On Wednesday, March 31, at 7 p.m., Reading Hospital and Reading Hospital Foundation will host a COVID-19 memorial ceremony to pay tribute to Berks County residents who have died from COVID-19. The event will take place at the Clock Tower on the Reading Hospital campus.
One luminary for each life lost to COVID-19 will be placed surrounding the fountain and along the front lawn. At the event, William M. Jennings, Reading Hospital President and CEO, and Tom Adil, LPC, Director, Department of Spiritual Care, will make remarks and lead a moment of silence. Mark Woodland, MD, Chair, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at Reading Hospital, will share a reflective poem he authored. The event has a rain date of Thursday, April 1. Media and the public are invited to attend the event.
Masks are required and social distancing will be observed. Due to social distancing requirements, a limited number of reservations are available. Registration is required for the event. Guests are encouraged to park in the Spruce Street garage.
“We understand the significant impact COVID-19 has had on our community,” said Mr. Jennings. “We spent much of last year away from family and friends. We wanted to provide a space for our team members and the community to come together to reflect and honor those we lost to COVID-19. To all those who suffered a devastating loss due to the pandemic, everyone at Reading Hospital and Tower Health expresses our sincere condolences.”
To dedicate a memorial luminaria in honor of a loved one lost or one that defeated COVID-19, visit towerhealth.org/covidmemorial.
Reading Hospital Foundation President Katherine Thornton added, "All luminaria donations received through the event will be designated to the COVID-19 Response Fund and will help to continue to help fund clinical research to improve COVID-19 treatments and purchase additional personal protective equipment to keep hospital team members safe and healthy.”
The COVID-19 Response Fund was established to meet caregivers’ needs throughout the pandemic. Support of the fund has an immediate impact on physicians, nurses, and staff by supporting the purchase of equipment, medication, and other items. To date, more than 14,000 procedure masks, 6,000 N95 masks, 60,000 latex free gloves, 2,640 liters of hand sanitizer, and one of the two UVC disinfection robots at Reading Hospital have been purchased with support from the Emergency Response Fund.
Event photos will be available upon request.
About Reading Hospital
Reading Hospital is the flagship, Magnet Recognized, acute care hospital of Tower Health. Located in West Reading, Pa., Reading Hospital is a 714-bed hospital that is home to many top-tier specialty care centers, including Reading HealthPlex, Tower Health Transplant Institute, McGlinn Cancer Institute, Miller Regional Heart Center, Emergency Department, Level I Trauma Center and Beginnings Maternity Center, which houses the region's only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). With more than 1,000 physicians and providers across 49 locations, Reading Hospital has been recognized for its quality outcomes and clinical expertise across services lines. It is listed as one of America's 100 Best Hospitals for five consecutive years and received a 5-Star Rating from CMS two years in a row. For more information, visit towerhealth.org.