PEORIA, Ill. – A leader in the treatment of childhood cancers and blood diseases celebrates 40 years with OSF Children’s Hospital and the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Peoria this week.
Dr. Kay Saving is Children’s Hospital of Illinois’ director of Medical Services. A childhood cancer survivor herself, Saving says over time, she’s seen tremendous growth in pediatric care for Central Illinois families.
“I was hired by the university, and I was probably about the tenth pediatric sub-specialist that we had, now we have over 120,” Saving says.
Additional specialists translate into better care for pediatric patients closer to home.
“They don’t have to travel to other cities, bigger cities for the majority of the care. We have specialists here to do that. So, there’s a growth in the type of care we can give across all kinds of different medical problems,” Saving says.
“As a respected physician, educator and leader in pediatric hematology/oncology, Dr. Saving has devoted her career to improving the lives of children and supporting families through some of their most challenging moments. Her four decades of dedication, compassion and leadership have left an indelible mark on generations of patients and helped advance pediatric care across Central Illinois and beyond, OSF says.
Dr. Saving helped to develop the pediatric hematology oncology clinic at OSF Children’s Hospital when it opened in 1990, serving as the head of that division. In 2016, she helped establish the Heller Center for Kids with Cancer.
In case you were wondering, Saving’s 40 year milestone isn’t marking her retirement. She says she’s not ready for that yet. But, when the time does come, she says she’ll likely find ways to keep helping Central Illinois’ kids and their families.
Dr. Kay Saving (Photo courtesy of OSF HealthCare-Peoria)
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