Thousands of community members celebrated the 125th anniversary of Lancaster General Hospital during a free, family-friendly event at the Suburban Pavilion Sept. 22.
The celebration showcased Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health’s historic and future commitment to building a healthy community, aligning with our mission of advancing the health and well-being of the communities we serve.
“LG Health’s success is a tribute to the extraordinary vision of our founders and their brave willingness to look beyond our humble beginnings in a North Queen Street row home,” said Jan Bergen, LG Health president & CEO. “We are proud to celebrate this occasion with the community.”
The celebration kicked off with an employee preview hour, where LG Health employees and their families had the opportunity to participate in activities prior to the event opening to the public.
Nearly 200 LG Health employees and volunteers welcomed attendees throughout the day-long celebration. Two large tents, totaling more than 17,700 square feet, housed various interactive displays that provided entertaining and educational health information for adults and children alike.
Adult attendees participated in brain wellness activities, including memory games and balance screenings, diabetes assessments, heart health activities, learned about cancer prevention and an interactive photo mural.
A 40-foot display in the center of one tent featured an LG Health historical timeline and medical artifacts from the Edward Hand Medical Heritage Foundation. Previously housed at Lancaster General Hospital, the display included an iron lung, 19th century surgical instruments, antique exam table and wooden wheelchair.
In the children’s tent, an “unplug and play” soccer drill station, which encouraged children to put down their electronics and participate in physical play, offered a free mini-soccer ball to take home. Families also learned about the body from the inside out, by walking through the MEGA Body, a 50-foot inflatable model of a human body. Other activities included learning how to grow strong bones by building a skeleton snack, practicing effective hand-washing techniques, understanding vaping risks through an interactive lung display, and a selfie souvenir station.
“When we share wellness best practices, tools and resources with our community, they become active participants in their overall health, which empowers them to implement prevention techniques and select those care services that meet their needs,” Bergen said.
Discover more about Lancaster General Hospital’s 125th anniversary by visiting LGHealth.org/125.