Advanced Nursing Education gets Crucial Support

Jerome "Jerry" Kessel spent a good deal of time at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center when he was being treated for leukemia during the last year of his life.

The nurses on the sixth floor of the Brennan Pavilion still talk about him. "He was very strong and willful, and the nurses just loved him," said Carolina Wurtenberg, nurse manager for the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit on the floor. "The nurses took very good care of him, and he became part of the family."

The Importance of Advanced Education for Nurses

Jerry died at age 93 in January 2024, but his presence will still be felt in the pavilion thanks to a substantial gift from his family. The donation will fund continuing education for nurses to pursue Bone Marrow Transplant certification, allowing another layer of expertise. "Going for a transplant is very scary, but knowing you're getting the best of the best in nursing care eliminates some of that fear," Carolina said.

The advanced training translates into the best patient care, said Ellen Volpicella, DNP, MSN, RN, CCRN, vice president and chief nursing officer at the medical center. “We know that any time a nurse is certified in their specialty, the outcomes are enhanced or improved. That is something we really want to continue into the future. Having a gift such as this really supports us to do so."

A Donation of Appreciation

A memorial plaque recently installed on the sixth floor reminds patients and staff of Jerry’s generous legacy. Jerry himself did not receive a transplant given his age, but he was treated with “first-class respect, compassion, dignity and kindness” by the staff on the sixth floor, said his son Michael Kessel. The staff was notably responsive and empathetic to the family as well, Michael added.

After Jerry’s passing, his widow, Loretta, decided to make the gift to let the staff know that they were appreciated, Michael said. “We hope that the plaque memorializing our dad on the sixth floor will serve as a reminder to the nurses and staff that visitors and patients are grateful for their hard work and that they are making a difference in people’s lives,” Michael wrote in a letter to the chief nursing officer. “We hope that the gift makes a difference in the career advancement of the nurses and staff...and a difference in future patients’ lives, which is what our father would want.”

Jerry’s Story

Jerry was born and raised in the Weequahic section of Newark before attending business school at Pace University. Following his studies, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and served his nation in Korea, where he was wounded and received a Purple Heart.

After his patriotic service, Jerry traveled up and down his home state for his company Jersey State Seating, selling institutional and school furniture. A lifelong Jersey boy, Jerry had a professed love for diners, Jersey Shore beaches and Big Band music. Jerry and Loretta were loving parents to three children, Michael, Steven and Marilyn, and he is survived by six grandchildren.

Jerry’s volunteerism and generous spirit extended to his synagogue, where he was an active congregant, and to the Jewish War Veterans of the USA. He also donated two ambulances to the Magen David Adom, Israel’s version of the Red Cross.

To learn more about how you can make a difference at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, or to give back in honor of great care, visit GiveHMH.org/JerseyShore.