better together
Advocate supporters Nancy Hagen and Andy Tecson
I
demonstrate the power of philanthropic partnership.
f Andy Tecson and Nancy Hagen had never met and
gotten married, they would probably still be admired
for the way they give of themselves to help others
live their best possible lives. Andy would still be sharing
his legal expertise to help not-for-profit organizations
and faith communities build the systems and support
networks they need to fulfill their missions. Nancy would
still be meeting others’ basic human needs, both physical
and spiritual, whether providing food and shelter for the
Chicago law firm distinguished by its commitment to
philanthropy. “My parents taught me the importance of
giving back to the communities you live and work in,
while Nancy’s taught her that we are all citizens of the
broader community of the world.”
If Nancy has enlightened Andy, he has emboldened
her. “Andy’s cheerful and energetic and not afraid of
trying anything,” says Nancy, a one-time accountant
turned social entrepreneur whose many philanthropic
homeless or offering a comforting presence to grieving
children through the Tommy’s Kids program of St.
Thomas Hospice.
Andy and Nancy did meet and marry, however, and
their union helps prove the gestalt theory that the whole
is greater than the sum of its parts. Together they have
provided a temporary home for disadvantaged children
from around the globe who have come to the Chicago
area for medical treatment. They helped a childhood
friend of Andy’s develop and fund an organization—Clarke
Cares—that has bought 20,000 mosquito nets to protect
African villagers from malaria, elephantiasis and other
insect-borne diseases. And they have given generously
of their time, talent and treasure to support Advocate
Christ Medical Center and Advocate Children’s
Hospital—Oak Lawn. Just for starters.
“I’ve really grown in my sense of service thanks to
Nancy,” says Andy, president of Chuhak & Tecson, a
Andy and Nancy's partnership with Advocate Health Care
includes the health law expertise Andy provides to the
system's general counsel, Gail Hasbrouck (left).
10 – healing gifts – Spring 2014
ventures include founding Hope’s Front Door, a Downers
Grove-based ministry that assists community members
in financial crisis. “A sense of having no limitations has
opened up a lot of things in my mind.”
Open minds, open doors
One of the first things it opened up was the couple’s
Downers Grove home. When their sons Luke and
Matthew were young, the Hagen-Tecsons became a
second family to Hector, a boy from Dominican Republic,
following his brain tumor surgery at what is now known
as Advocate Children’s Hospital—Park Ridge. The
family ultimately took in a total of four children at different
times, for periods ranging from six weeks to six months.