OSF HealthCare unveils ‘Faith’s Closet’ to honor late nurse

In collaboration with the OSF HealthCare Foundation, OSF HealthCare staff came together Tuesday to unveil “Faith’s Closet,” a legacy project remembering Faith McNamara, an emergency department nurse who died of cancer Aug. 10, 2023.

Faith’s Closet will continue McNamara’s legacy by providing clothing to patients in need upon discharge from the ED.

“I can’t tell you how many times Faith would call me from work asking me to bring items for a patient,” Dan McNamara, McNamara’s husband, said in a news release from OSF HealthCare. “This would make her so happy to know that she’s still caring for people in need.”

The project was made possible through the collaborative efforts of OSF HealthCare Saint Elizabeth Medical Center in Ottawa and Peru, OSF Center for Health in Streator, the OSF HealthCare Foundation, donations given to the OSF Foundation by family and friends, and the contribution of artwork from the Open Space Art Gallery & Studio, according to the release.

“The OSF Foundation truly enjoys supporting legacy projects, like ‘Faith’s Closet,’ that benefit our communities,” Cherie Reynolds, director of the OSF Foundation in the Interstate 80 area, said in the release. “In addition, it’s a memorable way to honor those who have made a lasting impact.”

The dedication and blessing of “Faith’s Closet” marks the first of three installations planned for OSF emergency departments across the I-80 region, according to the release.

For more information, email Reynolds at Cherie.R.Reynolds@osfhealthcare.org.