Tree of Lights campaign underway at OSF Saint Clare in Princeton

The OSF HealthCare Saint Clare Medical Center Tree of Lights campaign in Princeton is underway.

A donation to the Tree of Lights is a unique way to express appreciation to honor loved ones, friends, teachers and others, OSF said in a news release.

Since 1990, more than $128,000 has been raised and donated to the hospital for needed equipment. This year, the Tree of Lights campaign has pledged to purchase a variety of urology surgical scopes for the OSF Saint Clare outpatient surgical department.

As the population ages, the demand for urological care is increasing, with more patients facing issues like prostate enlargement, cancer, incontinence, impotence and infertility. Currently, St. Clare handles an average of 10 cases per day.

Urology surgeries typically last one hour or less, but the sterilization process for scopes can take up to two hours. By acquiring additional scopes, St. Clare can significantly increase its capacity to serve more patients effectively. This will allow St. Clare to meet the growing needs of its community and provide timely care to those who need it.

Donations can be mailed or dropped off to Saint Clare in the gift shop when open or at the registration desks near the Emergency Department entrance. Checks can be made payable to OSF HealthCare Foundation.