As the nation continues its battle against the COVID-19 pandemic, hope still finds a way to shine through these challenging times. On Tuesday, Advocate Aurora Health doctors and nurses cheered several COVID-19 patients as they were released from hospitals across Illinois and Wisconsin. The system surpassed its 1,000th COVID-19 patient discharge this week. “This milestone is an important reminder of the excellent care our team provides and the hard work, commitment and focus it’s taken to reach this point,” said Dr. Gary Stuck, chief medical officer of Advocate Aurora Health. “We’re so proud of how our doctors, nurses and team members have risen to meet this historic challenge, and we’re grateful for their service and sacrifice. But the work isn’t over, and the public must continue to do their part by practicing social distancing and staying home as much as possible. There will be more milestones to come, both happy and tragic. And our actions now will determine how much celebrating or grieving we do later. We’re all in this together.” Among the patients released was Carmen Benabe, 86, who was released from Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center.

Benabe started having trouble breathing, her family didn’t wait very long to bring her to the emergency room. Given her age and underlying medical conditions against the backdrop of the pandemic, the family is more vigilant than ever about ensuring Carmen’s health and safety. So when they brought her to the emergency room at Advocate Illinois Masonic on Good Friday, they were heartbroken by the news: Carmen was diagnosed with COVID-19 and had to be admitted right away. Benabe’s family waited on pins and needles, hoping and praying for a speedy recovery. Benabe’s daughter, Dalia Colon, says the days were long and scary as she and her family waited for good news. That good news finally came due to the hard work and commitment of clinicians at Advocate Illinois Masonic, four days after her admission, Benabe is well on her way to recovery and is being discharged home for self-quarantine.

Photo Credit: Advocate Aurora Health