A sculpture called "Healing Hands" is dedicated Nov. 7, 2024, outside the Bellin Health Surgery & Specialty Center in Ashwaubenon. It pays tribute to Dr. Mark Reinke, a Bellin surgeon who died of cancer in 2013. PC: Fox 11 Online
ASHWAUBENON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — A sculpture paying tribute to a late surgeon was dedicated Thursday outside the Bellin Health Surgery & Specialty Center in Ashwaubenon.
Dr. Mark Reinke died in 2013 at the age of 57 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. Reinke — who was an Air Force pilot before becoming an ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgeon at Bellin Health — was survived by his wife of 27 years, Kathy, and their five children.
Kathy and her now-husband of six years, Joe Nemmers, donated the “Healing Hands” sculpture through The Bellin Health Foundation as a way to memorialize Reinke.
“Like Kathy, I was also widowed, and I did some things the last five years to honor my late wife, and Kathy helped me with those, and she was inspired by that and she wanted to do something for Mark,” Joe explained.
It’s been five years in the making, with the COVID-19 pandemic and other hurdles derailing the project several times.
Joe and Kathy commissioned De Pere metal artist David Windey to create the sculpture. He spent more than 1,500 hours building the piece, which stands 15 feet tall and weighs about 1,800 pounds. The hands themselves are each 10 feet tall and weigh about 300 pounds.
The sculpture won’t rust or weather because it’s made with polished aluminum and powder coated with a special paint.
“Healing Hands” is one of the larger projects Windey has taken on, and it was his first time ever sculpting hands. He said it was important to him to make the piece special — especially because Reinke had performed surgeries on Windey’s wife and his two children.
“It was an honor, but it was even more of an honor once I got to read his memoirs and got really personally involved with Mark and his family, where it really brought it home, where I wanted to do my best and knock this one out of the park, to inspire people,” Windey said.
Two of Reinke’s daughters, who have similar hands to their father, modeled their hands for Windey to help him make the sculpture as accurate as possible.
It was complicated and difficult to do. Getting two hands symmetrically even and getting the detail and getting it realistic looking was a big challenge.
Chris Woleske, executive vice president of the Bellin and Gundersen Health System and president of the Bellin Region, said Reinke’s legacy is symbolized in the “Healing Hands” sculpture.
“I had the privilege of knowing Mark for many, many years. He was a colleague, he was a friend, he was a leader and a gifted and compassionate surgeon who truly helped to ease the way for his patients,” said Woleske. “When I look at this amazing sculpture, I think of Mark and the way his skilled surgeon hands not only helped to heal patients’ bodies, but also he reached out to them personally, spiritually, in a way that inspired and reflected his faith, hope and love.”
In addition to the sculpture, Joe and Kathy made an additional commitment to support the Bellin Health Surgery & Specialty Center by naming the Ear, Nose & Throat Clinic after Reinke.
Kathy hopes the sculpture and the clinic in her late husband’s name inspire everyone who walks through the facility’s doors.
“The concept of sculpting this beautiful piece of art is just so inspiring for both patients, employees, providers and family care providers,” Kathy said. “Utilizing your hands to bring health and healing to the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of the entire person is like what Mark did here during his time on Earth.”
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