in honor of their son
Bob and Betsy Holland were devastated
after they lost their son, Ken, in a car
accident more than 20 years ago. They
have since channeled their energy into
making a difference in Ken’s name at
Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital.
A
Giving that gives back
Bob and Betsy Holland made a gift in the form of a charitable
lead unitrust (CLUT) to benefit Advocate Good Samaritan
Hospital’s oncology department, which is being named the
Kenneth B. Holland Oncology Unit in honor of their late son.
A CLUT is a planned giving vehicle that provides income to
one or more public charities for a period of time, and then
distributes the trust’s principal to people chosen by the donor.
The Hollands designated the hospital and also the DuPage
Community Foundation as the beneficiaries of the CLUT,
and their daughter, Jennifer, oversees the fund for the latter.
One of the Hollands’ greatest pleasures is teaching the “pay
it forward” idea to their extended family. “We have always
wanted to do something for the community while we are
both alive, and we learned that through the use of a CLUT
we could make a difference in our lifetime as well as provide
for our four grandchildren later on,” says Bob.
To learn about CLUTs and other giving vehicles,
please call 847.384.3422.
12 – healing gifts – Spring 2012
1988 graduate of Downers Grove
South High School, Ken Holland was
captain of the football and basketball
teams, a National Honor Society member and
recipient of the Thom McAn National Scholar/
Athlete award. “He was the kind of son I
always hoped I would have,” says his father,
Bob. His mother, Betsy, adds, “People said
he had a smile that lit up the room. He was a
friend to everyone.”
Sadly, this well-rounded and popular young
man never made it to his 20th birthday. It
was the summer after his freshman year
at DePauw University, and he was driving
near his family’s Downers Grove home when
another driver sped through a stop sign,
crashing into Ken’s Jeep and causing it to flip
over and land on top of him.
Ken’s injuries were so critical that he had
to be taken by helicopter to a trauma center
in downtown Chicago. During the three
weeks Ken was in the intensive care unit, the
Hollands, along with their daughter, Jennifer,
made the daily trek from their west-suburban
home to the city to be by their son’s side.
Adding to the tremendous stress of the
situation were the surroundings.
“It wasn’t a comfortable environment,” says
Bob. “The waiting rooms were crowded, and
there weren’t a lot of places for people to have
any quiet time or relax.” They had to sleep on
the floor if they wanted to spend the night.
Ken’s injuries proved to be too much, and doctors
were unable to save him. Devastated, Bob and Betsy
chose to channel their loss and pain into something
positive. In an effort to learn more about the hospital in
their community, they began volunteering at Advocate
Good Samaritan Hospital—Bob joined its Governing
Council, and Betsy joined its Auxiliary. The couple also
started supporting the hospital philanthropically, teaming
up with their friends Dick and Pat Mochel to fund muchneeded pediatric equipment for the hospital’s new
surgical pavilion.
“We’re pretty upbeat people, and Ken was really an
outgoing and enthusiastic young man,” says Bob. “We
know he wouldn’t want us to just sit around.”
Most recently the Hollands worked with the giftplanning team at Advocate Charitable Foundation to
make a charitable gift in support of Good Samaritan
Hospital’s oncology department (see sidebar on page
12). With the help of charitable donations, the unit will
be renovated to include private rooms and a dedicated
space for patients’ families.
“When we lost Ken, we felt so helpless sitting in a
small, uncomfortable trauma waiting area,” Bob says.
“Since then my wife and I have hoped to be able to help
make this kind of experience easier for families like ours.
It’s hard to relax under these circumstances, so anything
you can do to make it a more pleasant experience for
patients and their families has got to help. Ken loved life
and would be moved by this and the other things we do
in his name—and that’s what keeps us going.” ■
Cancer services continue to expand
As a not-for-profit organization, Advocate Good
Samaritan Hospital relies on the support of its
friends and neighbors as it expands the health care
services it provides to the community.
Gifts are currently being sought to help the
hospital’s Cancer Care Center:
• Develop a cancer survivorship program, which
will help patients during the entire cancer
process: from diagnosis and treatment to
recovery and beyond.
• Expand services to include medical oncology,
so patients can receive the entire spectrum of
cancer care, close to home.
• Renovate the existing inpatient oncology unit,
which has been largely funded by the Kenneth
Brooks Holland Memorial Fund. Donations are still
being sought to obtain leading-edge technology
and help create private rooms and a comfortable
environment so loved ones can be near.
For more information or to make a gift,
please call 630.275.6518.
Spring 2012 – healing gifts – 13