Message from the President and CEO
South Shore Hospital has existed on Chicago’s southeast end since 1912. That’s 110 years! For 110 years, the Hospital had dedicated its efforts and resources to providing free-to-affordable, quality health care that meets the community needs. So, a few decades ago, we were one of the first Hospitals to open an HIV/AIDS clinic. As your community hospital, South Shore Hospital have offered clinics that focused on diabetes, heart health, sleep apnea, and other diseases and other afflictions known to impact people living on Chicago’s south side or southeast suburbs. We currently offer clinics that focus on substance abuse, mental health, and orthopedics. Our HIV/AIDS clinic remains open after 38 years. More recently, we led the charge to educate the community about COVID 19 and its new strains and made it easy to get vaccinated for COVID— whether you came to us, or we visited you at church or community organization venue.
We are here, at the front lines, working on your behalf… because that is what an effective, compassionate community hospital and healthcare provider does.
Yet, if you watch the news, community health care is disappearing from some communities. Due to the constantly rising costs of health care and operational fees, Franciscan Health, Hammond, Indiana’s only hospital, was forced to close its doors. As South Shore Hospital’s new CEO, I am working with staff, supporters, and donors like you to ensure that Chicago’s south end neighborhoods and suburbs always have community health at their doorsteps… that staying or getting well can be achieved without a thirty-to-sixty-minute drive away from where you live.
Prior to becoming CEO, I was the Assistant Administrator for 36 years. You’ve seen me at your community meetings or church or neighborhood events. We have worked collectively to ensure quality health not only for individual patients and their families but for the entire community. With your assistance, we will continue this health care mission.
As you know we are in a “giving season.” It is my hope that you join our efforts to keep community health local by donating whatever amount you can afford. Remember, it was individual donations that led to electing the first Black president of the United States. I believe, with your support, we can achieve the great mission of ensuring community health is available for each of us for another 110 years.
Humbly Yours and Forever Grateful,
Leslie Rogers
President and CEO,
South Shore Hospital
