More than $38,000 Raised for Southern Ocean Medical Center Foundation at Links for Life Fundraiser

Little Egg Harbor resident Bette Bauer and LuCille Perry of Northborough, Mass., raised more than $38,000 for Hackensack Meridian Health Southern Ocean Medical Center Foundation by hosting Links for Life at Sea Oaks Country Club on October 7. The golf outing welcomed 120 golfers, and 240 total attendees, who gathered to raise funds in support of the cancer center at Hackensack Meridian Health Southern Ocean Medical Center.

The fundraiser was held in memory of Bauer and Perry’s mother, Audrey M. Perry, who passed away from breast cancer at the age of 69. In addition to a day of golf, participants enjoyed lunch and dinner, as well as raffles and auctions and a health fair, which included free screenings and health assessments. In addition, Paul Chung, M.D., a hematologist and oncologist at Southern Ocean Medical Center, spoke about future trends in cancer treatment and technology.

“It was our pleasure to host this golf outing,” says Bauer. “It’s a great way to raise funds for our local hospital – which is doing great work treating community members living with cancer – while honoring the legacy of our mother, who passed much too early from this disease.”

To thank Bauer and Perry for their generosity, Southern Ocean Medical Center Foundation hosted a brunch reception on October 21 where Bauer presented the foundation and Dr. Chung with a check for $38,100. The volunteers who helped to organize the outing also attended the reception, as did Joseph Lattanzi, M.D., a radiation oncologist at the medical center.

“We are so appreciative of community members like Bette and her sister, LuCille, who go the extra mile to support our medical center,” says Regina Foley, PhD, MBA, RN, chief hospital executive of Southern Ocean Medical Center. “Receiving a cancer diagnosis is not what it used to be thanks in large part to the generosity of donors like them, who help to support the vital services and technologies needed to defeat the disease. We are truly thankful for their support.”

Funds raised at events such as Links for Life all contribute toward a $150 million fundraising goal as part of a capital campaign called Giving Heals, administered by Hackensack Meridian Health Meridian Health Foundation, the umbrella foundation of Southern Ocean Medical Center Foundation. Giving Heals supports four important initiatives: strengthening oncology services, improving clinical outcomes, enhancing the patient experience and broadening clinical research and academic programs at the following Hackensack Meridian Health medical centers: Bayshore Medical Center, Jersey Shore University Medical Center, K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital, 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.

“We are incredibly grateful to Bette and LuCille and everyone who supported Links for Life,” says Joseph Stampe, president and chief development officer, Meridian Health Foundation. “The funds raised from this event will have a tremendous impact on both the hospital and community and we are so grateful to everyone who is helping to make a difference in the lives of individuals living with cancer.”

To learn more about how you can support cancer care at Southern Ocean Medical Center,  or for more information about the Giving Heals campaign, contact James Young, executive director of Southern Ocean Medical Center Foundation, at james.young@hmhn.org or 609-978-3040.