WGN-TV's Patrick Elwood To Be Honored At LCMH Crystal Heart Ball

EVERGREEN PARK, IL — Since 2012, WGN-TV’s Patrick Elwood has served as master of ceremonies of Little Company of Mary Hospital Foundation’s Crystal Heart Ball fundraising gala. Now, Elwood will be the belle of the ball when he is honored with the Venerable Mary Potter Humanitarian Award on Feb. 1, 2020.

The foundation’s highest honor, the award recognizes individuals whose personal and professional accomplishes embody the ideas, vision and mission of the Venerable Mary Potter, who found Little Company of Mary Hospital in 1877. Past recipients have included neighbors, who, after suffering tragic losses went on to create foundations dedicated to pediatric cancer research or endeavored to enhance the quality of life for cancer patients and their families.

Elwood is an LCMH baby alum. He is currently a general assignment reporter for WGN-TV since 2013. Prior to joining WGN-TV, Elwood worked for major TV and radio stations in Houston, Corpus Christi, Oklahoma City and Milwaukee before returning to his hometown of Chicago. Some of his career highlights include the coverage of the White Sox World Series, two Blackhawks Championships, the Bears Super Bowl and the Oklahoma City Bombing, for which he earned a Peabody Award.

Elwood earned his degree at the University of Texas at Austin and lives in Evergreen Park with his wife, Katie, where they have raised four children. While Elwood is well known for his work reporting on TV news, he credits his biggest accomplishment as the work he’s done with the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, in which he, along with thousands of Chicago school kids, has raised more than $12 million for pediatric cancer research.

Recently, Elwood and his wife helped to form RE;ACT in the wake of his nephew’s suicide, to help first responders coping with PTSD. RE;ACT is the Lt. Ryan Elwood; Awareness, Counseling and Training Fund for first responders in need of mental health and emotional assistance. The fund supports continual awareness and counseling at the Illinois Fire Institute.

The LCMH Foundation Crystal Heart Ball is set for Feb. 1, 2020 at the Field Museum of Natural History. Each year, the ball showcases individuals and organizations for their outstanding accomplishments and service. Proceeds from the 30th annual Crystal Heart Ball will benefit the Emergency Department Modernization Project at LCMH. Groundbreaking took place in August and is slated to take two years go complete. The addition is expected to increase the hospital’s current footprint by 40 percent.