difference at such a wonderful time of year," said Barnes Foundation President Amy Gollan.

To learn more about the Barnes Foundation, please visit www.barnes-foundation.org.

Another Walk/Run for Life Tribute

My husband and I are walking in the Barnes Foundation 5K Walk/Run for Life this year in honor of his best friend, Jim Ebersohl. In 2006, Jim found a little lump on his tongue. At first, he thought he bit it accidently. It was very painful and created a little divot in his tongue. Soon he realized it was not going away and his wife Sandi encouraged him to go get it checked out. Jim was diagnosed with cancer of the tongue. Now, for a man who loves to cook and grill, this was a difficult venture to start. This 280-pound Marine was going to have part of his tongue cut out with radiation treatments to follow. A gastrostomy tube was placed into his stomach so he could get nutrients into his body. Today he weighs in at 135 pounds and only eats sweets, soft foods, soups and hot, spicy food items because he can’t taste the foods, but it’s the scent of food that he enjoys. His favorite saying is “Eating is overrated.”

We are walking in honor of this man because of his fight for life, his will to live and his friendship. We spend many moments on the road with Jim and Sandi riding our Harleys and we always have fun. He makes us laugh, especially as he performs his six flag routine. With Jim, our goal is to have “more fun”!

- Pam West, VP of Clinical and Regulatory Compliance, Professional Medical

Tons o' Fun to Follow Barnes Foundation Walk/Run for Life

Participants in the Barnes Foundation's Second Annual Walk/Run for Life this Saturday, August 28, won't want to get in their cars and hit the road after the walk is over. Instead, they should make their way to the Family Fun Festival held outside ProMed's corporate headquarters, just steps from where the walk will finish.

The Family Fun Festival is open to the entire community, not just walk participants! Attendees will be treated to food, a bake sale, dunk tank, silent auction, magician and DJ. A massage therapist will also be on hand to ease the muscles of tired runners and walkers. Kids of all ages will love the wide assortment of games, including limbo, ring toss, treasure sand pool, "pick up a duck," basketball shoot and inflatable jumpy.

Each activity requires tickets, which can be purchased at the event, or cash.

All proceeds from the festival will benefit the American Cancer Society's Illinois Patient Navigation Services. To learn more about the walk and festival, please visit www.barnes-foundation.org.

A Walk/Run for Life Tribute

In honor of the Barnes Foundation's Second Annual Walk/Run for Life this Saturday, August 28, we encouraged participants to tell us about the people they are honoring or remembering by walking. ProMed Territory Manager Jay Jermo won't be able to join us this year, but he shared this moving tribute to his friend's father.

I would like to pay tribute to my friend Robin Beamish’s Father, George Beamish. George fought a valiant battle with leukemia for 2 years with help from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. He received repeated rounds of stem cell therapy. After repeated complications from the treatment, he finally succumbed on June 25, 2010. He is survived by his children Robin, Kathy, Scott, his wife Janet, and grandchildren – Tyler, Chase and Keaton.

I never met George, but from all accounts he was an active outdoorsman, devoted father and enjoyed his family and relationships above all else. My friend Robin misses him terribly. While I will be unable to participate in the Barnes Foundation Walk/Run for Life, I am very proud to represent a company that takes an active approach to improving the lives of others affected by cancer. Our continued involvement in this cause is a wonderful thing to be a part of.

To learn more about the Walk/Run for Life, please visit barnes-foundation.org.

A Journey of Hope

The Road to Recovery Program is a Driving Force in Cancer Care
By Laura Kuhn

A cancer diagnosis generates an untold number of questions - "Can I be cured?" "How am I going to tell my family?" "What if it spreads?"

"How am I going to get to my treatments?" should never be one of those questions. That's why the Barnes Foundation has paired with the American Cancer Society's Illinois Patient Navigation Services to help fund Road to Recovery, a program that provides transportation to and from treatment for cancer patients who are unable to drive themselves to their appointments.

There are three key components of the Road to Recovery program: financial supporters, such as the Barnes Foundation; volunteers who give their time and resources to transport patients to their appointments and, last but not least, the patients themselves.

The Barnes Foundation: Helping to Make it Possible
The Barnes Foundation was established in 2008 by Terry Barnes, founder and president of Professional Medical, Inc. Terry was inspired to create the foundation as a way of giving back to the community that had supported his company since its doors first opened in 1968. He decided the foundation's mission statement would be to "Improve the lives of those around us as well as the world in which we live."

The Barnes Foundation's inaugural event was 2009's Walk for Life, a 5K walk that raised more than $30,000 for the Illinois Patient Navigation Services, specifically the Road to Recovery program. The foundation's $30,000 donation was matched by the Duchossois Family Foundation for a combined donation of $60,000. This was enough to fund the Road to Recovery program for almost an entire year.

The Barnes Foundation chose to focus their first charitable efforts on cancer because "cancer touches every person in some way," according to Amy Gollan, the foundation's president. In fact, Terry Barnes's sister is currently fighting sarcoma.

Gollan was touched by the tremendous impact that something as simple as a ride could have. "Many patients would not make it to critical appointments without the help of the people dedicated to this amazing program," she said. "Providing rides might seem small, but it can truly save lives."

Harry Gramse: Giving His Time to Help Others
When Harry Gramse was laid off from his job in the early '80s, he didn't panic. "Something told me I would be back working in a year and not to worry about it," he said. "I thought to myself, God's giving me a year off. I might as well give something back to Him."

As it turned out, Gramse was right. He was back on the job a year later - but he didn't stop giving his time to help others.

At the time, Gramse's wife was involved with hospice care. Gramse began volunteering at the hospice as well as with the American Cancer Society. He's been a driver for the Road to Recovery program, off and on, since the early '80s.

Gramse's driving takes him all over Chicagoland, and he meets all types of people. Some people want to talk with him, others don't. Some will volunteer what type of cancer they have while others keep that information to themselves. Other than all having cancer, what unites the group is that they're all grateful and genuine people, Gramse said.

While the patients are receiving their treatments, Gramse usually settles into a hospital waiting room with a good book. When their appointments end, he helps them back to his car, sometimes in a wheelchair if they are feeling weak. He recalls that he once had a tough time trying to find a comfortable way to fasten one woman's seatbelt because she was in so much pain.

Over the years, Gramse has had many patients try to tip him for his services, and he's explained that not only can he not accept their money, he doesn't want it. The rewards of being involved with the program are payment enough. "The most rewarding part is when they say 'thank you,'" Gramse said.

Sharon Grossklaus: Taking the Road to Recovery
For most people, the hospital is one of the last places they'd want to celebrate a birthday. That's not the case for Sharon Grossklaus. The Joliet, Illinois resident underwent thyroid cancer surgery the day before her fortieth birthday. She recalls that birthday as "the best birthday ever - because I was alive."

Grossklaus credits that positive outlook for inspiring her to keep fighting what has already been a long battle with cancer. Her first cancer diagnosis came on October 10 of 2002, when doctors discovered that she had thyroid cancer. Over the next eight years, that cancer would spread to her liver, back to her neck, her lungs and her bones. She also underwent a double mastectomy with reconstruction as a preventative measure.

Her cancer treatments have taken Grossklaus to both Lexington, Kentucky and Chicago - and the American Cancer Society has been there for her all along the way. In Lexington, Grossklaus stayed at the ACS's Hope Lodge, which provides free overnight lodging for cancer patients and their caregivers in an effort to lessen what is already emotional and financial burden. The patients who are staying there rally around each other and often cook group dinners. Occasionally a group of volunteers come in to cook for everyone and plan game nights.

"I totally believe that the Hope Lodge brings new meaning to the word 'hope,'" Grossklaus said.

When she began receiving cancer treatments at the University of Chicago, one of Grossklaus's friends told her about the ACS's Road to Recovery program. She's received at least a dozen rides into Chicago through the program. "I can't say enough about the pleasant atmosphere that the drivers bring to the patients," she said. "They're so nice, so caring, so understanding, so compassionate. They're absolutely wonderful."

Grossklaus doesn't sugar-coat her prognosis. She currently has Stage IV cancer in her bones and lungs. "I was told 'Your cancer is advanced. There is no cure. All I can do is give you time,'" she said. "So I asked 'How can I get the most time possible?'" She learned about a clinical trial at the University of Chicago that was showing positive results and could possibly prolong her life.

"I asked for the paper right away to sign up for the trial," Grossklaus said. "I'd rather live than die."

The clinical trial is a time-consuming process. Grossklaus often spends all day at the hospital having her blood drawn and seeing doctors. Many times, the Road to Recovery drivers stay by her side to keep her spirits up and help her pass the time.

Grossklaus will remain on the clinical trial drug as long her cancer does not metastasize. She has started to lose her hair from the treatment. "My son said 'Mom, what are you going to do if your hair keeps falling out?'" she said. "I told him 'I'll just have to shine my head! I'll be like Mrs. Kojak!"

Grossklaus is fighting for her life, and she views her sense of humor and positive outlook as two of the most powerful weapons in her arsenal. "You have to be positive," she said. "I totally believe that someone who views cancer with a negative attitude will not have the same life expectancy as someone who goes into it with a positive attitude and a sense of humor."

"Split the Pot" Raises $817 for the Barnes Foundation

During the week of August 16, ProMed held a "split the pot" contest in our corporate office to benefit the Barnes Foundation's Second Annual Walk/Run for Life. Employees could purchase cards for $1 each or $5 for six cards. The cards were cut in half, with employees keeping one half and other going into the pot.

The idea was that the employee whose card was drawn would keep half of the total raised, and the other half would be donated to the Barnes Foundation...but that wasn't how it turned out!

Barnes Foundation President Amy Gollan asked Jim Arnold, Director of Purchasing, to select the winning card. He did - and managed to draw his own card! He immediately said that he would donate his winnings to the Barnes Foundation. Instead of $408, the foundation received $817!

Split the Pot was so popular, we're doing it again this week!

"Why I'm Walking"

In honor of the Barnes Foundation's Second Annual Walk/Run for Life, we encouraged participants to tell us about the people they are honoring or remembering by walking. Here are three tributes we have received.

"This year I am participating in the Walk/Run for Life in honor of my nephew Michael. In 1998, at the age of 20, his life changed forever when he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma (bone cancer). On Good Friday 1998, he started his chemotherapy. Because of the toxicity of the treatment, he had to be hospitalized each time he had chemo. His heart and bladder had to be monitored. After three grueling months of treatment, he had surgery to remove the tibia bone from his leg. They put a rod in his leg; the other option was amputation. He will never run jump or climb. He has a permanent limp and bad hips, but he is alive. He is here today because of people like yourself who took time out of their busy day to fight this horrible disease. We must never give up the fight until this disease is eradicated from our lives. Though Mike will never run, jump or climb, he now watches his daughters run, jump and climb. On behalf of Mike and my family, thank you."
- Carol Loebe, Accounts Payable, Professional Medical

"I am participating in the Walk/Run for Life in memory of my grandmother, Marietta Volz. On February 15, 2006, the day after Valentine’s Day, I stood in an ICU in Rockford, Illinois. The hospital was still bedecked with hearts and cupids and other whimsical tokens of love. They were a sharp contrast to what I saw right before my eyes – my grandfather weeping at the bedside of the love of his life. My grandmother was diagnosed with lymphoma right before Thanksgiving of 2005. By Christmas, she had begun receiving chemotherapy treatments. We sat around the table on Christmas Day helping her pick out wigs because she had already started to lose her soft brown hair. By New Year’s Eve, she had grown very weak, and the day after Valentine’s Day, we lost her. Cancer took this beautiful creature from her loving family and friends. It did so quickly, and without mercy. I had always thought that love and prayers could overcome anything, but they weren’t enough to defeat cancer. I’m walking in memory of a woman whose love lives on in me."
- Laura Kuhn, Creative Resource Copywriter, Professional Medical

“I am honored to be participating in this year’s Walk/Run for Life for my Aunt Tina. This past December (2009) she had a cold/cough that she couldn’t shake. After trying over-the-counter medications to no avail, she finally went to the doctor. On January 6t, after seeing the doctor, she drove herself to the hospital. She was admitted for what they thought was pneumonia. After further testing, on January 9 she was diagnosed with Stage 3 lung cancer. On February 2, 2010, three weeks after being diagnosed, she lost her battle with cancer. On February 24, she would have celebrated her 50th birthday. She was a free spirit that everyone LOVED to be around. She did what made her happy and lived a life that was simple yet fulfilling to her. I am walking in the hope that others diagnosed with cancer are able to live long fulfilling lives as my aunt lived hers.

“I am also walking in this year’s Walk/Run for Life for my father-in-law, Tom. He was diagnosed with lung cancer about a year and a half ago. At first, he was told he had about one year. He defied those odds. At a recent doctor’s visit, he was told that he probably wouldn’t make it through this summer. Summer is almost over and thankfully, by some miracle, he is still with us. He has been fighting valiantly for his life. He is on oxygen 24/7, he isn’t supposed to be outside for extended periods of time, he cannot do simple daily activities as they compromise his breathing. He has had to retire from a job he loved and stop doing things he truely enjoyed. Understanding that he is terminal, he stays positive about everything, he takes nothing for granted and every minute spent with loved ones is genuinely treasured. I am walking for the hope that others can continue to do the things they love and to continue to do the simple things in life that most of us take for granted. My hat’s off to you, DAD!

“From everyone in my family, immediate and extended…thank you to those of you who are walking and to those of you that have donated to a life-changing cause. God bless!”
- Cheryl Hatley, Customer Service Representative

To learn more about the Walk/Run for Life, which will be held on August 28 in New Lenox, Illinois, please click here.

Join Us at the Barnes Foundation Second Annual 5K Walk/Run for Life!

The Second Annual Barnes Foundation 5K Walk/Run for Life will be held on August 28, 2010. We hope you'll consider joining us for this community-wide event!

Last year, the inaugural Walk for Life raised more than $30,000 for the American Cancer Society's Illinois Patient Navigation Services. The donation helped to fund a program that provides transportation to patients who need assistance getting to cancer treatments.

The 5K walk/run will be followed by a family fun festival that is free and open to the community. The celebration will feature games, prizes, entertainment, face painting, food, DJ, a silent auction and more.

To learn more about the event and register, please click here.

Barnes Foundation Helps Local Families Have a Happy - and Tasty - Easter

On March 30, the Barnes Foundation helped ensure that hundreds of local families will have a happy – and delicious – Easter.

The foundation paired with MorningStar Mission of Joliet, a non-denominational organization that serves the less fortunate members of the community. MorningStar was preparing to distribute Easter baskets to needy local families, and the Barnes Foundation offered to purchase the centerpiece of the baskets – the hams. The foundation donated 300 hams, totaling nearly 5,000 pounds. The donation was generous enough to feed MorningStar patrons for another week beyond Easter.

Four members of the Barnes family – Janet, Matt and Chris Barnes and Amy Gollan – were on hand to help assemble and distribute the Easter baskets.

“We were very impressed by the organization and their focus on rehabilitating lives rather than just helping people in the moment,” said Barnes Foundation President Amy Gollan.

Thank You to The New Lenox Patriot!

We'd like to thank The New Lenox Patriot for the wonderful article they published on the Barnes Foundation's $30K donation to the American Cancer Society's Illinois Patient Navigation Services.

The money for the donation was raised during the Barnes Foundation's First Annual Walk for Life, which was held in New Lenox on October 4. The donation was presented to representatives from the American Cancer Society during ProMed's annual Christmas party, which helped everyone in attendance feel even merrier!

The $30,000 donation will be matched in full through the generosity of the Duchossois Family Foundation's Campaign for Hope.

Barnes Foundation Presents $30K Donation to American Cancer Society

During ProMed's annual holiday party, held on December 18, the Barnes Foundation presented a check for $30,000 to the American Cancer Society. (The Barnes Foundation was established by ProMed's president, Terry Barnes.) The funds were raised during the first annual Barnes Foundation Walk for Life, which was held on October 4. The proceeds will benefit the ACS's Illinois Patient Navigation Services, which provides a full spectrum of hands-on cancer support to residents of Illinois. The donation will be matched in full by the Duchossois Family Foundation's Campaign of Hope.