The Saint Louis University-Sacred Heart Medical Center (SLU-SHMC) celebrated its 49th Foundation Anniversary on 8 May 2026 with the theme, “SLU-SHMC: Bridging 49 Years of Sustainable Healthcare to a Golden 50.”
The celebration began with a Eucharistic Celebration at the SHMC 3rd Floor Main Lobby presided by University President Rev. Fr. Gilbert B. Sales, CICM, PhD, together with SLU Parish Priest and SLU Vice President for Mission and Identity Rev. Fr. Emery Ebumea Mwako, CICM, Parochial Vicar and SHMC Hospital Chaplain Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Enjang Pranatal, CICM, and Rev. Fr. Frans Fandy Palinoan.
In his homily, Rev. Fr. Sales stated, “It (the foundation anniversary) is not just a celebration of time. It is a celebration of a mission that has been lived faithfully day by day.” He further addressed how the hospital staff, in line with the gospel, constantly practice love in action through their work, just as Jesus Christ did.
The inauguration of SLU-SHMC’s new facilities and equipment then proceeded. Among these were the Cardiovascular Surgery Operating Room (OR), otherwise called the Open Heart Surgery Theatre, a milestone that reflects our continuing commitment to healing, innovation, and compassionate care specifically for heart and lung surgeries. This new facility allows us to serve more patients with advanced cardiac care closer to home, giving hope and healing to countless families in our community. The said Surgery Theatre is fully equipped with open-heart and lung machines, and the new Electroencephalogram (EEG) Unit for detecting brainwaves to diagnose conditions.
The other state-of-the-art facilities are the Ophthalmology OR for eye and visual system surgeries; the Christ Inspired Care for the Marginalized (CICM) Unit, which is a meaningful initiative inspired by the mission and compassion of the CICM for charity-oriented care; and the Apheresis Unit, designed for separating blood components, either to eliminate diseased elements from patients (therapeutic apheresis) or to gather specific components for donations.
Reflecting on the recent inauguration, Fr. Sales said, “These wards are dedicated to providing excellent care, dignity, and compassionate support to our indigent patients, ensuring that quality healthcare reaches those who need it most.”
Afterward, the Foundation Day Program at the Fr. Theophile Verbist Hall began.
On behalf of Medical Center Chief Dr. Paul Adlai B. Quitquit, Hospital Administrator Dr. Myrna Morallos-Espiritu gave the welcome remarks. She remarked, “As we move forward to our golden jubilee, let us continue bridging the past and future with innovation, sustainability, and above all, a heart that truly cares.”
The program featured intermission numbers by the resident doctors and staff from the various units of SLU-SHMC.
Furthermore, the 1st Clinical InnovatiOlympics Awards of SLU-SHMC was then spearheaded by the SHMC Total Quality Management Committee. It aimed to bridge daily practice challenges with evidence-based quality improvement initiatives. The following initiatives were awarded:
- Gold: “Ctrl + Save: Streamlining NSPOs Reports Through Smart Data Management System”
- Silver: “Improving Patient Understanding and Experience: A Quality Improvement Initiative Of Digital Video-based Admission Orientation”
- Bronze: “Sparks 2.0: Signage to Promote Awareness, Readiness, and Keeping Patients Safe”
Other activities in line with the Foundation Anniversary ensued, including a coffee table book launch by Dr. Jason Roy M. Bacani, Chief of Clinics and Head of the Professional Medical Services; and the Free Blood Typing Activity, initiated by the SHMC Laboratory Department, for emergency preparedness, safe blood transfusion, and pregnancy planning.
To formally close the program, Dr. Bacani said, “A hospital, much like a human body, is a masterpiece of interconnected parts working together for one purpose, and that is life…Like a human body, growth never truly ends. We continue to evolve, adapt, strengthen, and heal. And as we prepare to celebrate this golden anniversary, we also prepare for the next heartbeat, the next chapter, and the next 50 years.”
SLU-SHMC’s commemoration of its 49th Foundation Anniversary showcased the hospital staff’s excellence through their innovations and quality improvement projects in the 1st Clinical InnovatiOlympics Awards. The celebration further elaborated on how SLU-SHMC has stood the test of time through the hospital staff’s commitment and dedication to providing quality healthcare.
The program aligned with advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: Good Health and Well-Being (SDG 3), Fostering Work and Growth Opportunities (SDG 8), and Strengthening Partnerships Towards Shared Goals (SDG 17). (Article by Guenne Gabriel Patano | Photos by Kathleen Therese Catingub)
