Inspired giving
through the
St. Joseph Medical Center
Foundation
Going “First-Class”
in New Custom Chair
When Dr. Mark Krasna’s
airline upgraded him to firstclass, the medical director of
St. Joseph’s Cancer Institute
realized at 31,000 feet that the
amenities of his VIP seating,
such as a built-in entertainment center, wide arm rests,
and a tray for a laptop computer, would work beautifully in
the new Serpick Infusion
Center, located in The Cancer
Institute’s sunny atrium.
As a result, 14 custom-built
infusion chairs featuring DVD
players with built-in screens,
iPod ports and more are now
bringing comfort and relaxation to chemotherapy
patients. Each patient is given
their own set of head phones.
The luxurious chairs enhance
The Cancer Institute’s
patient-centered approach.
The chair is getting rave
reviews from patients. While
sitting in the infusion chair
with the sun streaming
through the glass atrium, one
patient remarked, “I feel like
I’m on a Florida vacation.”
Dana and Neil Kishter’s Generosity Brings Comfort to Patients Needing Infusion Therapy
Patient John Trader is delighted with the amenities
of the new infusion chair.
When Dana and Neil Kishter joined
St. Joseph’s Cancer Institute Board of
Visitors, they were delighted to see how,
under the direction of their cousin Mark
Krasna, M.D., the Institute was designed to
put the comfort of patients first. A leukemia
patient, Dana knew firsthand the trials that
often accompany a cancer diagnosis.
Visiting the The Cancer Institute
while under construction, Dana
and Neil were especially interested
in plans for a custom designed
infusion chair [see sidebar].
“You spend long hours in a
chair, often without anything
particularly nice to look at
or challenging to do and you
never lose the feeling of being
a patient,” said Dana. An
executive for UBS, Dana knew
Neil and Dana Kishter enjoy a
Tuscan holiday in September 2007.
how important it is for patients to access
the Internet, watch a movie or relax in a
comfortable chair during treatments.
The Kishters were so pleased that
St. Joseph’s Cancer Institute had taken steps
to significantly improve patients’ comfort
while receiving chemotherapy, that they
made a generous gift to fund the purchase
of 11 infusion chairs. “Mark and his team
are so deeply committed to making sure that
their patients are as comfortable as possible,”
commented Dana. “Neil and I were delighted
to make this gift. These new chairs will make
an enormous difference in the emotional
well-being of those receiving treatment at
St. Joseph’s Cancer Institute.” In early January
the infusion chairs were installed in the
bright new atrium of the Cancer Institute.
sjmcmd.org / St. Joseph Medical Center foundation Summer 2008 A
Embracing the Faith . ..
The Cardinal William H. Keeler Spiritual Center
Physical therapist, Moina Faruqui, was grateful for Spiritual
Care’s guidance during a family member’s final illness.
A Family Journey
As Azimunissa Begum’s life was nearing an end, her
many beloved children and grandchildren gathered
at her bedside, including her daughter, Moina Riaz
Faruqui. But the family found it difficult to say goodbye and couldn’t come to terms with the reality that
their cherished mother and grandmother was dying.
It was then that the Spiritual Care team became part
of their family. “They were wonderful in letting us see
that by telling our mother it was okay to let go, we
were actually freeing her to go into the loving arms
of Allah or God,” smiles Faruqui, a physical therapist
at St. Joseph. “The team was wonderful in easing
our pain and brought relief to us during such a difficult time. When we learned about the new Spiritual
Center we wanted to give something back.”
The Cardinal William H. Keeler Spiritual Center will include renovations to the Chapel (see
architect’s rendering above), a lovely outdoor meditation garden, an interfaith prayer room and
a spiritual care department.
When plans took shape for a major expansion to the medical center to
be completed in December 2008, it was critical that providing several sacred
spaces, both inside the medical center and in an outdoor, natural environment, be implemented into the master site plan. It was equally important
that these sacred spaces reverence an individual who has done so much to
be inclusive of all God’s people during his service to the Church. Because
of his deep and abiding commitment to bridging different faith traditions,
St. Joseph Medical Center is privileged to name the Spiritual Center in
honor of Cardinal William H. Keeler.
“God is revealed to each of us differently and the way we relate to God or
our higher power is unique to every individual. We consider it a privilege
at St. Joseph to embrace all faiths,” explains Nancy Conner, director of
Spiritual Care at St. Joseph Medical Center, “and we are thrilled that
St. Joseph has the opportunity to honor the legacy of Cardinal Keeler.”
Renovations to the Chapel to improve the aesthetics of the space as well as
sound and lighting enhancements, and major improvements to the adjacent
meditation garden provided the opportunity to also create an interfaith
prayer room, creating a Spiritual Center that reverences all religious traditions.
The family has donated a beautiful prayer rug, a
copy of the Koran, a head cover and Tazbee, or
prayer beads similar to the Rosary, to be used in the
interfaith prayer space by those who practice Islam.
“We have always provided space to pray, sometimes on a moment’s notice,
for people who were uncomfortable in our Chapel,” says Conner. With the
addition of the new interfaith prayer room and outdoor meditation garden,
our patients, staff and friends will have three dedicated spaces, easily accessible off the main lobby, where they can pray within their faith tradition.”
When complete, the Cardinal William H. Keeler Spiritual Center will offer
reflection and respite for all who are celebrating hope, calming fear and
searching for their own spiritual sacred space.
The Cardinal William H. Keeler Spiritual Center project, which will exceed $1 million, must be funded solely through
philanthropic support, relying on the generosity of individuals and our community partners. We pray that
you will consider a gift to ensure that our patients and families have a place of respite in support of their healing.
A Summer 2008 St. Joseph Medical Center foundation / sjmcmd.org
Our Partners In Health
Investing Wisely
M&T Bank has always recognized the
importance of corporate giving and the
impact it has on the community—the
impetus behind their gift of $150,000
to St. Joseph’s “Investing in Excellence”
capital campaign. Comments Atwood
“Woody” Collins III, President and CEO
of M&T Bank’s Mid-Atlantic Division,
“We embrace the need to serve the community in ways that go beyond the manner
in which we do business. At M&T we
believe that size and success bring with
them other responsibilities as well,
including strengthening the neighborhoods where we do business. For over 15
years, we have had a wonderful relationship with St. Joseph Medical Center.”
of M&T’s Mid-Atlantic Healthcare
Banking, shares his personal experience
of the loving care provided at
St. Joseph Medical Center. “I first
visited St. Joseph Medical Center when
our daughter, Maggie, fell down a flight
of stairs. My wife and I were frightened
and tense as we made the late night visit
to the Emergency Department (ED).”
As soon as they arrived at the ED,
Callaghan and his family began to feel at
ease. “Our fear dissolved as the nurses
examined and comforted Maggie,” he
said. Today, his daughter is doing just
fine, but Callaghan has not forgotten that
long night several years ago.
St. Joseph Medical Center is most grateful
to have helped the Callaghan family when
they needed us and delighted that M&T
continues to partner with the medical
center to create a healthier community.
Watch for additional profiles of our
corporate and community partners in
upcoming issues of “in the Spirit.”
M&T has made gifts to the medical
center that include capital campaigns,
special events and the Annual Fund.
The Bank is particularly supportive of
St. Joseph’s “Centers of Excellence” that
include the Heart, Orthopaedic and
Cancer Institutes as well as the medical
center’s long history of serving residents
in Baltimore and surrounding counties,
regardless of ability to pay.
Christopher Callaghan, Administrative
Vice President and Group Manager
L to R: Christopher Callaghan, Administrative Vice President and Group Manager, M&T Mid-Atlantic
Healthcare Banking and Greg Oliver, Vice President, M&T Healthcare Banking, in the atrium of the new
Cancer Institute
A colossal thank you
to our
friends who supported Gala 2008: THE SUPER BALL, held on
Saturday, May 10, 2008 at The Renaissance Harborplace Hotel.
These super heroes raised $650,000 to be directed to The
Heart Institute at St. Joseph, a “Top 100 Heart Hospital.” Watch
for more photos and details about a gala(xy) that was out of this
world in our fall issue.
At Left: Co-chairs of THE SUPER BALL, Mindy and
Steve Geppi, take time out from the festivities to make
friends with Spiderman.
sjmcmd.org / St. Joseph Medical Center foundation Summer 2008 A
The Healing Arts
Exhibit at St. Joseph Medical Center Cancer Institute
Artist Ruthie Ingram dedicated her
entry, “The Prettiest Flower in the
Garden” to her grandmother.
Artist and cancer survivor Ruthie Ingram found art to be a saving grace during treatment for
her disease. “Art gave me an escape from the ever-present effects of breast cancer. Painting
gave me an inner focus on creating beauty and a place of calm serenity.” Ingram was one
of 33 artists who together submitted a total of 40 pieces to a juried art exhibition, Journeys
Through Cancer: Art of Healing and Hope, sponsored by St. Joseph Medical Center Cancer
Institute’s Board of Visitors and the American Cancer Society. The opening, held on April 3
at St. Joseph’s new Cancer Institute, attracted more
than 100 guests who enjoyed the artwork and the
accompanying artists’ statements, each having to do
with their personal experience with cancer, whether
as patient, caregiver, relative or friend.
The exhibition was conceived to show that art, as well
as science, can be a powerful tool in the treatment of disease. St. Joseph Medical Center’s
Operating Board Chair, Carmen Deyesu and his wife, Vicki, purchased several pieces
that will be on permanent display in The Cancer Institute. “As part of the healing process
we believe that medical treatment areas should be aesthetically pleasing. We are delighted
to support this wonderful project,” comments Vicki. The exhibit, that ran from April 3
to May 9, was on display during the formal Cancer Institute dedication, celebrated on
Sunday, April 13.
Artist Beth E. Ybarra accompanied by her husband and
son, a cancer survivor, shows her painting to Lynn and
John Tolmie, President of St. Joseph Medical Center.
GOOD NEWS
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St. Joseph was awarded a three-year grant by The Health
Services Cost Review Commission (HSCRC) to fund the medical
center’s Nurse Support Program. This innovative program seeks to
elevate nursing excellence throughout St. Joseph by increasing the
number of certified nurses, providing tools and resources for continued
nurse manager development as well as increase clinical support for
new graduates. The grant also establishes forums for nursing staff
to have a voice in matters that affect their practice.
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A donor who wishes to remain anonymous donated $25,000
to be used for the St. Clare Medical Outreach Project, a health care
program that delivers primary and preventive care to the poor
in Baltimore City.
Generous physician giving continues to drive philanthropy at
St. Joseph Medical Center as Dr. and Mrs. Mark Midei and Dr. and Mrs.
Stephen Pollock each made a very substantial gift to The Heart Institute.
The Orthopaedic Institute’s “Fund for Nursing Excellence” was most
grateful to receive a grant in the amount of $25,000 from the
Alex Brown Foundation.
A Summer 2008 St. Joseph Medical Center FOUNDATION / sjmcmd.org
After employees, friends and neighbors of St. Joseph Medical Center
raised more than $21,000 in five months to support the purchase of
insecticide-treated beds to
prevent the spread of malaria in
the Karatu District of Tanzania,
Africa, Catholic Health Initiatives
stepped in. Our parent company
awarded the medical center a
$300,000 grant. This generous
gift will allow our malaria prevention
initiative to reach 60,000 villagers
we support through our Village
Wellness Program.
Malaria, one of the world’s most
deadly, yet preventable diseases
kills over one million people each
year, 90% of whom are children.