Women’s Heart Fund Annual Reception Raises nearly $165,000 in Support of the Center for Survivorship and Wellness Care at Jersey Shore University Medical Center

Nearly $165,000 was raised at the Women’s Heart Fund Annual Reception held on May 31 at the Bay Head Yacht Club in Bay Head, NJ. Co-chaired by Mollie Giamanco, who is also a board member for the Hackensack Meridian Health Bayshore Medical Center Foundation, and Lisa Loshiavo, 275 guests attended the fundraiser, which will support the Center for Survivorship and Wellness Care located at Hackensack Meridian Health Jersey Shore University Medical Center’s HOPE Tower. The evening featured a cocktail-style format, an array of hors d’oeuvres and stations, music, dancing, a 50/50 raffle and the Ultimate Golf Raffle, which awarded 27 winners with a round of golf at one of 27 premiere golf courses. Additionally, Denise McKnight, a cancer survivor and patient who had all of her treatments inside HOPE Tower, offered remarks about her experience and what the center will mean to other survivors.

“The Center for Survivorship and Wellness Care is a vital community resource and has already helped a tremendous amount of people,” says Joseph Stampe, president and chief development officer, Hackensack Meridian Health Meridian Health Foundation. “When the center opens later this summer, it will benefit even more community members and we are grateful to the Women’s Heart Fund for their commitment to this tremendous cause.”

While construction on the center nears completion, nurse navigators are seeing patients and have already conducted more than 600 face-to-face meetings, more than 250 Survivorship Care Plans, completed nearly 3,000 referrals to social workers, held more than 30 gynecology and breast cancer support group meetings and nine caregiver support group meetings.

“A cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming, with a myriad of appointments, medical terms and emotions,” says Kenneth Sable, M.D., MBA, FACEP, regional president, southern market, Hackensack Meridian Health. “It’s important for individuals living with cancer, those who have beaten it and family members impacted by it to have professional support, and the Center for Survivorship and Wellness Care will do just that.”

The Women’s Heart Fund has committed to raising $250,000 for women’s health issues across the network, supporting not only hospital services, but also the overall health of women in our community throughout their cancer journey. The funds raised at the reception complete that $250,000 pledge and contribute to the Meridian Health Foundation’s Giving Heals campaign, which has a goal of raising $150 million to support four important initiatives: strengthening oncology services, improving clinical outcomes, enhancing the patient experience and broadening clinical research and academic programs. To date, more than $95 million has been raised to benefit Hackensack Meridian Health medical centers in Monmouth, Ocean and Middlesex counties, including: Jersey Shore University Medical Center, K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital, Bayshore Medical Center, Ocean Medical Center, Raritan Bay Medical Center – Old Bridge, Raritan Bay Medical Center – Perth Amboy, Riverview Medical Center and Southern Ocean Medical Center.

For more information about the Women's Heart Fund, please contact Stephanie Giordano, vice president of Individual Giving and Strategy, Meridian Health Foundation, at 732-751-5165 or stephanie.giordano@hmhn.org. To learn how you can support the Giving Heals campaign, please visit www.hackensackmeridianhealth.org/givingheals.

ABOUT THE GIVING HEALS CAMPAIGN

Giving Heals is a $150 million regional comprehensive campaign to raise funds for strengthening oncology services, improving clinical outcomes, enhancing the patient experience and broadening clinical research and academic programs. Publicly announced at the Meridian Health Foundation Gala on November 17, 2018, the campaign will run through 2020. Over $90 million dollars has been raised to date to support following Hackensack Meridian Health medical centers: Jersey Shore University Medical Center, K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital, Bayshore Medical Center, Ocean Medical Center, Raritan Bay Medical Center in Old Bridge, Raritan Bay Medical Center in Perth Amboy, Riverview Medical Center and Southern Ocean Medical Center.

ABOUT THE WOMEN’S HEART FUND

The mission of the Women’s Heart Fund (WHF) is to champion women’s health issues in Monmouth, Ocean and Middlesex counties and to facilitate learning and engagement with the larger Hackensack Meridian Health community. First and foremost, the WHF is deeply committed to education about the importance of women’s health; we therefore aspire to engage women at the Board level who will serve as powerful influencers and conveners in the communities we serve.  Through our outreach work and events, the WHF seeks to increase philanthropy each year for women’s health programs, services, and technology as well as other Hackensack Meridian Health funding priorities.