Riverside Heart Ball secures record $815,000: mental health services set to expand

Riverside Healthcare netted a record $815,000 at its biennial Heart Ball on Saturday, March 7, money earmarked to expand local inpatient mental health services. The haul arrives as communities across the region report growing demand for behavioral-health care, making the funds immediately relevant to patients and families who face limited treatment capacity.

Themed “Roaring Riverside,” the gala at the Tinley Park Convention Center drew roughly 1,300 guests for an evening of dining, dancing and philanthropy designed to support the hospital’s next capital project.

Record gifts and a new sponsor level

For the first time, the Heart Ball introduced a $50,000 Diamond Sponsor tier — and two benefactors reached that mark. One $50,000 contribution combined personal and professional gifts from several local physicians: a personal pledge by neurosurgeon Dr. Juan Jimenez, together with orthopedic surgeon Dr. Didi Omiyi and interventional radiologists Drs. Saud Ahmed and Shamit Desai of Gotham Medical. The other Diamond-level donation came from Midwestern University, Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine, Riverside’s academic partner.

The total raised — the largest in the event’s history — will go toward the expansion of Riverside’s inpatient behavioral health services, a priority project for the hospital.

What the expansion means

The new work is already underway on the second floor of Riverside Medical Center. Hospital leaders say the expansion will increase the center’s ability to treat patients with acute behavioral-health needs, easing pressure on emergency services and outpatient clinics that often struggle with high demand.

While specifics about new bed counts or program timelines have not been released, the infusion of community funds reduces the financial gap for construction and program development at a time when mental-health capacity is a critical issue for many suburban hospitals.

• Amount raised: $815,000 (record for the Heart Ball)
• Date: Saturday, March 7
• Attendance: About 1,300 guests
• Primary purpose: Expansion of the Inpatient Behavioral Health Unit
• Historic donors: Two $50,000 Diamond Sponsors — a group of physicians including Dr. Juan Jimenez, Dr. Didi Omiyi, Dr. Saud Ahmed and Dr. Shamit Desai; and Midwestern University, Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Community honors: Good Heart Award presented to Jeff and Kim Bennett and Ron McColly

Riverside President and CEO Phil Kambic recognized several community leaders during the program, presenting the Good Heart Award to Jeff and Kim Bennett and to Ron McColly for their long-standing support of the hospital and local initiatives. Kambic described the honorees as examples of the civic engagement the nonprofit relies upon.

Organizers framed the Heart Ball’s success as more than a fundraising milestone: it’s a step toward expanding regional behavioral-health capacity at a time when demand is rising and inpatient options remain limited. Hospital officials say the foundation will continue to coordinate philanthropic support as construction and program planning proceed.