CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital

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Celebrating 100 Years

In 1906, when Dr. John Greene Martin and Monsignor Hubert Cramers sought to establish the first hospital in the southwestern corner of Louisiana, they turned to the Houston-based Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word for help. This dedicated group of sisters agreed to support the project and construction soon began. This would be the congregation’s first expansion outside of Texas.
St. Patrick Sanitarium (later named St. Patrick Hospital) was completed for a cost of $30,000 and was dedicated on March 17, 1908. The facility consisted of a 50-bed hospital with three floors and a basement. From its humble beginnings in a turn-of-the-century brick building at the current site on South Ryan Street, the sisters, doctors, nurses and other staff pioneered technological frontiers as they met the challenges in bringing modern medicine into southwest Louisiana. During its first 40 years, St. Patrick Hospital grew steadily. In those years, the hospital survived hurricanes, graduated more than 100 nurses from its nursing school, and was accredited by the American College of Surgeons. It also added x-ray and lab departments, three operating rooms, and a maternity room. By 1948, the original capacity of the facility had more than doubled to 111 beds. In the decades after World War II, St. Patrick Hospital grew rapidly, primarily due to the giant strides in medical technology and the post-war Baby Boom. The hospital continued to expand and diversify its services. As the hospital developed greater sophistication in medical services, fewer and fewer serious cases had to be referred to the large urban medical centers. In the 1950s, schools of medical radiology and medical technology were opened. New additions increased the number of patient beds to 150 by 1966, and to 267 by 1971. During the 1970s, radiation therapy and renal dialysis services began, and the first open-heart surgery was performed in 1976. Another new wing added in the 1980s raised the hospital’s capacity once again. In the mid-90s, the surgical department was completely renovated, bringing to the region state of the art minimally invasive surgery capabilities.
In the 1980s and 1990s, CHRISTUS St. Patrick continued to add services and facilities, and remained the healthcare leader in Southwest Louisiana. The Regional Heart Center, the Gastrointestinal/ Pulmonary Laboratory, the Regional Cancer Center, and the Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery are just a few of the high-tech centers of excellence that are available to care for the needs of the community in and around the Lake Charles area.
The hospital has also reached out beyond its walls to spread its unique approach to healthcare throughout the region. The acquisition of GiGi’s Fitness Centers expanded the hospital’s focus on prevention and wellness. In 1995, the first School Based Health Center opened in Washington Marion High School, the first of five centers, which have helped over 10,000 local children, from pre-kindergarten through high school, stay healthy and focused on learning. From a nationally-recognized cardiac team to the latest technological expansions in oncology and radiology, CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital is constantly moving forward. The sisters, physicians and staff at CHRISTUS St. Patrick have adapted and improved over the past 100 years, always embracing technology and services that benefit individuals and the community. That commitment to Southwest Louisiana will only grow stronger.
Dr. John Greene Martin
From its name to its mission, Dr. John Greene Martin played a vital role not only in opening St. Patrick Hospital, but also in making it what it is today. Dr. Martin was born on December 18, 1863, in Dublin, Ireland. In 1885 he majored in medicine at the Royal University of Ireland, served an internship at Mercer Hospital, Dublin, and, in 1889, came to America to spend one year at Dartmouth, from which he graduated in 1890, coming to Southwest Louisiana later that same year. He visited Sydney, Australia, and in 1889 married Miss Lydia Smith, and returned to the U.S., coming to Southwest Louisiana in 1890.
In Lake Charles, Dr. Martin became a distinguished physician and surgeon, known for kindness and attention to duty and was held in high esteem by all. Although he had many accomplishments and served in many prominent positions throughout his medical career, including serving as president of the Lake Charles City Board of Health and on the State Board of Medical Examiners, the accomplishment he is most noted for is his work in furthering the hospital movement in Lake Charles. After many health scares and epidemics, it was obvious that there was a true need for a hospital. Dr. Martin worked tirelessly, along with Monsignor Hubert Cramers of Immaculate Conception Church, to help establish a local healthcare facility that could effectively care for the sick and injured in the community. Finally, in March of 1908 their hard work paid off, the construction of St. Patrick Sanitarium was complete. Dr. Martin requested “that the infant be called Pat after the great missionary to old Ireland.” And so St. Patrick’s Hospital was born. He performed the first major operation at St. Patrick’s, the removal of a fibroid tumor and appendectomy, with Dr. Jeff Miller of New Orleans assisting. This operation occurred the day the hospital was dedicated and officially opened to the public—March 17, 1908—St. Patrick’s Day. On November 29, 1936, Dr. Martin died in St. Patrick’s Hospital where he had been a staff member for many years and after 48 years of service to humanity. It was in the hospital’s welcome address, Dr. John Greene Martin said, “We hope this institution will grow in size and usefulness as years roll by, and that it will prove a boon not only to us, but to our children and our children’s children. That St. Patrick may flourish, that it may enjoy peace and prosperity, and that it may have a long career of usefulness is the earnest prayer of the medical profession of your town.” Looking back on the 100 years of St. Patrick Hospital’s history, it seems his hope has become a reality that continues to grow and flourish with each passing year.

Monsignor Hubert Cramers Monsignor Hubert Cramers, Pastor of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church from 1902-1935, was instrumental in the establishment of St. Patrick Hospital. He negotiated with Mother Mary Columba, Superior General, Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word in Houston, Texas, to own and operate St. Patrick Sanitarium from the very beginning. Monsignor Cramers, along with Dr. John Green Martin, are affectionately considered the founding fathers of St. Patrick Hospital. Monsignor Cramers died on August 10, 1935. By a special dispensation from the Vatican, he was buried beneath the floor of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, in front of the sanctuary where he spent so many devoted hours.

St. Patrick Hospital Becomes a Beacon of Hope On three separate occasions, St. Patrick Hospital heard the calls for help and relief from those affected by Hurricanes Audrey, Katrina, and Rita. Teamwork and generous support from the courageous associates, physicians and volunteers of St. Patrick Hospital resulted in well-organized disaster relief efforts. Many provided emergency and surgical treatments, gave out food and clothing to families, stabilized and transferred patients to other communities, manned hospitality centers, worked in local shelters, assisted in furnishing and stocking apartments for evacuees, provided transportations between the hospitals, shelters and airports or just held a hand and sat and listened. No matter what the encounter, the St. Patrick Team worked together to find solutions during these terribly difficult and trying times. Times to remember… Hurricane Audrey slammed into the Gulf Coast south of Lake Charles on June 27, 1957, submerging communities and causing many to flee for their lives. Due to the lack of clean drinking water, the National Guard was not able to set up a working hospital in Cameron. As a result, hurricane victims were taken to St. Patrick Hospital, and for three days straight the hospital’s doctors and nurses cared for and saved many lives of the victims, treating 500 people in just the first 24 hours. Thomas Hugh DeLaureal, M.D., was in the emergency room when the fist Hurricane Audrey victims started arriving, he was quoted as saying, “The storm just washed out everything south of here. They came by boat or any way they could,” recalled Dr. DeLaureal in a 1998 interview. He passed away in 2006. “They came in with only the shirts and dresses on their backs.” Damages from Hurricane Audrey were estimated at $1 billion and the loss of life was over 425. Hurricane Katrina struck the Louisiana and Mississippi coasts the morning of August 29, 2005. A category 3 hurricane; Katrina’s storm surge caused severe damage along the Gulf Coast, devastating a number of Mississippi cities and causing nearly every levee in metro New Orleans to break, flooding the city and neighboring parishes for weeks. Fatalities were over 1,830 and damages were estimated at over 85 billion dollars. Nearly three days after the storm made landfall, survivors began arriving in Lake Charles by way of airplanes, buses, ambulances and private vehicles; all seeking much needed medical care. Once again, the physicians, associates and volunteers of St. Patrick Hospital worked together as a team around the clock providing medical treatment and assistance to hundreds of storm survivors and evacuees. Hurricane Rita hit the Southwest Louisiana coast on September 24, 2005. As this massive storm approached Lake Charles, 200 patients occupied the hospital. But with the quick and effective actions of the hospital staff, all but a handful were able to be evacuated to safer regions. Patients who were not able to leave the hospital rode out the storm with a dedicated group of doctors, nurses, and sisters always at their sides. The remaining patients were airlifted to safety when the hurricane passed. But the hard work was far from over. The staff kicked into high gear, caring for the injured and sick despite the constant heat and lack of running water. CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital admitted and treated several hundred patients who were suffering from heat exhaustion, injuries, lack of medicine, and a variety of other medical problems. The hospital became a beacon of hope and the emergency treatment center for the entire region during the weeks and months following the storm.

Volunteers Fill Special Needs For more than half a century, the volunteers of St. Patrick Hospital have extended a helping hand to patients, guests and employees. It all began on August 23, 1950, as a group of eight local women met in the home of Mrs. Ben Goldsmith for the purpose of forming a special organization that would assist both patients and hospitals. With the creation of the St. Patrick Hospital Auxiliary, the professional staff was now aided with many extra services intended to add to the comfort, care and happiness of the patient.
Nearly 60 years later a force of almost 100 volunteers donate countless hours of their own time, helping and supporting the hospital in various ways. These talented men, women and students play a critical role in St. Patrick Hospital’s commitment to delivering high quality patient care. Over the years, the volunteers have worked together on Christmas tree projects, bake sales, annual fund drives, and gift shop sales, raising thousands of dollars for much needed hospital equipment and nursing scholarships.
To learn more about volunteer opportunities at CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital, call (337) 491-7183.