[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 154 (Thursday, November 4, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S13993]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             ST. JOSEPH'S MERCY OF MACOMB 100TH ANNIVERSARY

 Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President I rise today to honor and 
congratulate St. Joseph's Mercy of Macomb Hospital as they gather in 
celebration of their 100th Anniversary.
  St. Joseph's Mercy of Macomb has set a pioneering tradition in health 
care since it was founded in 1899. One year after its beginning, the 
hospital opened a 50 bed facility for treatment of the acutely ill. 
With its healing waters and mineral baths it attracted patients world 
wide. St. Joseph's Mercy continued to take great strides in healthcare 
by establishing a disabled children's clinic, physical therapy 
department and the area's first alcoholism treatment center which was 
one of the first to recognize mental illness as a disease. Continuing 
to provide the best quality of healthcare for the people of Macomb 
County, in 1990 St. Joseph's became partners with Mercy Health systems 
and Henry Ford Health System.
  What is truly remarkable about the people involved in St. Joseph's 
Mercy is the commitment they have to removing barriers to better health 
and making services available close to home for people of all ages. St. 
Joseph's Mercy has become a strong force in the community--working with 
parishes and schools to create healthcare teams and reaching out with 
HomeCare and neighborhood based healthcare centers. St. Joseph's Mercy 
is working hard to plan for the future of healthcare needs with 
critical, life saving initiatives and community outreach activities all 
designed to create a healthier Macomb County.
  The accomplishments this group has made in the past 100 years are to 
be commended. St. Joseph's Mercy has made a hospital much more than 
four walls filled with medical equipment. They have taken their guiding 
spirit and reached out to the community delivering a century of caring 
and charity.
  It is my hope that the St. Joseph's Mercy of Macomb will continue to 
provide excellent healthcare that knows no bounds.

                          ____________________