Barbara’s* Sunday morning changed in an instant when she suddenly became dizzy, weak, began vomiting and slurring her speech. The 72-year-old Willow Springs resident was rushed to UChicago Medicine AdventHealth Hinsdale, where tests showed that atrial fibrillation (an irregular heartbeat) had caused an ischemic stroke, the most common type of stroke, in which a blood clot blocks an artery supplying blood to the brain.
Not long after, Dr. Omer Doron, a cerebrovascular neurosurgeon with UChicago Medicine AdventHealth Hinsdale, performed an emergency thrombectomy, using advanced medical imaging to navigate a catheter from Barbara’s thigh, through her blood vessels and into the brain. He was able to remove the clot and restore blood flow.
“It’s amazing to think my symptoms started at 10:15 in the morning and everything was taken care of only a few hours later,” she said.
For Barbara and her family, the care she received was more than a medical response. It was a reminder that God is present in moments of crisis, working through skilled hands, steady minds and compassionate hearts. At UChicago Medicine AdventHealth, that belief is central to every encounter: caring for the whole person — body, mind and spirit — and helping people feel whole.
The advanced care that may have saved Barbara’s life and prevented serious disability has been recognized by the Joint Commission, which awarded UChicago Medicine AdventHealth Hinsdale certification as a Comprehensive Stroke Center.
“Comprehensive stroke centers strive to provide the best medical level of treatment to the most complex conditions in medicine and to provide it at a high, academic level with well-trained people and cutting-edge equipment,” said Doron.
The Comprehensive Stroke Center certification reflects the hospital’s ability to care for the most complex stroke cases with a multidisciplinary team that includes acute stroke specialists, neurologists, neurointerventional radiologists, neuroimaging specialists, neurosurgeons and rehabilitation therapists.
“This certification is a reflection of the exceptional care our teams provide and gives our community confidence that advanced, world-class stroke care is available close to home when every minute matters,” said Elise MacCarroll-Wright, president and CEO of UChicago Medicine AdventHealth Hinsdale. “It represents our commitment to combining clinical excellence with compassionate, whole-person care.”
At UChicago Medicine AdventHealth, the mission of Extending the Healing Ministry of Christ guides every part of the care journey. The goal is not only to treat illness, but also to care for the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of every patient. In cases like Barbara’s, that means bringing together advanced medicine and a deep sense of purpose — trusting God, acting with skill and serving with compassion.
Joint Commission designations at the other UChicago Medicine AdventHealth hospitals include Bolingbrook and La Grange as Advanced Primary Stroke Centers and GlenOaks as a Primary Stroke Center. All four hospitals have also earned the American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines Stroke GOLD PLUS quality achievement award. The hospitals are connected through the UChicago Medicine AdventHealth network, allowing patients to be transferred to Hinsdale for comprehensive stroke care when needed.
“A positive outcome for a patient experiencing a stroke is the result of the entire system working together,” said Dr. Beejal Amin, a neurological surgeon and regional medical director of neurosurgery for UChicago Medicine AdventHealth. “Success depends on seamless coordination across all four of our hospitals and many disciplines to give patients access to advanced care and the best possible chance at recovery.”
Keith Hartenberger is senior manager for external communications at UChicago Medicine AdventHealth.