HR1108

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HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
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    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
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Representatives are pleased to honor Eleanor (Ellie) O'Connor 
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Clarke of Lake Forest for her work as a vital link between 
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Horizon Hospice and Palliative Care and Children's Memorial 
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Hospital and other organizations, including Catholic 
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Theological Union, Catholic Charities of Lake County, 
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Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart in Lake Forest; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, Ellie joined the Horizon Hospice Board of 
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Directors in 1982 at the invitation of Horizon's founder, Ada 
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Addington, following the 2-year struggle and loss of her young 
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daughter, Eleanor, at the age of 9 to brain cancer; Ellie was 
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interested in supporting other families who were coping with 
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loss, both through the dying process and in the aftermath; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, Ellie has been a steadfast advocate for improved 
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care for children with life-limiting illnesses and their 
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families since the mid-1990s, when she was president of the 
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Woman's Board at Children's Memorial; she envisioned Horizon 
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Hospice and Children's Memorial Hospital working together to 
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deliver high-quality hospice and palliative care to dying 
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children and their families; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, Ellie was instrumental in the creation of All 
 


 






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About Kids, a Horizon Hospice program that works in 
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collaboration with Children's Memorial Hospital to provide 
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pediatric palliative care to all children with life-limiting 
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illnesses and their families in metropolitan Chicago, 
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regardless of the ability to pay; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, Ellie and her husband, Charley, were extremely 
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grateful for the care that their daughter Eleanor received at 
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the hospital and were determined to show their gratitude by 
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giving back; because Ellie knew the value of having someone to 
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talk to while coping with the illness of a child, she became a 
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volunteer ombudsman for parents of children diagnosed with 
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brain tumors; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, Ellie assisted in initiating "Heartlight", a 
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grief support group for bereaved parents and their surviving 
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children; the group has become a model for family grief support 
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groups everywhere; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, Ellie and her family established the Eleanor 
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Clarke Research Scholar in Developmental Neurobiology in 
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memory of their daughter; and
 
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    WHEREAS, Because of the generous contributions of time and 
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funding through the years, Ellie served Horizon well as a 
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donor, a board member, and a member of the benefit, 
 


 






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development, and finance committees; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, Ellie and her family are establishing the Eleanor 
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Clarke Learning Library at the new Ann & Robert Lurie 
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Children's Hospital of Chicago; therefore, be it
  
 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
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congratulate Eleanor Clarke for her many accolades and thank 
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her for her time and generosity for hospice care and outreach 
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to others in need; and be it further
  
 
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    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be 
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presented to Eleanor Clarke, Horizon Hospice and Palliative 
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Care, Children's Memorial Hospital, Chicago Theological Union, 
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Catholic Charities of Lake County, and Woodlands Academy of the 
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Sacred Heart in Lake Forest as a symbol of our esteem and 
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respect for this fine woman of distinction.