HR0949 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0949 LRB102 29070 MST 40979 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate Patricia Johnson, M.D. on receiving the 2022 Rural Physician Lifetime of Service Award from the Illinois Rural Health Association; and

WHEREAS, One of the biggest healthcare challenges across our nation is the shortage of physicians who practice in rural settings, especially oncologists; and

WHEREAS, After receiving doctoral degrees in both philosophy and microbiology from the University of Illinois in 1974, Dr. Johnson earned her medical degree from Rush Medical College in 1977; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Johnson completed her residency in internal medicine at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Hospital in 1980 and her fellowship there in oncology in 1982; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Johnson has been serving patients in central Illinois since 1982 when she began her work with Carle; and

WHEREAS, Since 1991, Dr. Johnson has provided oncology services to Gibson Area Hospital and Health Systems, where she has treated several generations of many families; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Johnson has made treating rural cancer patients a top priority and feels it is important for them not to have to travel far for specialty care during their most challenging times; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Johnson also serves as the medical director of Iroquois Memorial Hospice; and

WHEREAS, In addition to patient care, Dr. Johnson has held various leadership positions with the American Cancer Society, the Carle Foundation, and the Mills Breast Cancer Institute; and

WHEREAS, Since 1982, Dr. Johnson has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, where she has trained hundreds of medical students to offer exceptional patient care; and

WHEREAS, In her "free time", Dr. Johnson and her husband can be found on the dance floor, displaying their ballroom dance moves; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Patricia Johnson, M.D. on receiving the 2022 Rural Physician Lifetime of Service Award from the Illinois Rural Health Association and commend her for her compassion and dedication to her patients and for filling such a tremendous void in rural medicine over the past 40 years in central Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Dr. Johnson as a symbol of our respect and esteem.