MAYWOOD, IL – On November 14, Loyola Medicine dedicated the Nancy W. Knowles Orthopaedic Institute honoring an eight-figure gift from the late Nancy W. Knowles to support orthopaedic care, research and education. Mrs. Knowles had a 40-year relationship with Loyola Medicine, which she entrusted with her care. She was also a member of the Loyola University Medical Center Board of Directors.
The Nancy W. Knowles Orthopaedic Institute focuses on the diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and prevention of musculoskeletal injuries and disorders. It will embody the compassion and generosity of its namesake. Mrs. Knowles committed to establishing the Knowles Orthopaedic Institute before her passing in 2017 at age 86.
When receiving the Sword of Loyola in 2008, Mrs. Knowles stated, “It’s a joy to be generous with Loyola. They take a life that is in a significant trauma and they turn it around and make it well. How can you not be involved with that?” The Sword of Loyola is conferred upon an individual who holds the spiritual qualities associated with St. Ignatius of Loyola: courage, dedication and service.
“We are deeply grateful for this generous gift and feel privileged to honor Nancy with this institute in her name. Her life exemplified Loyola Medicine’s core value of integrity. The Nancy W. Knowles Orthopaedic Institute enables us to continue prioritizing people in everything we do,” said Shawn Vincent, president and CEO of Loyola Medicine.
Mrs. Knowles was the daughter of Fred Knowles, MD, a pioneering orthopaedic surgeon whose inventions included the Knowles pin, which served as a basis for modern-day implants and changed the future of orthopaedic surgery. She too was a pioneer and her professional life included several leadership roles as a director of CellCeuticals Skin Care, Inc. as well as several positions within Knowles Electronics, Inc., including chairperson. Knowles Electronics was founded by her husband Hugh, to whom she was married from 1979 until his death in 1988.
“It was an honor to spend time with Mrs. Knowles. We look forward to continuing her legacy through the Nancy W. Knowles Orthopaedic Institute. Mrs. Knowles’s passion for health care and dedication to supporting her community was profound,” said Alexander J. Ghanayem, MD, FAOA, Dr. William M. Scholl Professor and Chair of Loyola Medicine’s Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation. “Currently 24% of Loyola’s orthopaedic residents are women, nearly twice the national average. We are proud of this and I know this would please Mrs. Knowles.”
The Nancy W. Knowles Orthopaedic Institute focuses on advancing exceptional patient care in areas aligned with her interests and passion:
- Innovating and Thought Leadership: through the Fred Knowles, MD, Orthopaedic Symposium and the Nancy W. Knowles Directorship in Orthopaedic Trauma. The Fred Knowles, MD, Orthopaedic Symposium is a forum to present innovations, cost containment and improved access to orthopaedic care and includes the Fred Knowles, MD, Prize for Orthopaedic Innovation. The Nancy W. Knowles Directorship in Orthopaedic Trauma is an endowment to support scholarly and educational interests and interdepartmental partnerships with other surgical subspecialties.
- Accelerating Nursing Excellence: by making Loyola a destination for advanced practice nurses specializing in orthopaedics and the continuing education courses required for certifications through the National Association of Orthopaedic Nurses and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
- Advancing Knowledge through Research: providing investment in the research enterprise for junior and senior investigators, as well as supporting medical students and residents. The Nancy W. Knowles Student Research Awards support orthopaedic research as part of the medical school’s Student Training in Approaches to Research (STAR) program at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.
- Training the Next Generation: through an inclusive environment that encourages diversity and opportunity, the Knowles Institute funds education and training programs including Loyola’s orthopaedic surgery residency program. The residency program provides resident physicians with high-quality training and education, encouraging innovation and creativity.
- The Knowles Art Gallery: In addition to orthopaedics, Dr. Knowles had a passion for painting. The art gallery, located on Loyola’s Maywood campus, displays Dr. Knowles’ work and hosts rotating exhibits of works by Loyola faculty, staff and students.
The Nancy W. Knowles Orthopaedic Institute enables Loyola Medicine to maintain its nationally recognized expertise in diagnosing and treating a broad range of orthopaedic conditions.
In 2023, Loyola was named to Becker’s Healthcare’s list of 100 Hospitals and Health Systems with Great Orthopaedic Programs.
Photos from the dedication: https://trinityhealth.canto.com/b/MSE8A
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About Loyola Medicine
Loyola Medicine, a member of Trinity Health, is a nationally ranked academic, quaternary care system based in Chicago’s western suburbs. The three-hospital system includes Loyola University Medical Center (LUMC), Gottlieb Memorial Hospital, MacNeal Hospital, as well as convenient locations offering primary care, specialty care and immediate care services from nearly 2,000 physicians throughout Cook, Will and DuPage counties. LUMC is a 547-licensed-bed hospital in Maywood that includes the William G. and Mary A. Ryan Center for Heart & Vascular Medicine, the Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, the John L. Keeley, MD, Emergency Department, a Level 1 trauma center, Illinois’s largest burn center, the Nancy W. Knowles Orthopaedic Institute, a certified comprehensive stroke center, transplant center and a children’s hospital. Having delivered compassionate care for over 50 years, Loyola also trains the next generation of caregivers through its academic affiliation with Loyola University Chicago’s Stritch School of Medicine and Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing. Established in 1961, Gottlieb Memorial Hospital is a 247-licensed-bed community hospital in Melrose Park that includes the Judd A. Weinberg Emergency Department, the Loyola Center for Metabolic Surgery and Bariatric Care, Loyola Cancer Care & Research at the Marjorie G. Weinberg Cancer Center, acute rehabilitation, a transitional care center, childcare center and fitness center. MacNeal Hospital is a 374-licensed-bed teaching hospital in Berwyn with advanced medical, surgical and psychiatric services and a 68-bed behavioral health program.
For more information, visit loyolamedicine.org. You can also follow Loyola Medicine on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or X (formerly known as Twitter).
About Trinity Health
Trinity Health is one of the largest not-for-profit, faith-based health care systems in the nation. It is a family of 127,000 colleagues and more than 38,300 physicians and clinicians caring for diverse communities across 26 states. Nationally recognized for care and experience, the Trinity Health system includes 93 hospitals, 107 continuing care locations, the second largest PACE program in the country, 142 urgent care locations and many other health and well-being services. In fiscal year 2024, the Livonia, Michigan-based health system invested $1.3 billion in its communities in the form of charity care and other community benefit programs. For more information, visit us at www.trinity-health.org, or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and X (formerly known as Twitter).
