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CHRONIC ILLNESS LEADS TO A LEGACY OF GOODWILL
In October of 2019 Morristown Medical Center admitted Allan Staats, 81, and treated him for scleroderma, a hardening of the skin in his throat and esophagus, making it difficult for him to swallow. According to his widow, Barbara Staats, physicians had to insert a feeding tube into his stomach for vital nutrition. “The nurses were so warm and caring,” said Barbara Staats of Morris Township. “At first, we thought we’d be there for a few days, but Allan had trouble adjusting because of his Type 1 diabetes. One of the medical residents was so patient and kind. He sat with my husband and addressed all of his questions and concerns.”
Barbara and the late, Allan Staats.
Once discharged, despite the extraordinary care he received, Allan Staats continued to struggle with his health. “He always tried very hard to maintain an optimistic attitude, even in the face of the unknown,” Barbara Staats said.
–Barbara Staats
Scleroderma often includes pulmonary and hypertension issues, and Allan Staats returned to the Sameth Emergency Department (ED) at Morristown Medical Center in January of 2020 with pulmonary fibrosis. Barbara Staats recalls multiple medical staff rushing to tend to him. He was unconscious, intubated and transferred to the Nancy and Skippy Weinstein Inpatient Hospice and Palliative Care Center at Morristown Medical Center for immediate care. During this challenging time, while Allan Staats was in hospice, the nurses clearly and patiently explained the process of what was going to happen next. “It happened as they said it would; there were no surprises,” she said. Allan Staats’ first-rate and compassionate care over the years led him to include Morristown Medical Center in his estate plans. The retired Exxon International executive decided to establish a revocable living trust, which allows donors to add and delete beneficiaries and buy and sell assets at any time, up until the grantor passes away. Funds from the Staats’ trust were realized through a very generous, unrestricted gift made to support Morristown Medical Center’s greatest needs: recruiting medical experts, expanding programs and securing state-of-the-art technology. “Everyone at the Weinstein Center and the Sameth ED are remarkable, and the care was top-notch through it all; it’s why Allan felt so good about giving generously to the hospital,” Barbara Staats, a Washington Partner*, said.
*Washington Partners are donors who have given $1 million or more over their lifetimes.
Legacy giving is an easy way to support Morristown Medical Center, bolstering future medical initiatives while communicating your values. To make a legacy gift, contact Cynthia W. O'Donnell, JD at
