Susan St. Peter’s link to Riverview Medical Center spanned nearly seven decades and began the day she was born. The connection continued when Sue went on to have a nursing career at the very same place where she, her five sisters and her three children were born. Sue began in the 1970s as a candy striper, assisting nurses, and over the years worked her way to become a corporate trainer.

“Hackensack Meridian Health provided Mom with a flourishing career in which she was able to pursue her dream of becoming a nurse,” says her son Chris St. Peter.

In October, Sue passed away after a two-year battle with ovarian cancer. She cared deeply not only for her patients over the years but for the nursing staff as well. So to keep her legacy alive, Sue’s family set up a scholarship in her name with the help of Riverview nursing manager Margaret Valenti and the Riverview Medical Center Foundation.

Upon Sue’s passing, in lieu of flowers, her family asked for donations to be sent to Riverview Medical Center Foundation. To date, 65 donations have totaled more than $12,000.

“These funds will allow the Riverview Medical Center Foundation to award nursing scholarships for continuing education and various certifications for nurses,” says Todd Shellenberger, executive director of Riverview Medical Center Foundation. 

Adds Rebecca Graboso, former chief nursing officer at Riverview: “This nursing scholarship is a great opportunity for us to improve nursing recruitment and retention.”

Nursing professional development, recruitment and retention creates a positive feedback loop. “Any opportunity to provide nurses with the opportunity of continuing education makes them stronger clinically and makes them more effective professionals. It also allows for better outcomes for our patients,” says Tim Hogan, president of Riverview.

Riverview was a mainstay in Sue’s life, so the gift is both personal and meaningful. “Riverview was a home away from home for her,” says Sue’s daughter Jessica St. Peter. “They say that if you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life. That was true for my mom.

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