(Chelsea Update would like to thank Bobby Maldonado for the information in this story.)
St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea announced that Chelsea residents Peter and Patti Feeney will serve as chairs for its 34th Annual Auction, Denim and Diamonds 2019, to be held Friday, May 10 at 6 p.m. at Zingerman’s Cornman Farms in Dexter.
“Peter and Patti are long-time supporters of our hospital and have already brought a tremendous amount of energy to the planning of this year’s auction,” said Judy Stratman, director of development at St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea. “We look forward to their continued contributions as we work together to bring hope and healing to the patients we serve.”
Peter Feeney is the managing partner at Chelsea Rhone, a local insurance provider. He received his M.B.A. from the University of Michigan School of Business and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado Boulder.
He is an elected representative on the Chelsea City Council and sits on the boards of Purple Rose Theater, the Chelsea Community Foundation, Chelsea Area Fire Authority, and the Western-Washtenaw Area Value Express bus program.
Patti Feeney, in addition to raising three boys, was a long-time leader with Bible Study Fellowship, an international and interdenominational bible study group, and Deaconess at Immanuel Bible Church.
In 2011, she was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer. After completing cancer treatment at St. Joe’s Chelsea, she returned to her volunteer work and other activities.
In 2016, Patti was diagnosed again – this time with Stage 4 breast cancer. It was then that she decided to step down from her volunteer activities to focus on treatment and recovery.
Following treatment at St. Joe’s Chelsea, she has no evidence of disease and remains optimistic about her future.
In 2018, she returned to her volunteer work with Bible Study Fellowship and currently serves on the steering committee for the Huron Waterloo Pathway Initiative.
Looking back on her cancer journey Patti Feeney cites Eleanor Roosevelt who said, “We do not have to become heroes overnight. Just a step at a time, meeting each thing that comes up, seeing it as not as dreadful as it appears, discovering that we have the strength to stare it down.”
“I lived that,” she said, finding restoration in faith while walking and contemplating what was ahead. Walking to and from treatment regularly took her through the wooded paths surrounding St. Joe’s Chelsea.
“I am so thankful for the expert care that I received,” she said. “The treatment plan developed by the St. Joe’s medical team provided me with the confidence, hope and vision to survive and press on.”
Proceeds from the 2019 auction will help expand and enhance the hospital’s tree-lined scenic walking paths with additional routes, lighting and signage. These investments will help sustain the campus as a safe haven for fitness and wellness for future patients and their families.
Proceeds will also support the purchase of Digital Breast Tomosynthesis technology, a revolutionary new 3-D screening and diagnostic tool that offers the latest in mammography to detect breast cancer in the earliest, most treatable stages.
“Through our involvement in the auction, Peter and I want to help ensure that all patients have access to the same high-quality care that I received,” she said.
St. Joe’s has provided comprehensive Cancer Services to the Chelsea community since 2014. The cancer center enables local residents to receive a wide range of cancer treatments, from surgery to chemotherapy and radiation all under one roof, close to home.
Patients have access to the latest technology including Cyberknife®, da Vinci® robotics procedures and national research trials. The hospital also offers a variety of cancer classes, events, support groups and other specialty services.
For more information on how to support the auction, please contact Judy Stratman, director of development at St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea, at 734-593-5373 or visit the website at www.stjoeschelsea.org.
