by Reading Hospital – Tower Health
Pictured above, from left to right: Olubunmi Ojikutu, Chair, Department of Pediatrics; Katherine Thornton, President, Reading Hospital Foundation; Chad Henne; Brittany Henne; Charles F. Barbera, MD, President and CEO, Reading Hospital; Tony Balistrere, Director of Development, Reading Hospital Foundation; and Suzanne Wenderoth, MD, Executive Vice President, Chief Medical Officer at Tower Health and Reading Hospital.
Chad and Brittany Henne visit patients and families in Pediatrics and NICU.
Reading Hospital’s youngest patients received a surprise visit last week from retired NFL quarterback Chad Henne and his wife, Brittany. The Berks County couple partnered with Reading Hospital Foundation to cheer on patients and staff in the hospital’s Pediatric Department and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
“When I played at the University of Michigan and for the Kansas City Chiefs, we often visited kids in the hospital,” Henne said. “The experience of brightening a child’s day is something that stays with you and it’s something I wanted to do here at home.”
During their visit, the Hennes toured the units, met with the children and their families, and talked sports with young fans. They also allowed patients and staff to try on Henne’s 2020 and 2023 Super Bowl Rings from his time with the Kansas City Chiefs.
“To see the joy on the children’s faces was really remarkable,” said Olubunmi Ojikutu, MD, Chair, Department of Pediatrics at Reading Hospital. “It’s not every day you get to try on a Super Bowl ring. That is something the kids will remember forever.”
Henne also took time to offer advice to patients, including an aspiring athlete who plays football for the Governor Mifflin Mustangs – a longtime rival of Henne’s Wilson Bulldogs. Henne shared that he played multiple positions before ultimately landing at quarterback. He told him that the sport takes dedication and hard work, but it is worth it as long as you are having fun. Henne, who is now on the Wilson football coaching staff, and the young player promised to look for each other on the sidelines next season.
“We appreciate Chad and Brittany visiting our patients and recognizing the hard work and dedication of our incredible team members,” Katherine Thornton, President of Reading Hospital Foundation, said.
Reading Hospital is the flagship, Magnet Recognized, acute care hospital of Tower Health. Located in West Reading, Reading Hospital is a 697-bed hospital that is home to many top-tier specialty care centers, including Reading HealthPlex, McGlinn Cancer Institute, Miller Regional Heart Center, Emergency Department, Level I Trauma Center, and Beginnings Maternity Center, which houses the region’s only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). With more than 1,000 physicians, specialists, and advanced practice providers across 49 locations, Reading Hospital has been recognized for its quality outcomes and clinical expertise across service lines. It is listed as one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals for three consecutive years. For more information, visit towerhealth.org.
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