Diane's Letter to Joe Piccione and Patricia Gibson

Diane’s Letter to Joe Piccione and Patricia Gibson

Date: Fri, 2 Dec 2005 16:07:29 -0600

Subject: Jackson and Haitian Hearts

Dear Mr. Piccione and Patricia,

I received an email from John yesterday from Haiti and I have a feeling that you are aware of the situation regarding Jackson. I know that when we sat in those “meetings” on the two occasions, none of us evert hought that we would be in this situation: where St. Francis is refusing the care of a child who already had received care from them, and also when they were told that we as an organization would first of all pay $10,000 for his surgery, and then, I believe that John even offered them full coverage. When I received the email from John yesterday begging for help, sadly I really did not know where to turn. This is such an unethical situation in my eyes and this heart patient is being ignored because he is associated with the Carroll name. I just arrived home from working at OSF today and I am so saddened when I walk in there, I cannot even explain to you how desperate a feeling it is. When I have worked there for so long and I do not know who in the world could turn this situation around. I think that if we all read about this in a magazine somewhere, we would not even believe that this could be happening when the hospital has even been offered payment. Since the “meetings” with the diocese, the hospital, I believe feels that they are exempt “morally” from helping with any of these patients. I do not believe that these meetings had anything to do with never treating another Haitian Hearts patient. I believe that it is that we were unable to come to a financial agreement at that time, but to refuse care to a patient that has already been taken care of there when money is being offered for his care is beyond belief. I look around at my own children, and I wonder also if there were one of the children that we took care of, such as Katina, if I would be fighting harder for this to happen.The sad part is that I do not believe that there are other avenues for me to take to try and change any of this. I feel stuck in this political mess and I cannot even begin to comprehend how it must be for John and Maria right now to watch this boy die, and try to explain to his family that our hospital refused treatment for him even though payment was offered. I could not feel sadder or more embarrassed by the attitude we have shown this boy.I really believe it is time to look at this with open eyes, and not just feel like we can turn our backs on Jackson because he is a Haitian Hearts patient. We need to finally step up and do what is right and good. I try to explain to my children what is happening, and I find that I have no words to try to make sense of this for them, because it is so senseless. Please tell me what else I can do to make this right and to get Jackson here. I know that John and Maria will also be in great danger in Haiti right now to get his VISA to get here, but they are willing to do all of this if given the okay. Please just tell me what I can do to change the way everyone is thinking and dealing with this. I really appreciate any help that you might be able to give us.

Sincerely,

Diane Carroll




(Diane, is my sister-in-law and an R.N. at OSF. She received no response from Joe Piccione, OSF Corporate Ethicist or from Patricia Gibson, Chancellor of the Catholic Diocese of Peoria.)
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June 5, 2006

Prayer for OSF and the Catholic Diocese of Peoria--

You will find that charity
is a heavy burden
to carry, heavier than
a kettle of soup
and a basket of bread.

But you must your gentleness
and your smile keep.

Giving soup and bread isn't all
that the rich can do.

The poor are your masters
terrible sensitive, exacting
as you will see.

Both the uglier and dirtier they are,
the more you must give your love.

It is only because of your love-
only your love-
that the poor will forgive you
the bread that you give them.

St. Vincent de Paul
1581-1660