Trinity Health Of New England Hosts Making Miracles Happen Gala Benefiting Cardiovascular Services
Trinity Health Of New England is pleased to announce its first annual Making Miracles Happen gala was held on Saturday, September 24, 2022 at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford, CT. Over $1 million was raised to benefit the Maximilian E. and Marion O. Hoffman Heart and Vascular Institute of Connecticut, home to the regional health care organization’s highly specialized cardiovascular care. Located throughout several of Trinity Health Of New England’s service areas and acute care hospitals – Mercy Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts; Saint Francis Hospital in Hartford, Connecticut; and Saint Mary’s Hospital in Waterbury Connecticut—the Hoffman Heart and Vascular Institute has been caring for patients for more than 30 years, connecting them to top-of-the-line care and programs to treat their immediate medical needs as well as improve their quality of life long-term.
(Left to right) Thomas Burke, BPharm, M.B.A., President, Saint Francis Hospital; Robert Roose, M.D., Chief Administrative Officer, Mercy Medical Center; Kimberly Kalajainen, Chief Administrative Officer, Saint Mary’s Hospital.
“Our comprehensive approach to care was the first of its kind in the area and is still what’s setting us apart,” said Richard Soucier, M.D., Trinity Health Of New England’s Regional Cardiology Physician Executive and Chief of Cardiology at Saint Francis Hospital. “We help patients across the spectrum of heart disease, from early prevention, all the way to end stage heart failure. The support and generosity shown by our donors now and throughout the years is what allows us to carry on this great work, improve our services, and expand our reach to bring the highest quality care to the people who need it most.”
The Hoffman Heart and Vascular Institute provides patients advanced offerings for interventional and non-invasive cardiology, making every effort to take a non-surgical approach to treatment when possible. Most recently, it opened a regional, comprehensive A-fib Center of Excellence, addressing heart arrhythmias, which are the most common cause of stroke in the United States. The Institute also development and launched a Regional Heart Failure program, including offerings in advanced heart failure such as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), Impella, and durable left ventricular assist devices (VADs).
(Left to right) Thomas Burke, BPharm, M.B.A., President, Saint Francis Hospital; Montez Carter, PharmD, M.B.A, FACHE, newly named Trinity Health of New England President and Chief Executive Officer; Kimberly Kalajainen, Chief Administrative Officer, Saint Mary’s Hospital; Deborah Bitsoli, M.B.A., CPA, President, Trinity Health Of New England Medical Group; Lisa E. Zapatka, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, Senior Vice President, Regional Chief Nursing Officer, Trinity Health Of New England; Reggy Eadie, M.D., M.B.A., President and CEO of Trinity Health Of New England; Robert Roose, M.D., Chief Administrative Officer, Mercy Medical Center; Dan Keenan, Vice President of Advocacy and Government Relations, Trinity Health Of New England
“The funds raised from our first regional gala will help support the many heart patients served by Hoffman Heart and Vascular Institute which is unsurpassed at providing multidisciplinary, patient-centered care throughout the communities we serve,” said James C. Smith, Chair, Trinity Health Of New England Board of Directors. “We are truly grateful to the Trinity Health Of New England Philanthropy team and the many, generous donors who are allowing us to continue to make miracles happen for the residents of Connecticut and western Massachusetts.”
Honorary co-chairs for the Making Miracle Happen fundraising event were Walter Harrison, Ph.D., Chair, Saint Francis Hospital Board of Directors, Lynnette Letsky-Piombo, Chair, Saint Mary’s Hospital Foundation board, and Michelle Theroux, Chair, Mercy Medical Center Board of Directors. Tim Lammers, Emmy-nominated journalist, health reporter, and anchor for the FOX61 Morning News, served as the emcee of the gala event. A native of South Windsor, Tim joined the FOX61 news team in 2002 as a sports producer and currently plays an active role in the production and development of FOX61’s daily morning newscasts. Entertainment for the event was provided by The Connection and keepsake photos were taken by TapSnap.
The Connection provides music and entertainment for guests attending Trinity Health Of New England’s Making Miracles Happen gala.
“We are truly blessed that we are able to gather with so many friends who love our hospitals and the compassionate care they receive at them. Hosting an event like this takes a village of sponsors, volunteers, colleagues and philanthropy team members and knowing our efforts will help transform the lives of our patients is beyond gratifying,” commented, Timothy R. Stanton, Regional Vice President of Philanthropy, Trinity Health Of England.
About Trinity Health Of New England
Trinity Health Of New England is an integrated nonprofit health care delivery system formed in 2015 and is a member of Trinity Health located in Livonia, Michigan, one of the largest multi-institutional Catholic health care delivery systems in the nation serving communities in 22 states. Trinity Health Of New England is comprised of Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center and Mount Sinai Rehabilitation Hospital in Hartford, Connecticut; Johnson Memorial Hospital and Home & Community Health Services in Stafford Springs, Connecticut; Saint Mary’s Hospital in Waterbury, Connecticut; Mercy Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts; Weldon Rehabilitation Hospital, Springfield, Massachusetts; Brightside for Families and Children; and Mercy Continuing Care Network that includes Mercy Homecare, Mercy Hospice and Mercy LIFE. Visit TrinityHealthOfNE.org for more information and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @THOfNewEngland