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August 13, 2008

Walsh Family Village Opens on Avera McKennan Campus

SIOUX FALLS (Aug. 13, 2008) - The Walsh Family Village, now open on the southwest corner of the Avera McKennan campus, provides a comfortable "home away from home" for out-of-town patients and their families.

At Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center, 56 percent of patients and their families travel from outlying areas to Sioux Falls for hospital care.

"This project gets to the heart of Avera's mission, and our gospel values of compassion, hospitality and stewardship," said Sr. Mary Thomas, senior vice president of mission at Avera McKennan.

The three-building village, totaling 16,800 square feet with 18 guest rooms, was funded entirely by donations, most notably a $1.5 million contribution from Tom and Kathy Walsh and the Los Cabos Children's Foundation. Each of the three buildings has its own distinct purpose:

  • The Casa de Carlitos Welcome Center with 4,300 square feet includes community spaces such as gathering areas and a meditation room, as well as two guest rooms for children who come to Avera McKennan for treatment through the Los Cabos Children's Foundation and other guests with special needs. This home is named for the first child who was cared for at Avera McKennan in partnership with the Los Cabos Children's Foundation, of which Tom Walsh is president and founder.
  • The Nano Nagle Inn is a guest house with eight rooms for patients and their families, with total square footage of 5,100.
  • Avera McKennan has donated use of the third building, which is 7,400 square feet in size, as a Ronald McDonald® House for the families of pediatric patients. The previous Ronald McDonald House in Sioux Falls was over a mile away from the Avera McKennan campus. "That's too far when your child is hospitalized," said Marsha Frericks, executive director of Ronald McDonald House Charities of South Dakota.

Many patients require extended stays or frequent trips for treatments. This is especially true of cancer patients, bone marrow or organ transplant patients and parents of babies in the NICU.

 "In today's economy, fuel and lodging expenses can place a heavy burden on families. In three distinct buildings, the Walsh Family Village provides families a low-cost option, along with the compassionate care Avera is known for," said Fred Slunecka, Avera McKennan regional president.