Spring 2014 by Foundation for Morristown Medical Center

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Spring 2014

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Transforming Health Care. Transforming Lives. Help us lead the way in the new world of health care

THen & now Philanthropy has played a huge role in Morristown Medical Center’s growth, which can be measured by the view from the sky in a recent aerial shot and one taken prior to the 1973 opening of Route 287 through Morristown.

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Writer: Laura Deal | Editor: Regi Diverio Design: Carl Horosz | Layout: Susan Falcone

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 use 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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The launch of a comprehensive initiative to strengthen Morristown Medical Center pg 4 also inside: Mansion in May’s Dynamic Duo | Integrative medicine’s wide-reaching impact | Benefactors baking, racing and hitting the gridiron

UPDATE: FUNDS RAISED AS OF APRIL 28, 2014 TOTAL: $78.4 million

BREAK-OUT (top funded projects):

inpatient hospice and palliative care

Emergency Department expansion: $6.9 million Center for Well Being: $5.4 million Nancy and Skippy Weinstein Inpatient Hospice and Palliative Care Center: $4.2M

Medical advances help older adults live longer — but they often suffer serious chronic illnesses and ongoing pain and symptoms.

Current Landscape: A study by The Center to Advance Palliative Care shows that aging baby boomers will dramatically increase hospitals’ chronic care caseloads. That’s where hospice and palliative care come in. Hospice provides patient comfort at end-of-life, while palliative care focuses on quality of life for those facing serious illness.

The 360° Solution:

Pediatric Expansion and Renovation Goryeb Children’s Hospital is facing a rapid increase in patient volumes, which has led to the difficult decision of sometimes having to turn children away due to overcrowding. Our new multiphase facilities upgrade and expansion will give us the capacity to provide the family-centered care for which we are known to every patient who needs us – but that’s not all. Adding a separate eight-bed inpatient unit to our existing 26-bed unit will allow us to keep vulnerable hospitalized pediatric cancer patients separated from the general population and free up space to incorporate an Epilepsy Monitoring Unit for patients with complicated seizure disorders. We will also integrate epilepsy monitoring within the Joan and Edward Foley Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) when we add three latest-generation single patient rooms, bringing the PICU to a dozen beds. Interested? Contact major gifts officer Geraldine Kling at geraldine. kling@atlantichealth.org or 973-593-2414.

The 411 about 360 Interested in learning more about Campaign 3SIXTY? Visit the Foundation website, f4mmc.org, which now has a dedicated section for all things campaign related. You will find quarterly updates measuring progress toward the goal and information on every funding priority in the campaign, including downloadable briefs like the one on hospice in the adjacent column. Be sure to check out the Campaign 3SIXTY video that debuted during the public launch on May 29 as well as the photo gallery and slideshow from that evening. If you would like to speak with someone about Campaign 3SIXTY, please contact Hyona Revere, director of major gifts, at 973-593-2429 or hyona. revere@atlantichealth.org.

The Inpatient Hospice and Palliative Care Center will be the first of its kind at Morristown Medical Center. The 11-bed unit will be located in the main hospital, yet look and feel like a private home. Soothing colors, ambient lighting and tasteful furnishings distinguish the spacious common areas and private patient suites. Each suite includes a private bath and can accommodate overnight visitors. Its seasoned, compassionate team includes: •P hysicians with access to the latest medical treatments, advances in pain and symptom management, and new drug therapies • Registered nurses familiar with end of life needs •C ounselors to address psychological needs from diagnosis through bereavement • Clergy offering spiritual support • Therapists focused on patients’ functional levels

The Transformation: Patients with chronic or life-limiting illness will live as comfortably as they can, for as long as they can.

Your Role: You can help us bring this vital service to patients. The project includes repurposing a floor, updating infrastructure and systems, and purchasing equipment and furnishings. Estimated costs are $5,000,000, including: • $3.5 million: Construction • $1.5 million: Programmatic and staff support

PEACE IN PASSING It’s hard to fully fathom the grief of losing a loved one, but the new Nancy and Skippy Weinstein Inpatient Hospice and Palliative Care Center will add a level of support, comfort and understanding when families need it most. The 11-bed unit, located within the main hospital, is expected to open in 2015. A total of $4.2 million has been raised toward the $5 million goal. Recent benefactors include Eileen Matt of Chatham and Barbara and David Bugen of New Vernon. Morristown resident Dorothy Faux made a gift in memory of her husband, Robert G. Faux, MD, a former chair of the OB/GYN department. And Mary Hess of Morris Township, along with her daughters, contributed toward this effort after her husband, Merrill, received palliative care services at the hospital. Mrs. Hess and daughters Megan, Arlan and Heidi honored the late Mr. Hess by having a room in the new center dedicated in his name: “We were happy to know Morristown Medical Center was carefully planning a separate unit for these patients. This level of care and support for family members is a critical component of palliative and hospice experiences for everyone.”

Campaign 3SIXTY initiatives will strengthen the entire medical center.

Becky Bedrosian

Nicky Vanech then and now

Q&A with Denise and Dean Vanech Longtime supporters of Goryeb Children’s Hospital, the Vaneches are also veterans of its pediatric units. They suffered many sleepless nights keeping vigil at the cribside and later the bedside of their son, Nicky. The 19-year-old endured six surgeries and 14 or more hospital stays – the majority before age 4. Two remain especially vivid to his parents. In 1995, he was admitted to the Joan and Edward Foley Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) with respiratory syncytial virus and stayed for more than three weeks due to respiratory failure. A year later, he was admitted for nearly a month following a surgical procedure with complications, including sepsis and pneumonia. The Vaneches always found the quality of PICU nurses and physicians to be outstanding in their son’s care. They realized, however, there could be upgrades made in the overnight accommodations for parents. They recall sleeping in a makeshift room (in truth a repurposed hallway closet) apart from their young son, which only exacerbated the anxiety. Their recent leadership gift, as part of Campaign 3SIXTY, will help to expand and renovate the PICU and Pediatric Inpatient Unit. Q: What do parents need when their child is in the hospital for days or weeks at a time? A: It’s vital that parents have the ability to stay close-by their children during a medical crisis. Having the ability to sleep in the same room as your child is a huge benefit. The new renovation project now underway in the inpatient unit will upgrade the sleep-in accommodations to provide a warm and home-like atmosphere for parents. Additional rooms being added in the PICU will be even larger and also accommodating to parents.

Q: A re there other areas that need to be addressed that will help parents cope in these situations? A: We view the need for maintaining and improving the family lounge as a cornerstone in the renovation plans. The lounge gives parents a place to go and unwind and talk with family and friends. Parents can come together and share their stories and perhaps meet other parents who face similar issues.

Q: H ow do these improvements help hospitalized children? A: A private room with a parent nearby promotes better healing physically and psychologically. It gives the child muchneeded peace of mind. Overall, these improvements will shorten stays and create better outcomes for patients. What has been designed is truly state-of-the-art in terms of patient care. It’s not only the doctor and patient relationship, but the infusion of integrated care – which involves the family from treatment to recovery – that is transforming the hospital experience for the youngest patients at Goryeb.

f4mmc.org | Viewpoint

Campaign 3sixty “We stand at the crossroads of a new health care paradigm. There has never been a more important time in our community or a more critical moment in the hospital’s history to begin such an ambitious, all-encompassing campaign,” says Finn Wentworth, chairman of the Foundation’s new Campaign 3SIXTY. An official public kick-off for the $100 million campaign took place May 29 at Hartley Farms in New Vernon, before hundreds of donors, volunteers, hospital officials and community leaders. The campaign will run through 2015. Today, the pressures are immense to keep up with technological changes and maintain quality medical services even as Affordable Care Act provisions take hold, pumping up patient volumes while reducing reimbursements at medical facilities across the nation. In the face of these challenges, a collaborative process began between Morristown Medical Center and the Foundation to uncover exactly where philanthropy could step in and help clinical service lines realize their long-range plans. A Campaign Planning Committee then began working with the hospital’s senior management team to evaluate each proposed project and program to determine whether it was fulfilling a patient need, was a strategic fit, and was financially sound. “This was truly a 360-degree approach,” says Mr. Wentworth. “Historically, fundraising campaigns were silo events, meaning the process raised money for one specific area at an institution. This is the first campaign that will be spreading holistically throughout the system.” The planning process also looked closely at the changing demographics throughout the region. It became a top priority to meet 4 Focus | f4mmc.org

diverse needs, such as increased services for the elderly and for autistic children, as well as for those with mental illnesses or chronic, life-limiting conditions. Increased assistance for those left financially destitute after a medical crisis also took priority. “This is the first time we are raising significant funds for a wide range of clinical services, while also using philanthropy for construction and modernization, and as seed money and endowment for programs and positions,” says Jim Quinn, chief development officer at the Foundation. “Because of the broad and comprehensive nature of the campaign, it appeals to a wide segment of our donor base. Whatever a donor’s clinical interest and passion is, we likely have a project that matches.” Campaign 3SIXTY is funding traditional priorities, such as Rehabilitation Services, the Valve Center, the renovations of the Maternity Center and the Carol W. and Julius A. Rippel Breast Center, and the expansions of the Emergency Department, the Pediatric Inpatient Unit, the Joan and Edward Foley Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, and the Head Family Inpatient Psychiatric and Behavioral Health Center. But it also “reflects the incredible transformation taking place in the health care industry as we speak,” says David Shulkin, MD, president of Morristown Medical Center. “We are funding many new initiatives and new models of care that show a distinct move toward better care coordination and management.” Examples of these first-ever initiatives are: • an Atrial Fibrillation Center • The Center for Well Being • Chanin T. Mast Center for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy • an Executive Health Program • Farris Family Center for Advanced Medicine in Pediatrics (CAMP) • Jacobs Levy Equity Management Personalized Genomic Medicine Program • Leonard B. Kahn Head and Neck Cancer Institute • The Medicines Company Geriatric Emergency Department • Geriatric Assessment Center within the David and Joan Powell Center for Healthy Aging

• Proton Beam Therapy • Nancy and Skippy Weinstein Inpatient Hospice and Palliative Care Center The all-inclusiveness of this campaign also speaks to the hospital’s standing as a national leader and its investment in the people who brought it to that level and those who are needed in the future. The Grant V.S. Parr Chair of Cardiovascular Surgery and the Lois A. Reid Fellowship in Breast Imaging are both campaign priorities. “Being a top medical facility in the country is a culmination of many things, including dedicated staff and volunteers and the recruitment and retention of the best and brightest medical experts, who continually embrace new opportunities and innovate to meet community needs,” says Mr. Wentworth. By press time, $78 million had been raised, all during the campaign’s quiet phase when leadership gifts were sought from civic and business leaders in the community, and from our boards of trustees, hospital administration and medical staff leadership. “We have many loyal donors already on board providing generous gifts,” says Mr. Wentworth. “These are true ‘angel’ investors. They have no expectation of a return on their investment, but for an enhanced community for all those that benefit from these extraordinary medical services.” Donor support couldn’t come at a better time. Nonprofit hospitals increasingly have to rely on philanthropy as health care reform challenges them to do more with less. “Newer models of care and better environments of care will be needed in the years ahead to lower costs yet maintain quality,” says Mr. Quinn. “We want to continue to be one of the leading medical centers in the country so future generations in our region can get top flight medical care, close to home.” In many ways, a regional medical center like Morristown Medical Center can only improve care and service if the communities surrounding it embrace its mission and become philanthropic partners. “In the end we all have to care for each other,” says Mr. Quinn.

Meg Walters

f4mmc.org | Focus

Sitting down and chatting with Mansion in May co-chairs Christie Gisser and Prudence Pigott, as plans were underway for this year’s designer showcase, was like watching two best friends organize a royal wedding. (No, a royal wedding is probably easier.)

Shelley Kusnetz

Ch r i sti e G i s s e r and P r u de n c e P i g ot t

Despite hundreds of volunteers to oversee, the joy between the two co-chairs was palpable in the midst of relentless phone interruptions, volunteers abuzz with questions and their mile-long to-do list. “We both really like people,” says Mrs. Pigott. “This is a lot of fun. Mansion in May is an intensely volunteerdriven endeavor; we want to make sure we embrace everyone’s gifts.” The 17th Mansion in May Designer Show House and Gardens was held this year at Blairsden, a five-story, 62,000-square-foot Louis XIV Chateau-style mansion in Peapack-Gladstone. “Our volunteers bring so many wonderful things to the table,” says Mrs. Gisser, as if finishing her friend and co-chair’s thoughts. “We have an amazing pool of talent at our fingertips.” This talent includes their professional backgrounds, as well. Mrs. Pigott worked in advertising, before building a career on Wall Street.

Christie Gisser and Prudence Pigott

“ Everyone is inspired by the philanthropy behind the endeavor. ”

“Both Christie and I come from a sales background and those particular skill sets come in handy with the job we have before us,” says Mrs. Pigott. “At the drop of a hat, we may be speaking to large groups, dealing with media outlets, going before town councils, meeting with historical societies or presenting to nationally acclaimed designers and brands.”

Mrs. Gisser worked in the pharmaceutical chemicals industry before leaving her job to care full time for her son, Zach, who is now 7 years old. “I especially want moms to know that it is possible to do this with young children,” says Mrs. Gisser. “Prudence takes over when I have to care for my son. We de-brief on the phone every night while washing dishes or cooking dinner. We’ve become great friends in the process.” The two friends readily agreed there is an unusual mystique and intense fascination about the property they are working with for this major fundraiser. New York City financier C. Ledyard Blair, the original owner, sheared off a mountain top in the Somerset Hills and installed a gondola to

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haul granite, trees, and other supplies up the mountain to build the mansion and meticulously prepare its grounds and landscaping. “This is the granddaddy of all mansions,” says Mrs. Pigott. “In its heyday, at the 1900s turn-of-the-century, the mansion was the largest employer in town. It’s truly the American version of Downton Abbey.” Proceeds from the month-long fundraiser are helping to fund the expansions of the Joan and Edward Foley Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and the Pediatric Inpatient Unit, and a new Autism Center. The Women’s Association has raised more than $8 million through Mansion in May events in the last 40 years. “Co-chairing this project is like running a multi-million dollar corporation,” says Mrs. Pigott. “The bottom line is that everyone is inspired by the philanthropy behind the endeavor. This kind of contagious spirit makes everyone happy. People want to support our cause, because they are devoted to the hospital and to the good things happening there.”

Media Services

LEAVING THEIR MARK At a celebratory luncheon, Women’s Association board members toured the expanded Emergency Department (ED), March 13, 2014, pausing in the waiting area that bears their name for a photo with ED medical staff and the Foundation’s Jim Quinn. The group provided over $1 million toward the expansion project.

CHANIN’S REACH Nearly 70 people celebrated the official dedication of the Chanin T. Mast Center for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM), Feb. 12, 2014. Pictured above: Robert and Terry Mast cutting the ceremonial ribbon, flanked (l-r) by Mast Center Medical Director Dr. Martin Maron, Morristown Medical Center President Dr. David Shulkin, Huck Chair of Cardiovascular Medicine Dr. Linda Gillam, daughter Megan and son-in-law Felix Holken. Pictured left: Lisa Salberg of the HCM Association

SIX LETTERS SPEAK VOLUMES Over 100 people interested in autism attended a screening of Six Letter Word, March 27, 2014, hosted by the Pediatric Philanthropy Council at Malcolm Forbes Amphitheater. The short film about a high-functioning autistic child opened discussion of the topic and the hospital’s planned Autism Center. Pictured left: Tara Gleeson pointing out features of the new center. Pictured below: (l-r) Drs. Maureen Baxley, Harvey Bennett, and Kathleen Selvaggi-Fadden at the reception

Happenings | f4mmc.org

mission

acco mpl i shed

On a heartfelt mission to help returning veterans, Lisa and David Welsh recently made a leadership gift to establish a scholarship program at the Center for Well Being. An outreach coordinator at the center will help to identify veterans and active service men and women who can benefit from this new resource.

Through the

The monies will pay for IM classes, such as meditation, diet and exercise to help alleviate the symptoms of stress and other issues as the veterans adjust to civilian life.

scholarship, Mr.

Through the scholarship, Mr. and Mrs. Welsh are honoring their two fathers who served in the Marines: Thomas Welsh and Jim Balsarini.

and Mrs. Welsh

“Returning veterans continue to produce a lot of stress hormones,” says Mimi Guarneri, MD, senior advisor, Center for Well Being.

are honoring their

Dr. Guarneri is a proponent of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction techniques, which is a form of meditation taught at the Center for Well Being: “The changes we see after meditating are profound, especially for veterans affected by Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder,” she says. “It’s better than any drug I know.”

two fathers who served in the Marines: Thomas Welsh and Jim Balsarini.

8 News | f4mmc.org

To support the scholarship program, contact Noelle Deihl-Harteveld, major gifts officer, 973-593-2409, or noelle.harteveld@atlantichealth.org.

Becky Bedrosian

Care Extraordinaire No one ever forgets how their loved ones were treated while in the hospital. Grateful donors, many times, express their thanks by giving back. Carl Goldberg, who lost his wife, Mary Ellen, to cervical cancer, donated $467,000 for integrative medicine (IM) at Carol G. Simon Cancer Center. “Despite the fact that her outcome was not what we hoped and prayed for, we still came away from this tragedy with a huge sense of appreciation for the kind of care that was delivered,” says Mr. Goldberg.

Carl Goldberg

He is also grateful for the IM techniques his wife received, such as Reiki, which made her much more comfortable during her stay at Morristown Medical Center.

“I found the non-medical parts of her care equally as important and just as high quality,” says Mr. Goldberg. The doctors, nurses and medical staff went above and beyond their professional responsibilities for the Goldbergs and their diligence and kindness did not go unnoticed.

IM Committed The hospital’s inpatient integrative medicine (IM) program gained $208,000, thanks, in part, to a matching challenge set up by Barbara D. Todd and Frances S. Todd last year. During her own recovery process, Frances Todd recognized the value of IM services and how they can best work hand-in-hand with traditional medicine. She knew this service could help countless more patients at the hospital. The Todds designed their 1:2 match not only to raise money for IM services, but to increase awareness that the program is completely philanthropy funded and to increase the number of donors. They succeeded – the number of benefactors grew from five in 2010 to 42 this past year.

“Dr. [Ken] Adler would call on Sunday nights when he got back in town,” says Mr. Goldberg. “How many people get a call from their doctor on a Sunday night?”

LIZ’S STORY Liz Johnson was already reeling from two horrific cancer situations in her family when she received the news that she had breast cancer. “I was stunned,” she says. One piece of good news was that the tumor was slow growing. Even better news came from Leah Gendler, MD, at Carol G. Simon Cancer Center: “She told me that it was curable.” Ms. Johnson immediately got involved with integrative medicine (IM) services at the hospital. She took advantage of classes offered in yoga, Reiki, strength training, Jin Shin Jyutsu, and healing touch and attended a Writing to Heal workshop. Jean Marie Rosone, LCSW, the IM coordinator at the cancer center, helped her with mind-body healing techniques that Ms. Johnson believes gave her more than just a positive outlook. On the day of her surgery, a phenomenal discovery was made: “My surgeon told me the tumor was almost gone,” she says. “I know without a doubt, it was the mindbody connection and the IM techniques that were given to me, free of charge, at the hospital.”

Women Warriors A group of not-your-average football players recently hit the turf at Lenape Valley High School but didn’t run touchdowns. Instead, they scored a big win for patients at Carol G. Simon Cancer Center. The Women’s Football Clinic, held in early May, brought in monies from moms of team members, school faculty and friends who laced-up to learn the sport, all for a good cause. “Women are as eager to learn the game as 8th graders,” says Don Smolyn, coach of the Lenape Valley High School Patriot football team. The event honored Jean Poggi, athletic director Robert Poggi’s wife, who is currently being treated at the Simon Center for pancreatic cancer. Pictured above: Participants train with a blocking dummy

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Sure-Footed Safety The safety of our patients is a major priority at Morristown Medical Center and a timely grant from Goldman Sachs will help to ensure high quality care for all. The monies will provide the resources necessary to hire a new nursing outcome specialist. “Health care providers face many challenges in trying to keep patients safe,” says Wendy Silverstein, RN, nurse manager at the hospital. “Those challenges can be worked through with the help of an expert who can mentor nurses and help to identify ways to improve care at the bedside.” The specialist will also develop an education curriculum for ongoing safety training and to reinforce existing knowledge and skills in patient safety.

Blake Silverman Named New Trustee The Foundation recently announced the addition of Blake Silverman to its board of trustees. Mr. Silverman is the president of the Silverman Group, a family-owned and -operated private equity and real estate development organization based in Short Hills. In addition to Mr. Silverman’s volunteer efforts, his family foundation, The Kenneth and Claudia Silverman Family Foundation, supported the renovation of the new maternity center after two successful deliveries took place there for his family. “My sister gave birth to her daughter, Riley, in 2012,” says Mr. Silverman. “My son, Cooper, was born the following year. We were impressed with the facility and learned about its need for additional funds.”

Pictured above: Blake Silverman

10 News | f4mmc.org

NEEdS FILLED Taking care of those less fortunate has always been an unspoken mandate for many. Morristown Medical Center has been a recent recipient of this kind of generous spirit as several benefactors increased their charity funding. The Family Health Center’s family coaching and guidance program drew $45,000 from Johnson & Johnson and $25,000 from the Cestone Foundation, which allocated another $25,000 for the center’s diabetes management program. Delta Dental’s grant of $100,000 to the Szerlip Dental Center enabled the dentists to begin providing pediatric dental care along with the Senior Smiles and developmentally disabled programs already supported by the Parsippany-based company. “We still rely very heavily on philanthropy,” says Elizabeth A. Clemente, DDS, chair of the Department of Dentistry and the Szerlip Dental Center at Morristown Medical Center. “There are so many limitations in the new health care reform act. It doesn’t cover a lot of services for patients. The grant dollars allow us to continue with our comprehensive care. It also gives us the ability to take on an even larger load of charity care cases.”

We still rely very heavily on philanthropy...

LESSON LEARNED

Rendering of Center for Well Being Treatment Room

“My mother always paid it forward,” says Sharon Van Dyke, who lost her mom to cancer just prior to finding out she had breast cancer. “When my son found out I had cancer he immediately wanted to do something for the cause, just like his Grandma would have.” Eleven-year-old Ryan Van Dyke participated in a program at his elementary school that encouraged students to hone entrepreneurial skills through the development and sale of a product. Making and selling beaded bracelets, he netted $100 and donated every penny to Carol G. Simon Cancer Center, where his mom was treated.

healthy lifestyles start here

Photo: Becky Bedrosian

Imagine a place where you can take a class on mindfulness-based stress reduction and healthy cooking or sign up for a session of reflexology and acupuncture? The Center for Well Being is now offering this programming and much more, spanning the gamut of health and wellness education for

Love One Another

patients, employees and health care professionals.

Religious educators Kathy Tallman and Maria Olsakowski encourage their students to learn the tenets of the Roman Catholic Church and challenge them to live their faith by loving others.

Campaign 3SIXTY will be raising money for additional classes, training sessions and new programming throughout the year. Recent gifts include $150,000 from Jacobs Levy Equity Management and $190,000 from the Louise Washington Trust. Part of the new monies will go toward training for health care professionals. Grand Rounds, webinars and an annual conference, along with Healing Touch training sessions, are all part of the specialized curriculum being designed for physicians, nurse practitioners and other medical professionals at the center. “Our training will cover everything a health provider needs to empower their patients toward a healthier lifestyle,” says Mimi Guarneri, MD, senior advisor for the Center for Well Being. “Our myriad class offerings will give our patients the tools necessary to change their lives.” To offer your support, contact Noelle Deihl-Harteveld, major gifts officer, 973-593-2409 or noelle.harteveld@atlantichealth.org.

Their group of 10th graders from the Resurrection Parish in Randolph recently raised more than $900 for Carol G. Simon Cancer Center. “Everyone in our group has somehow been affected by cancer,” says Mrs. Tallman. “They wanted to help as many people as possible who have cancer.” The teens baked cookies, cupcakes, brownies and other goodies and sold pink breast cancer bracelets to friends and family. If you are interested in fundraising for the hospital, contact Michelle Meszaros at 973-593-2417 or michelle.meszaros@atlantichealth.org. Pictured above: 10th graders from Resurrection Parish in Randolph

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CAMP Crusaders Giving to those in need can easily become a family affair. For the Foleys, this love of helping others has generated years of volunteerism and generous donations to the hospital, such as their recent $250,000 gift to the Farris Family Center for Advanced Medicine in Pediatrics (CAMP). “We recognized a need at the hospital and wanted to fill it,” says Jamie Foley. The monies will help fund a new nurse navigator for CAMP’s inflammatory center over the next several years. Nancy Salmeri, RN, who was hired in December 2013, will assist children and their parents in connecting the various disciplines and programs offered at CAMP that may prove helpful for their overall care.

A Legacy with Heart Laurence G. Taber, who passed away in August 2011, is remembered for his involvement in many local charitable endeavors, particularly his generosity to Morristown Medical Center. Mr. Taber made a bequest in his will for $135,000 and later established a charitable remainder unitrust, which benefited Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute. Gagnon has been ranked among the best hospitals in the country for cardiology and heart surgery by U.S. News & World Report and first in the state for coronary surgery by Castle Connolly Medical Ltd.

“It’s not uncommon to see a child or adolescent with one diagnosis, such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease or arthritis, overlap into another,” says Ms. Salmeri. “I can help to connect the dots in their prognosis, treatment and recovery to make sure our patients have all of their needs met. To support CAMP, contact Geraldine Kling, major gifts officer, at 973-593-2414 or geraldine.kling@atlantichealth.org.

high geAR FOR GORYEB

“Our donors and their generosity are a big reason for Gagnon’s success,” says Cynthia W. O’Donnell, JD, director of gift planning at the Foundation. “They choose to donate in a variety of ways, including bequests, trusts, gift annuities, insurance or art, depending on their estates.”

The Goryeb family not only has a penchant for philanthropy, but their friends have found creative ways to raise funds for Goryeb Children’s Hospital, too. The latest fundraising gig inspired by family friend Paul Plemenos, was a 12-hour speed demon’s dream – an endurance race at NJ Motorsports Park in Millville on April 26.

When donors establish trusts to help their favorite charities, they also receive an immediate charitable income tax deduction, bypass capital gains tax and save on estate tax. To learn more, contact Ms. O’Donnell at 973-5932418 or cynthia.odonnell@atlantichealth.org.

Becky Bedrosian

For the Devil in the Dark race, Mr. Plemenos, Rick Goryeb, Pete Mcintosh and Kaz Grala took turns in the driver’s seat of their race-fitted Mazda Miata. Their efforts brought in nearly $8,000 in sponsorship monies for the hospital at press time.

Brothers Matthew and Jonathan Mechan with race crew (l-r) Greg Defeo, Rick Goryeb, Paul Plemenos, and Jason Goritzki

The group drove the car to the hospital before the race and had patients sign their names on the doors, hood and trunk.

“Kids, especially those in the hospital, need to be involved in activities that can easily make them smile and forget about being sick or injured,” says Mr. Goryeb. “I think, by seeing and signing the car, they felt like they had become a significant part of helping the hospital.”

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Care in Action Even though Jordan Plauschinat only lived 22 months, the love she received could have spanned decades. This affection came from family and friends and also from the doctors, nurses and staff at Morristown Medical Center. “She wasn’t a number,” says Janet Schwarz, Jordan’s grandmother. Now, as a tradition, she and Jordan’s grandfather, Phil Schwarz, make a donation to the hospital each December. Shelley Kusnetz

“It’s our way of remembering and honoring Jordan,” says Mrs. Schwarz, who visited her granddaughter at the hospital during her year-long treatment for neuroblastoma. “They were so caring to her and even remembered to have Elmo, her favorite toy, ready for her in the playroom during her treatment sessions.”

forever

in this moment

If a picture is worth a thousand words, the Flashes of Hope photo sessions could write volumes. For one spectacular day, pediatric oncology and blood disorder patients and their parents are treated to a makeover, haircuts and a photo shoot, all donated by professionals. Photographer Shelley Kusnetz, make-up artists Eman Gabriel and Angelina Annicchiarico from Saks Fifth Avenue and hairstylist Tony Dibella all volunteer their services for this special day. Each family receives two 8x10 photographs in a leather portfolio, proofs from the session and a CD of all images. Since the program’s start in 2008, 16 photo shoots have captured 91 children and their families. “This is such an endearing keepsake for families to cherish,” says longtime hospital volunteer Judy Abrams. “The photos are a beautiful memory they can hold onto forever.” To support the Valerie Center at Goryeb Children’s Hospital, contact Geraldine Kling at geraldine.kling@atlantichealth.org or 973-593-2414.

Fearless Gabby A diagnosis of leukemia is not easy for anyone to hear, but when Gabriella DeFilippo received this news, she responded with wisdom beyond her years: “Let’s look at this obstacle as an opportunity,” said the 11-year-old Girl Scout. A bake sale and blood drive, aptly named Gabby’s Gift, garnered $3,000, with a portion going to the Valerie Center at Goryeb Children’s Hospital, along with 90 pints of usable blood. “We couldn’t be more thankful for the care our daughter is receiving,” says Kim DeFilippo, Gabby’s mom. “Short of an extra nap or two, Gabby is functioning as a normal kid. It’s because they know what they are doing at the Valerie Center. Everyone is on the same page.” Pictured above: Gabby with her uncle, John DeFilippo

Pictured above: Mt. Arlington resident Amanda Grimes and her son, Jake, have attended three shoots over the years due to the 5-year-old’s extended stay at the hospital.

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SPOTLIGHT ON THE VALVE CENTER Terry’s Story Short Hills resident Terry Finan knew something was a little off with his health. The married father of three was having night sweats and daytime chills that lasted for weeks. A blood test revealed an infection that had caused a growth on his mitral valve. The 46-year-old was admitted for mitral valve replacement surgery under the care of Steve Xydas, MD, a cardiothoracic surgeon at Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute. “My first impression of Gagnon was how professional everyone was,” says Mr. Finan. “Dr. Xydas gave me his business card when we first met. I knew I could call him anytime.”

Becky Bedrosian

Eight months post-surgery, Mr. Finan says, “I have lost 40 pounds and am riding in the Five Boro Bike Tour this spring. It gives our family great satisfaction to support such a top-rated institution. At 45, I was able to hit the reset button.”

14 News | f4mmc.orgAximinct

UPDATE: FUNDS RAISED AS OF APRIL 28, 2014 TOTAL: $78.4 million

BREAK-OUT (top funded projects):

inpatient hospice and palliative care

Emergency Department expansion: $6.9 million Center for Well Being: $5.4 million Nancy and Skippy Weinstein Inpatient Hospice and Palliative Care Center: $4.2M

Medical advances help older adults live longer — but they often suffer serious chronic illnesses and ongoing pain and symptoms.

The 360° Solution:

The Transformation: Patients with chronic or life-limiting illness will live as comfortably as they can, for as long as they can.

Campaign 3SIXTY initiatives will strengthen the entire medical center.

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Spring 2014

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

Transforming Health Care. Transforming Lives. Help us lead the way in the new world of health care

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Writer: Laura Deal | Editor: Regi Diverio Design: Carl Horosz | Layout: Susan Falcone

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