HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital names Father Klimek Healing Presence Award recipient & Physician of the Year
Eau Claire, WI – On May 4 at HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital’s Colleague Service Awards banquet in Eau Claire, Julie Manas, president & CEO of Sacred Heart Hospital, announced that Peggy Pendergast, organizational learning colleague, has been named the 2015 recipient of the Father Klimek Healing Presence Award. Manas also announced that James Geraghty, M.D., has been named the hospital’s Physician of the Year for 2015.
“Peggy displays her commitment to our mission with every encounter, whether to new colleagues during orientation, at leadership meetings, and during daily interactions,” said Manas. “She embodies the spirit of Father Klimek.”
Pendergast has worked at Sacred Heart Hospital for more than 10 years. She currently serves as education assistant in the hospital’s organizational learning department. She is the hospital’s training center coordinator for the American Heart Association, coordinator for the hospital’s new colleague orientation and hands-only CPR training coordinator, among other responsibilities.
The Father Klimek Healing Presence Award is the highest honor that a hospital colleague can receive, and recognizes a long-term colleague who has dedicated his or her life to being a humble servant of the sick. These recipients emulate the spirit of Father Klimek, who served patients and families at Sacred Heart Hospital for 46 years. Father Klimek passed away on August 28, 2013, at the age of 85.
James Geraghty, M.D., is a board-certified radiologist with Medical X-Ray Consultants. Dr. Geraghty has practiced at Sacred Heart Hospital for 24 years and currently serves as the chair of the hospital’s medical staff bylaws committee. He has served as past president of the hospital’s medical staff, and currently serves on the Friends of Sacred Heart Hospital Leadership Council. The award honors Dr. Geraghty for his life-long commitment to quality care.
“Dr. Geraghty is a dedicated, talented physician who devotes his life to providing outstanding care to our patients,” said Manas.
Sacred Heart Hospital’s annual Colleague Service Awards banquet was held May 4 and 5 at the Eau Claire Country Club. 170 colleagues – with a combined total of 2,465 years of service – were honored at this year’s event.
About HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital
HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital is an affiliate of the Hospital Sisters Health System. Since 1889 it has been meeting patient needs in western Wisconsin with the latest medical innovations and technology, together with a Franciscan whole-person healing tradition. For more information about HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital, visitwww.sacredhearteauclaire.org.
About Hospital Sisters Health System
Hospital Sisters Health System’s mission is to reveal and embody Christ’s healing love for all people through our high quality Franciscan health care ministry. Sponsored by the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis, HSHS provides state-of-the-art health care to our patients and is dedicated to serving all people, especially the most vulnerable, at each of our 14 Local Systems and physician practices in Illinois (Belleville, Breese, Decatur, Effingham, Highland, Litchfield, Springfield and Streator) and Wisconsin (Chippewa Falls, Eau Claire, Oconto Falls, Sheboygan, and two in Green Bay). For more information about HSHS, visit www.hshs.org.
