Winter 2014

Winter 2014

ALSO INSIDE: Huck’s Visionary Planned Gift A Cattleman’s Surprise Cardiac Surgery’s 25th Anniversary Project Independence Benefactors

One Great House, Two Great Causes for Kids Newspapers hailed Blairsden as a feat of design and engineering when it opened in 1903 as the Peapack Gladstone home of financier C. Ledyard Blair. This spring, the Women’s Association will open its bronze entry doors to the public as the 17th Mansion in May Designer Show House and Gardens. The five-story, 62,000-square-foot Louis XIV Château-style mansion is the masterpiece of architects Carrère and Hastings of New York Public Library fame. Built for an estimated $1.2 million, the mansion would cost roughly $62 million if constructed today. Proceeds from the month-long fundraiser will help to fund an expansion of the Joan and Edward Foley Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and the Vanech Pediatric Inpatient Unit, as well as a new Autism center.

To volunteer and purchase tickets, visit mansioninmay.org.

Photo: Courtesy of Turpin Real Estate, Inc.

Photo: Becky Bedrosian

Q&A

with the

Head and Neck Cancer Team

Photo: Sal Benedetto

In response to a dramatic increase in head and neck cancer diagnoses nationwide, Leonard B. Kahn recently donated $3 million to establish a Head and Neck Cancer Institute that bears his name, at Carol G. Simon Cancer Center (see story on page 13).

James R. Wong, MD, founder and medical director of the new institute, which will open this year, along with Erik Cohen, MD, clinical director, and Mona Karim, MD, associate director, discuss the importance of this new program. (l-r) Dr. James Wong, Dr. Erik Cohen, Leonard Kahn, Morristown Medical Center President Dr. David Shulkin and Dr. Mona Karim

A: Dr. Wong We used to see a majority of patients in their 60s and 70s who were excessive drinkers and smokers. It has shifted to an increasing number of healthy nondrinking and nonsmoking 45-to-60-year-old males who develop cancers at the tonsil or at the base of the tongue. These cancers are frequently related to the human papillomavirus (HPV).

There is information in the media and on every prominent teaching hospital’s website speculating HPV-related cancers are mainly contracted through sexually transmitted practices with multiple partners. This may be one cause but there are countless others. I know many of my patients have been devastated by this false stigma and, even worse, now have a spouse questioning their fidelity.

I want to dispel these misunderstandings. Our efforts at the new institute will focus on discovering what else may be causing this phenomenon and exploring new treatment options. Our priority has always been our patients. Cancer

affects the whole family. The relationship between husband and wife and their long-term quality of life are very important to me.

Q: How will you streamline treatment?

A: Dr. Cohen Many major hospitals treat head and neck cancer patients, but not necessarily in a well-integrated head and neck cancer institute.

Our program will focus on the management of our patients as our primary responsibility. We will also deliver the latest and most advanced treatment techniques.

After a diagnosis, a patient navigator will help to set up myriad appointments in a week’s time as our patients need to see a variety of specialists, including surgeons, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, speech therapists, nutritionists, social workers and dentists very quickly.

We want this process as stressfree as possible. The majority of our patients are usually the main breadwinners with young children still at home. From their perspective, they want to receive treatment as soon as possible. It can’t be fast enough.

Q: How will children with head and neck cancers receive treatment?

A: Dr. Karim At the new institute, we will be able to treat a small field of a child’s body with a high dosage of radiation in a short amount of time. This technique, known as radiosurgery, helps to minimize problems with future growth and development.

This treatment is helpful when tumors are in critical areas, such as the brain, head and neck. A child’s organs are also very sensitive. It’s important to be able to restrict the size of the field but still be able to deliver a high dosage.

We are pleased with the fewer side effects and the speedier recovery rates in this highly specialized treatment program. This is an important goal to achieve for everyone and especially for our pediatric patients.

Viewpoint

Q: Who is the typical patient being treated now for head and neck cancer?

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It has been said that ‘we only have what we give.’ Those who spend a lifetime serving others end up with a wealth that is undefinable.

Joann Spera, educational liaison for the Valerie Center at Goryeb, knows this feeling well. For the last 12 years, she has raised money for juvenile diabetes. This year she has switched causes and has nearly reached her goal of raising $15,000 for the Good Neighbor Fund. This fund assists parents with any uncovered expenses incurred while their children are in treatment at the hospital.

“What I have learned is that childhood cancer is not only emotionally challenging for families, but it also becomes a huge financial burden,” says Mrs. Spera.

Joann Spera

Pretty in Pink During the month of October, pink has become the new orange, and everyone knows it’s all about fighting breast cancer, not ghosts and goblins.

Adding to the flashes of pink seen around Morris County this past October were the many skaters at Mennen Arena, in Morris Township. They purchased pink laces at $10 a pair, and the proceeds of $850 went to the Carol W. and Julius A. Rippel Breast Center at the hospital.

“I am hoping to expand the idea next year to include pink gloves and pink T-shirts,” says Moira Colquhoun, vice president of the Skating Club of Morris, who came up with the idea to sponsor the event. “We pinked the rink.”

Cars and Cash for Cancer A simple idea drove home the fact that every business can find a way to raise money for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Precision Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram in Butler made an effort to Drive Out Cancer during the month of October by raising awareness and funds toward this worthy cause. With every new or used car purchased, the dealership set aside a donation and raised $645 for Carol G. Simon Cancer Center.

“I’ve had two hip surgeries at the hospital and my mother-in-law was treated there for leukemia,” says Bruce Wainwright, general manager of the dealership.

“We couldn’t be more pleased with the treatment and care we received.”

Pictured above: (l-r) Precision Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram’s Justin Wainwright, general sales manager; Ziggy Zawistowski, president; and Bruce Wainwright, general manager

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Photo: Becky Bedrosian

FacesinPhilanthropy To plan an event of your own, call Michelle Meszaros at 973-593-2417.

Giving for Good

Michael Lukacs

Worries Whisked Away When young children are being treated for cancer and blood disorders at the hospital, they often feel anxious. A $30,000 gift from Valerie Fund donor Michael Lukacs has taken much of that anxiety away.

A treatment room at the Valerie Center at Goryeb Children’s Hospital has been transformed by a painted boardwalk with sand and starfish underfoot. Bins of needles are tucked out of sight inside new cabinets, and a wall-mounted flat screen television offers hours of enjoyment.

“Their fear has turned into smiles, and treatment is over before they know it,” says Danielle Grabinski, clinical coordinator at the Valerie Center.

Photo: Shelley Kusnetz

Fork Lifting Raises Funds Chef Bryan Gregg knew it would only take a farm, a fantasy and a fork to pull off a five-course fundraiser at his new Montclair restaurant, Escape, this past fall.

The October seating in the Farm-to-Fork Dinner Series – another was planned for January – drew 32 guests, who were treated to fresh preparations from locally grown food sources.

With $60 of each ticket sale going to Carol G. Simon Cancer Center, the event raised nearly $2,000 for the hospital.

“I was treated for testicular cancer at Morristown Medical Center and have been in remission for nine years,” says Chef Gregg. “All of the doctors and staff helped me to stay focused and happy during my year of treatment.”

Chef Bryan Gregg

Finishing Well The same thoughtful care extended to admitted patients is needed to prepare those patients for the transition out of the hospital. Inadequate care coordination upon discharge contributes to unnecessary hospital re-admissions throughout the country.

Cardinal Health Foundation recently awarded a $31,500 grant to Morristown Medical Center for the purchase of a new software program called Engineered Care that will improve the discharge process.

The new software creates discharge instructions that are designed to be easily understood by every patient. Medications, follow-up appointments, and diet and exercise advice are all clearly delineated, making for a successful transition home or to another care facility.

A Bold Statement It may seem surprising but shaving your head speaks volumes of love to a child battling cancer.

This past fall, the Seton Hall Men’s Baseball Team showed this kind of support to pediatric cancer patients at Goryeb Children’s Hospital by staging a “Head Shaving on the Green.” Teammates alerted family and friends to make online donations to the Vs. Cancer Foundation, and more than $1,500 was raised.

The women’s and men’s soccer teams also sold wristbands and sported Vs. Cancer Foundation T-shirts at their games to raise awareness of childhood cancer.

The monies will support the Child Life Program and help fund additional hours for an art therapist to work with pediatric patients at Goryeb.

Christmas All Year Long For the past three years, they arrived without red hats or jingle bells but still delivered a good amount of holiday magic that lasted throughout the year.

Photo: Media Services

Premier Healthcare Exchange, Inc. (PHX) employees have made a tradition of bringing gift cards to patients at Goryeb Children’s Hospital during the holiday season. This past December, they gave cards totaling $1,650 to Child Life, whose specialists handed out some as gifts, purchased new toys with others and saved the rest to give away during the year.

“We are so proud of our employees who are always thinking of others and are grateful to PHX for matching the employee’s gifts,” says Stacey Bray, manager, human resources operations at PHX. (l-r) Julia Nuesch, vice president, Human Resources, PHX; Kathryn Wolff, nurse auditor, PHX; Lisa Ciarrocca, child life coordinator, Goryeb; Kelly Petrozelli, director, recruiting, PHX; and Jamie Chan, nurse auditor, PHX

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FacesinPhilanthropy

Celebrating Community

The five-pour table at Gary’s Grand Tasting

Michael Mullin left, Parsippany Kiwanis Club, with Nancy and Skippy Weinstein

Humor Heals To Always Comfort When finding a cure is not a reasonable option, the most loving act is to relieve suffering.

For this reason, the Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany Foundation donated more than $7,500 from its 17th Annual Grand Tasting to the hospital’s Weinstein Family Inpatient Hospice and Palliative Care Center.

The planned 11-bed unit is intended to help patients find freedom from pain while in hospice and to offer palliative care treatments to help ease discomfort for those with ongoing chronic disease.

Held at the Hanover Manor October 17, the event featured fine wines, gourmet beers, single malts, select spirits and hors d’oeuvres and was sponsored by Liquor Outlet Wine Cellars of Boonton.

To plan an event of your own, call Michelle Meszaros at 973-593-2417.

Comedian and health humorist Joel Weintraub reminded more than 100 seniors that laughter is the best medicine at the 6th Annual Healthy Aging Seminar. Mr. Weintraub discussed how humor can increase energy, improve memory and reduce the incidence of disease.

The event, held at Malcolm Forbes Amphitheater, Morristown Medical Center, was sponsored by Toyota Scion of Morristown and Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. through a donation of $5,000 under Toyota’s Dealer Match Program.

Participants received complimentary blood pressure and glucose screenings and attended a resource fair where 30 local organizations offered information to help ease the aging process.

Golfers Bring Green

Foundation Director Cynthia O’Donnell, Dr. Tom Zaubler and Stewart Massey

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Gathering with friends to taste fine wine and enjoy gourmet food is one way to feel a sense of community; donating to local charities is another. All of this and more took place at Grand Tasting 2013, sponsored by Gary’s Wine and Marketplace, at the Park Avenue Club, Florham Park.

For the past 27 years, this annual event has generated a steady stream of funds for local organizations. This year, $10,000 will be split between Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute and Atlantic Home Care and Hospice.

“It is wonderful that we can share our passion for food and wine with our customers while helping out terrific causes in our neighborhood,” says Gary Fisch, owner of Gary’s Wine and Marketplace.

Golfers at the third annual Massey Quick Charitable Golf Outing this past fall enjoyed a blue sky and a golden opportunity to raise more than $57,000 for the new Head Family Inpatient Psychiatric and Behavioral Health Center at Morristown Medical Center.

More than 85 attendees played an 18-hole round of golf at the Plainfield Country Club and then mingled at a reception and barbecue on the grounds.

“It was a beautiful day of golf and a great opportunity to bring together our clients and other business partners to benefit a very worthy cause,” says Joe Belfatto, partner at Massey Quick, a wealth management and investment consulting firm based in Morristown.

Tough Talk Almost nothing is harder for a physician than telling a patient’s family that their loved one is nearing the end of life.

A $5,000 grant from The Arnold P. Gold Foundation is helping to prepare physicians at Morristown Medical Center with the right words and gestures in these awkward yet necessary conversations.

Recently, 15 surgical residents used role-play scenarios while training in the Difficult Dialogues Program to help them communicate more effectively news that can be painful to hear.

“We are pleased to be equipping our physicians in a way that will connect them with patients and their families on a deeper level,” says Karen Knops, MD, medical director of the Palliative Care Program.

Videotaping medical residents in training

The Magic of Music

Photo: Media Services

Often we hear music as mere background entertainment and don’t recognize the power it has to comfort and heal the injured and sick.

Thanks to the Starlight® Children’s Foundation, a recent gift of $45,270 has given the pediatric patients at Goryeb Children’s Hospital something to sing about. The monies will help sustain the Music Therapy Program in Child Life.

“Music brightens the lives of seriously ill children,” says Lisa Ciarrocca, systems coordinator for Child Life at Goryeb. “I’ve had parents tell me that music therapy played a huge part in making their children feel more comfortable while being hospitalized. It gave them a positive memory at a difficult time.”

Twice as Nice Some philanthropic donations stem from gratitude, while others are made to see a program succeed.

Joan and Richard Guempel gave for both reasons.

Thankful for the relationship between their 13-year-old son, Bret, and Stuart Kaufman, MD, his treating physician, the Holmdel residents donated $10,000 to the Children’s Heart Center at Goryeb. Their son was diagnosed with a heart condition and has been under Dr. Kaufman’s care for more than a decade.

(l-r) Dan Lehrhoff, Foundation trustee; Megan Calabro, music therapist; Michele Hall-Duncan, acting executive director, Starlight® Children’s Foundation; Lisa Ciarrocca, child life coordinator; Kerry Mowry, Foundation corporate and foundation relations officer

The Guempels also honored their parents who had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cancer by giving $30,000 to support respiratory therapists who show care and compassion to those who suffer from these diseases. The monies will go toward three $2,000 scholarships to be given annually for the next five years.

A family of generous donors, committed to nursing excellence, has decided to give even more.

The Sodhani family has awarded annual nursing scholarships since 2008 and now will help to fund a symposium to advance nursing best practices.

The first annual Advanced Practice Nursing Symposium, held in October, provided nursing professionals and students with the latest evidence-based practices in nursing care.

For 2013, the Sodhani Foundation also awarded two $2,500 scholarships and two second-place prizes of $1,000 each. Jonathan P. Hancock, RN, won first place for the Nursing Best Practices Award, and Breann Burkhardt took first place for the Certified Nursing Assistant Advancement Scholarship. Jeanne Silva, RN, and Michelle Hayes placed second in their respective categories.

Photo: Media Services

Photo: Life in Motion Photography

Nursing Education Boosted

(l-r) Jeanne Silva, RN; Jonathan P. Hancock, RN; Vimal and Pappu Sodhani, Michelle Hayes, and Breann Burkhardt.

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Focus on... Autism Sophia spent the first five years of her life speechless.

Now, the 8-year-old looks back on that time and tells her mom the reason she didn’t talk: “It was because I was thinking,” she says.

Sophia, like tens of thousands of other children across the country, is autistic. This special condition is found in children worldwide, across all racial, ethnic and socioeconomic groups. It usually appears before the age of 3 and affects social, communication and behavioral skills. Because it is a spectrum disorder, no two children with autism are exactly alike. It targets one out of every 88 children — one in every 49 in New Jersey — and boys more frequently than girls.

“We have many trained professionals in this state who know the risk factors for autism, which leads to more diagnoses,” says Tara Gleeson, pediatric nurse practitioner for the Child Development Center (CDC) at the hospital. “Another theory for the high diagnosis rate is that New Jersey has a very good reputation for providing services for children with autism. Families, many times, travel here to have their children diagnosed and then relocate to the state because we offer so much more in terms of intervention and counseling than other states.”

Responding to the growing demand for services, Goryeb Children’s Hospital is planning an Autism Center in our medical complex at 435 South Street. The new center will provide medical care and social support for children with autism and their families. A push to raise $2.8 million for construction and staff support is underway.

“The new center will allow us to expand and centralize all autism services,” says Kathleen Selvaggi Fadden, MD, medical director, CDC. “Currently, the CDC handles developmental and behavioral issues of all children. The goal is to create a separate autism program within our CDC to focus specifically on the evaluation and treatment of children on the autism spectrum.”

As expected with a spectrum disorder, some children are mildly impaired by their symptoms while others are severely disabled. Most autistic children, however, seem to struggle with sensory integration difficulties and can easily be overstimulated by too many people in a waiting room or too much visual stimulation. This situation can result in hand flapping, yelling or even aggressive behavior by the autistic child.

“They have difficulty self-regulating and calming themselves down,” says Ms. Gleeson, who holds a doctorate in nursing practice and specializes in neurodevelopmental pediatrics. “If we put them in a waiting room with crying infants or a very active 9-year-old boy with attention deficit disorder, it may create difficulty for a child on the autism spectrum to then enter an exam room and be evaluated. We are striving to give them their own place to make the experience as comfortable as possible.”

The new center will bring visual comfort. All aspects of design and function were evaluated to eliminate bright colors, busy patterns and harsh lighting that can trigger

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confusion and agitation in a child suffering with this spectrum disorder.

Autistic patients will have a separate entrance at the new center and a waiting room all to themselves. There will be private evaluation rooms and a speech therapy room to be used for language skills instruction. A large sensory-based occupational therapy suite will be used to train autistic children in daily living activities, such as eating, dressing themselves and using the toilet.

Common social interactions will also be taught.

Autistic children will learn how to handle sensory input and be coached on social activities that are sometimes impossible for them to master on their own, such as how to attend a birthday party. “They need to watch what they have to do before engaging in a complex social interaction such as this,” says Dr. Fadden. “Apps for autism help these visual learners ‘practice’ a new task.”

Since this disorder can also prove stressful for families, much-needed support groups will be available at

the center, including groups addressing the specific needs of siblings. Information on insurance and school programs will be offered. And transition services will prepare the autistic child for adulthood, easing the burden placed on families seeking the best care and intervention during this launching-off period.

The center’s multidisciplinary approach will help parents navigate the sometimes complex web of services and interventions for their child. The center will provide access to neurodevelopmental pediatricians; pediatric nurse practitioners; child psychologists; speech, occupational and behavioral therapists and social workers who can serve as family navigators. Each personal navigator will assist parents from diagnosis all the way through to the transition of their child into adulthood.

Sophia’s mother Michele S., a parent-liaison to the CDC, knows the importance of this kind of support: “Six years ago there was nothing around when I was trying to figure out why my daughter wasn’t speaking,” she says. “It was

an extremely difficult time for our family. We didn’t know what to do and had no one to guide us or tell us what was going on with her.”

Both Sophia and her younger brother, Lucas, who was also diagnosed four years ago with autism at age 2, have been patients at the CDC for several years.

“It was life-changing for me when my kids met with Tara and began services with the CDC,” says Michele. “She has helped my children tremendously and made me feel like I did everything I could have done. There’s no better feeling than that. I just want every parent of an autistic child to be able to feel this way. This new center will be able to offer that and so much more.”

To help us reach our $2.8 million goal to build the center, please contact Geraldine Kling, major gifts officer, at 973-593-2414 or geraldine.kling@ atlantichealth.org.

Emergency Elder Care a Top Priority

(l-r) Julie Sarinelli, RN, and Charlene Welsh, RN in the Geriatric ED

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Photos: Media Services

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Music therapist Erin Gere

A Refrain from Anxiety In the Emergency Department (ED), anxieties can run high for those ill or injured and their families. To help everyone relax during times of intense trauma, Robert and Debra Conte donated the seed money to launch a pilot program in music therapy for the ED. The Contes expressed a deep gratitude for how hospital staff and physicians handled their son’s skateboarding accident eight years ago. “We wanted to give others a sense of calm when they are waiting for their loved ones to receive treatment,” says Mrs. Conte.

The new program allows for music therapist Erin Gere to play guitar and sing in the hallways of the ED and also in a patient’s room, upon request. Philanthropy is needed to continue this much-appreciated service.

“Diversion is a tool known to help reduce anxiety and pain,” says Mildred Kowalski, RN, PhD. “Music is a unique way to provide this diversion. Erin uses her expertise to observe and identify the type of music best suited in each situation.”

To offer your support for this program, contact Susan Johns, major gifts officer, at 973-593-2413 or susan.johns@atlantichealth.org.

With baby boomers becoming the new ‘silver tsunami’ and swelling the ranks of the elderly at a rate of 10,000 every day, trips to emergency departments are increasing as well.

Thanks to a recent $250,000 gift from The Medicines Company of Parsippany, seniors now have the advantage of highly specialized elder care at our Geriatric Emergency Department (ED) located within the hospital’s ED. The new unit is part of the David and Joan Powell Center for Healthy Aging, a major initiative now underway to advance geriatric medicine at Morristown Medical Center.

The monies will allow for an additional geriatric nurse and geriatric social worker to join a staff of physicians, nurses and support personnel who are trained in geriatric medicine. The new geriatric team can focus solely on the safety and specific needs of elderly patients.

“Many of our elderly patients are struggling with impaired hearing and vision problems while at the same time in a heightened agitated state,” says Jon Sugarman, DNP, APRN, geriatric nurse practitioner. “It’s important to face them directly and calmly explain what is going on and likely to happen next.”

An Exercise in Saving Lives As they say, ‘Practice makes perfect,’ and in this case it may save lives, too. A new training ambulance will help emergency medical technicians hone their skills in the field in scenarios close to what they will encounter on the job.

More than $52,000 has been raised toward the $75,000 fundraising goal, including $25,000 from Mary Lou and Dan Carroll. Longtime donor Barbara Irwin also gave $17,300 toward the new Training Center Simulation Lab that will be retrofitted into an ambulance and driven to EMT training sites throughout Morris County.

The portable simulation lab is complete with child and adult-sized manikins, which will enable students to practice loading and off-loading ‘patients’ from the ambulance in simulated emergency drills.

“With both of our sons being EMT trained at Morristown Medical Center, we know the long hours, dedication and hard work that goes into this experience,” says Mr. Carroll. “The simulation lab will further assist in training students and also help in maintaining competency with clinical staff. When real accidents happen, they will be all the more ready for successful outcomes.”

The Art in Giving

Tine Graham art at Goryeb

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Local artist Tine Kirkland Graham never stops finding creative ways to benefit the hospital. In the last 20 years, she has donated 35 paintings to Goryeb Children’s Hospital, Carol G. Simon Cancer Center and Morristown Medical Center.

She recently held her second Art Show and Sale at the hospital, selling eight pieces of artwork and giving 20 percent of the proceeds to the Women’s Association of Morristown Medical Center.

“I have a long affiliation with the hospital,” says the New Vernon resident. “It’s a happy place where a true feeling of good prevails.”

Years ago, Mrs. Graham would go to Goryeb and draw pastel sketches of the young patients there. She would present them as free gifts to their parents: “I would sketch the children in the playroom bouncing a ball or sitting at the table coloring,” she says. “The parents loved the sketches. It brought them joy during what was usually a very sad time.”

If, like Mrs. Graham, you are interested in donating art, please contact Cynthia W. O’Donnell, JD, director of gift planning, at 973-593-2418 or cynthia.odonnell@atlantichealth.org.

‘Hard Luck’ No More Family Loss Leads To Helping Others Many times, when families find themselves in a health crisis, they realize the value of a support network.

“Being asset rich in terms of family support and having financial confidence meant I never worried about how Kate was going to get to her treatments or who was going to pay the mounting medical bills,” says Greg Poole, who lost his wife this past June to stage IV colon cancer after a 15-month battle with the disease.

Mr. Poole requested donations be made in his wife’s memory to Project Independence. For 25 years, this fund has helped hospital patients with mounting bills due to the sudden onset of a serious illness.

More than $20,000 was recently given to the fund from the Poole family and, in turn, the Foundation has named a room in his wife’s honor on Simon 5, where the 40-year-old mother of two spent the last few weeks of her life.

“It’s humbling,” says Mr. Poole. “Kate was someone who really stood for this kind of community support. Being able to help others in this way would mean a lot to her.”

Twenty-five years ago, the late William E. Simon wanted to help patients at the hospital who fell behind in their bills because of extended periods of illness. He began a fund at the Foundation known as Project Independence.

Since then, more than $6.4 million in one-time grants have helped nearly 2,000 patients. Recently, Foundation trustee Richard P. Diegnan and his wife, Susan, earmarked $100,000 for the fund, and memorial gifts in honor of Foundation trustee George Saunders and his wife, Jeanne, added $28,295.

“It was important for my father to help people who came by what he called hard luck,” says his son J. Peter Simon, chairman of the Foundation board of trustees. “He knew that financial stability went handin-hand with independence, self-esteem and dignity.”

The William. E. Simon Foundation has continued its founder’s legacy, pledging $3.1 million to Project Independence in 2010.

To offer your support, please contact Rosemary Stallone, manager of finance, at 973-593-2421 or rosemary.stallone@atlantichealth.org. f4mmc.org · 11

Photo: Media Services

25th Anniversary Spurs Gifts toward Parr Chair The Cardiovascular Surgery Program is synonymous with one name, Grant Van Siclen Parr, MD, physician-in-chief of Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute and former chief of cardiac surgery. In 1988, he performed the hospital’s first open heart surgery while launching one of the region’s earliest heart programs.

The program grew in stature and was ranked number one in New Jersey for coronary surgery by Castle Connolly Medical Ltd., one of the nation’s most respected health care research and information companies. More recently, it was applauded as a top hospital nationwide for cardiology and heart surgery by U.S. News & World Report.

Trustee Susan Walter and Donor Robert Mast watch Dr. Rolando Rolandelli and his team

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Hospital ‘Show and Tell’ Wows Leaders

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“Watching both a knee and hip replacement will certainly be the highlight of my week,” wrote Anne Rooke, RN, to William Dowling, MD. “Your skilled hands and talented team made a marked impression on me.”

Mrs. Rooke, vice chair of the Atlantic Health System board of trustees and chair of the hospital’s Advisory Board, participated in a Leader to Leader program this past fall. Raves like hers were rampant at this first-ever sneak peak, which showcased nine hospital physicians to Foundation and Atlantic Health System trustees as well as Advisory Board members and major donors.

Harvey Gerhard, MD, conceived the idea as a take-off on the popular Bring Your Child to Work Day, believing hospital leaders would benefit from seeing medical teams in action.

“Many thanks for giving me an opportunity to observe open heart surgery,” wrote Michele Becker, Advisory Board member. “Each aspect of the visit was impressive – Gagnon as a state-of-the-art facility, the quality and tenure of the nursing staff, and Dr. John Brown’s amazing talent and rapport with his surgical team. The respect among colleagues was evident. I felt a true sense of urgency and pride throughout the center.”

In honor of Dr. Parr’s groundbreaking work, the Foundation is raising $2 million to establish the Parr Chair of Cardiovascular Surgery at Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute. Recent gifts include $100,000 from William and Judith Greenblatt along with a $50,000 donation from Dr. Richard and Denise Neibart. Dr. Neibart worked alongside Dr. Parr for 10 years in cardiac surgery.

An additional $25,000 from Harry and Doodie Carpenter, and another $25,000 gift from Nelson and Natalie Ferreira have been donated in Dr. Parr’s honor.

“Due to Grant’s leadership, the program grew dramatically in a very short period of time and essentially changed the image of the hospital into a major heart and medical center,” says Dr. Neibart.

Dr. Grant Parr and Dr. John Brown III

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To support the Parr Chair, contact Hyona Revere, director of major gifts, at 973-593-2429 or hyona.revere@ atlantichealth.org

Breast Center Readies for More Patients New Jersey has one of the highest rates of breast cancer in the country. This grim statistic, coupled with Affordable Care Act coverage for those previously uninsured, is expected to increase patient volumes dramatically at the Carol W. and Julius A. Rippel Breast Center. To be prepared for more patients, the hospital is planning a renovation and expansion.

Fundraising efforts for those projects hit the halfway mark toward a $1 million goal with a recent $100,000 gift from former breast cancer patient Sandy Finlayson. “I have a great deal of respect for Dr. Kenneth Adler and the rest of the physicians and staff,” says the Morristown resident. “They couldn’t have been more supportive during my treatment. My story luckily ended on a good note, and now my husband, Jack, and I want to step forward and help others where we can.”

All mammograms and screening services will eventually move to a new Center for Breast Health at 435 South Street. The Rippel Breast Center will then be able to dedicate its entire space toward the advanced diagnostic testing necessary for high-risk women.

To support the projects, contact Cynthia O’Donnell, director of gift planning, at 973-593-2418 or cynthia.odonnell@atlantichealth.org

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New Trustees Join the Team 1

Richard P. “Rich” Diegnan, past president, co-founder and consultant at Atlantic Detroit Diesel Allison LLC

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Linda D. Gillam, MD, MPH, Dorothy and Lloyd Huck Chair of Cardiovascular Medicine, Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute

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Veronica M. Goldberg, philanthropist and community volunteer

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Joseph C. “Joe” Graff, CPA and managing partner at Ross, Rosenthal & Company

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Cathy Herbst, trustee of the Harding Land Trust

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Ernest Larini, president of the Larini Family Foundation

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Francine Cheeseman Shaw, past president and CEO of DuPont Performance Elastomers LLC

What do a successful cattle dealer and the hospital have in common? A great respect for James Wong, MD, chairman of Radiation Oncology at Morristown Medical Center and now also founder and medical director of the Leonard B. Kahn Head and Neck Cancer Institute.

The 82-year-old cattle dealer, Leonard Kahn, recently gave $3 million to establish the new institute after learning of Dr. Wong’s desire to embark on groundbreaking research and treatment of tonsil and base of the tongue cancers.

Mr. Kahn is currently a patient of Dr. Wong’s and is being treated for a type of cancer in his leg: “This experience has shown me what others going through cancer must feel,” says the Mount Freedom resident.

Dr. Wong and his medical team want to focus on tonsil and base of tongue cancer, which is now epidemic among affluent, college-educated white males between 45 and 60.

“At this point in my life I was looking to give some of my money away,” says Mr. Kahn. “I am impressed with what Dr. Wong is setting out to accomplish and want to be a part of it.”

Photo: Becky Bedrosian

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Cattle Dealer Funds New Cancer Program

Eric L. Lazar, MD, pediatric surgery, Goryeb Children’s Hospital

Carol A. Head, formerly owned and served as managing partner of Resource Consultants, was elected an honorary trustee.

Family First Like many patients’ families, sisters Roree IrisWilliams and Kerry Iris stayed in the hospital room day and night when their mom, Milly Iris, was a patient at Morristown Medical Center. That’s why, when the Iris family was asked to help renovate a family lounge, they didn’t hesitate, donating $50,000.

“Mom wanted to make sure that, when families come for a visit, there is plenty of room for everyone,” says Ms. Iris-Williams.

Mark Widmann, MD, chief of thoracic surgery, and his wife, Kim Hirsh, are close friends of the Iris family and matched the gift with an additional $50,000.

“Patients are receiving the highest level of care, and we want to ensure welcoming accommodations for their families,” says Dr. Widmann. “There’s a deep understanding with all of us about the special love you receive when family is surrounding you,” says Ms. Hirsh.

The new Widmann-Iris Family Lounge is a 250-square-foot living area where families can relax and enjoy private time with loved ones. The lounge renovation is part of a larger relocation and renovation of the Surgical Oncology Unit, which recently moved to the hospital’s fourth floor to accommodate its rapidly increasing patient volume.

Leonard Kahn and Dr. James Wong

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Portrait Paula Moccia F

lorham Park resident Paula Genna Moccia began designing and sewing clothes for her dolls more than 60 years ago.

That longstanding skill with needle and thread helped her to develop the T-Caps, also called Hugs for your Head, which Ms. Moccia sews for patients at the Carol G. Simon Cancer Center.

She leads a group of about a half dozen volunteers who, in one year, have produced more than 1,000 caps made of donated T-shirts to adorn the heads of patients who have lost their hair after chemotherapy treatments.

To become a hospital volunteer, call 973-971-5475.

Paula Moccia at the sewing machine with Karen Dexter

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“We try to style each cap for women a little bit differently, with a flower or jewelry embellishment so that a patient can choose something that suits her taste,” says Ms. Moccia.

Men sometimes prefer the warmth of the T-Caps instead of baseball hats especially during the winter months.

Before coming up with the idea to produce the T-Caps, Ms. Moccia spent four years volunteering in the infusion room, at the breast center and at the reception desk at the Simon Cancer Center.

“I would listen to the patients complain about how the wigs would itch or the scarves wouldn’t stay in place,” she says. “I kept thinking in the back of my mind there must be something I could do to help them feel more comfortable about their head coverings.”

Ms. Moccia’s background lent itself to the solution. She held a career as a children’s clothing designer in New York City for more than 30 years.

“One day, while volunteering, it was like a light bulb went off in my mind,” she says. “I saw a vision of the T-Cap using the fabric from recycled T-shirts. T-shirts are all over the place, and they are washable, come in a beautiful variety of colors, and have stretch to them. I went home and sewed a sample and the rest is history.”

In the spring of 2012, Ms. Moccia held a workshop at the hospital for volunteers interested in making T-Caps.

“I demonstrated how to make the cap on a sewing machine and gave them a pattern and a few T-shirts to take home. The volunteers caught on very quickly,” says Ms. Moccia. “The caps are easy to sew and don’t take much time to complete.

The longest time is spent deciding how to embellish them.”

Since the training session, hundreds of T-shirts and embellishments have been donated for these caps.

Ms. Moccia spends about 10 hours a week making the caps and then brings a box of them to the cancer center. Others do the same: “This project could not be as successful without the other volunteers who also sew and decorate the caps and bring them in on a weekly basis too,” she says.

Volunteers at the hospital then deliver a variety of the T-Caps to the infusion room and let each patient pick a cap free of charge.

“It is such a simple idea,” says Ms. Moccia. “Patients love them. We are thrilled when we see them walking through the lobby with the T-Caps on. I even see them wearing the caps while running errands in the local stores, and it warms my heart that something this easy can make them feel so comfortable and happy.”

On Nov. 13, 2013, nearly 100 people turned out at the Bernard’s Inn to celebrate the dedication of the David and Joan Powell Center for Healthy Aging. The Powells, longtime hospital volunteers and benefactors, earmarked $2.5 million to lay a foundation for superior geriatric care at Morristown Medical Center. The virtual center that bears their name encompasses a comprehensive array of senior services, including the new Geriatric Assessment Center at the 435 South Street medical complex and the Geriatric Emergency Department on the main hospital campus. The evening, held in the intimate Wine Pantry and Silver Vault at the Bernardsville restaurant, included remarks from hospital President David Shulkin, MD, and geriatricians Keerti Sharma, MD, and Arthur Sheppell, MD, as well as Mr. Powell. Foundation Board Chairman J. Peter Simon served as the program’s emcee.

The Powells and Peter Simon with an image of the new Geriatric Assessment Center

(l-r) Dr. Stan Fiel, Bob DiQuollo, Tom and Theresa Berry and Jean DiQuollo

Women’s Association President Dannette Merchant, Dr. David Shulkin and the Foundation’s Jim Quinn

Happenings

Dedicated to Healthy Aging

The Powells flanked by daughters Elizabeth, left, and Clare

The Senior Services team: (l-r) Trish O’Keefe, RN, MSN, CNA; Mary Rich, RN; Carol Jones, RN; Jason Prager, MD; Arthur Sheppell, MD; Keerti Sharma, MD; Janet Holsten; Sue O’Donnell, RN; Kathryn Jankowski; Rebecca Abenante.

Photos: Life in Motion Photography

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475 South Street | Morristown, NJ 07960

CalendarofEvents

For upcoming events, log on to f4mmc.org and select Events

Brookfield Speakers Bring Perspective On Aging

Photos: Sal Benedetto

Brookfield Legacy Society members and loyal donors attending the 20th annual luncheon on October 16, 2013, learned the nuances of dementia, including the startling fact that one in nine people 65 and older Dr. Keerti Sharma and Dr. Jason Prager, have Alzheimer’s disease, its above, and the luncheon crowd, below most common form.

Geriatricians Keerti Sharma, MD, who directs the hospital’s new Geriatric Assessment Center, and Jason Prager, MD, spoke to nearly 100 guests at the Fairmont Country Club about our aging population and specifically the diagnosis of dementia and its effects on family members and caregivers.

“It is our mission to reach the ‘at-risk’ seniors in our community and assist them with their myriad health care needs,” says Dr. Sharma. “The services offered through the Geriatric Assessment Center are a resource for primary care physicians to use while caring for elderly patients, especially those with dementia-related issues.”

For more information on the Brookfield Legacy Society, contact Cynthia O’Donnell, JD, director of gift planning, at 973-593-2418 or cynthia.odonnell@atlantichealth.org.

To opt out of receiving this communication and others from the Foundation, please contact us at f4mmc@atlantichealth.org or 973-593-2400.

$2 Million Virtual Endowment for Cardiovascular Medicine J. Lloyd Huck spent a lifetime advancing health care for patients at Morristown Medical Center through his work as a former hospital board chairman, Augusta Stone Award recipient and Foundation trustee emeritus.

After Mr. Huck passed away in December 2012 at age 90, his commitment to the hospital continued through a bequest that fully funds a $2 million virtual endowment for the cardiology department.

He and his wife, Dottie, made annual contributions to the virtual endowment for many years. The bequest now activates the virtual endowment and permanently establishes the Dorothy and Lloyd Huck Chair of Cardiovascular Medicine at Morristown Medical Center, which is currently held by Linda Gillam, MD, MPH. “While a true endowment requires 100 percent funding up front, a virtual endowment requires annual payments and a signed estate intention that will come to fruition after the donor’s death,” says Cynthia W. O’Donnell, JD, director of gift planning at the Foundation. “A virtual endowment functions like a fully funded endowment, with annual income paid to the charity and the donor receiving recognition for the entire value of the gift during his lifetime.”

For more information, contact Ms. O’Donnell, at 973-593-2418 or cynthia.odonnell@atlantichealth.org.

Writer: Laura Deal | Editor: Regi Diverio Layout and design: Susan Falcone, Envoi Design

The Foundation for Morristown Medical Center is a nonprofit public foundation whose mission is to inspire community philanthropy to advance exceptional health care for patients at Morristown Medical Center. Our objective is to utilize philanthropy to preserve and expand the hospital’s programs and services in direct patient care, clinical research, medical and public health education and preventive medicine.

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