On Thursday, February 27^th, Girls’ Night Out, the annual fundraiser for the WMCHealth Heart and Vascular Institute, was held at the Sleepy Hollow Hotel in Tarrytown. Emceed by the award-winning news reporter and anchor Tara Rosenblum, the event honored Westchester Medical Center Foundation Board Trustee and former longtime WMCHealth executive Kara Bennorth. The evening included a fashion show with clothing courtesy of designer Beverley Olivacce, a shopping boutique, accessories wall, raffles, dinner and dancing. Proceeds from the event benefit the WMCHealth Heart and Vascular Institute, which offers a wide range of cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery and vascular surgery services, including heart failure and heart transplantation, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and many more, to Hudson Valley residents.

View photos of event »

Westchester Medical Center’s Critical Care Tower to be Renamed Brenda Fareri Pavilion

VALHALLA, N.Y. (February 26, 2025) –– John and Brenda Fareri, whose support for the Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth) has been instrumental in the growth of the Network, have pledged a $5 million gift to support the construction of Westchester Medical Center’s newest patient tower. In recognition of their support, the building (formerly referred to as the Critical Care Tower) will now be known as the Brenda Fareri Pavilion.

In a ceremony held this morning at Westchester Medical Center, John and Brenda Fareri were recognized for their generosity by Network leadership, including WMCHealth’s new President and Chief Executive Officer, David Lubarsky, MD; Zubeen Shroff, Board Chair, Westchester County Health Care Corporation; and Michael D. Israel, former WMCHealth President and Chief Executive Officer.

Currently under construction, the $220 million, five-story Brenda Fareri Pavilion will span 162,000 square feet and house 128 private, state-of-the-art patient rooms—all equipped with the latest and most advanced medical technologies for intensive care. When complete, the Brenda Fareri Pavilion will facilitate the conversion of Westchester Medical Center’s entire inpatient service to all-private rooms, enhancing patient privacy and comfort.

The Fareri family played a major role in the development of WMCHealth’s Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, named after their daughter Maria, who passed away at the age of 13, 30 years ago. Today, the hospital is an advanced care pediatrics center, treating thousands of critically ill and injured children annually.

“This dedication is a testament to the Fareri family’s extraordinary generosity and the profound impact Brenda and the family have had on the well-being of our patients and the overall health of our entire community,” said Dr. Lubarsky. “The Brenda Fareri Pavilion will not only advance our mission to provide world-class medical care but also stand as a lasting symbol of the Fareri family’s unwavering commitment to healthcare excellence in our area. Their support ensures that countless individuals will receive the highest quality of care in a state-of-the-art facility.”

“Today, as we gather to celebrate this next step—the expansion of critical care services—we see another opportunity to ensure that patients of all ages receive the very best medical care when they need it most. Just as Maria’s legacy helped build a hospital that has cared for thousands of children, this new tower will elevate the care we provide for the most critically ill patients in our region,” said John Fareri.

“Thanks to the Fareri family’s visionary commitment to advanced pediatric care, WMCHealth’s Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital has been delivering exceptional care for two decades. Now, everyone who steps into the Brenda Fareri Pavilion will witness the Fareri family’s steadfast dedication to improving healthcare outcomes and enhancing patient experiences,” said Shroff, who is also Trustee of the Westchester Medical Center Foundation. “Their enduring support continues to inspire us and propel our mission forward.”

RIU Hotels & Resorts is an international company founded in Mallorca, Spain, with hotels and resorts in 21 countries (including five in the United States and two—soon to be three—in New York City). At the end of 2023, RIU began supporting Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital as part of the company’s Proudly Committed sustainability strategy, which focuses on child protection, education and health. RIU supports Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital’s Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy department, which uses art and other therapeutic tools to help children and their families cope with their hospital stay and treatment. Thanks in part to the generous support of RIU Hotels & Resorts, children are able to enjoy art and other therapeutic activities while Child Life and Creative Arts specialists guide the children and their families through the process, offering emotional and psychological support.

ShopRite customers can donate to Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital when shopping at ShopRite stores February 2nd through the 17th,   We are grateful for the continued support of ShopRite and the ShopRite customers who generously give to support life-saving healthcare for local children. Last winter, 27 ShopRite supermarkets collected more than $92,000 in donations from shoppers to support programs and services at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital. To learn how you or your business can partner with us to advance the quality of care in our community, click here.

We are incredibly grateful to Britain Nicholson and Robert Hess, representing all members of the Tuscarora Club of Millbrook, NY, for their generous $40k donation to Margaretville Hospital’s heliport campaign. This crucial project will ensure that emergency transfers run quickly and efficiently, providing a lifeline to patients in need of rapid care. Heliports are vital for rural hospitals like Margaretville Hospital, offering direct access to the WMCHealth Network, enhancing patient outcomes, and saving lives. Thank you for helping us take this important step forward!

Learn more about the Margaretville Hospital Heliport Campaign and how to support this cause »

Girls’ Night Out, the annual fundraiser for the Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth) Heart and Vascular Institute, will feature inspiring stories celebrating heart patients and their healthcare providers. The event promises a fun night of dinner, dancing, and a patient fashion show.

Award-winning news reporter and anchor Tara Rosenblum will emcee the event on Thursday, February 27, at 5:30 p.m. at the Sleepy Hollow Hotel in Tarrytown. The event will also honor WMCHealth Foundation Board Member and former longtime WMCHealth Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer Kara Bennorth.

February is American Heart Month, and Girls’ Night Out aims to raise awareness about the importance of heart health, particularly for women whose symptoms may differ from those experienced by men. Heart disease is the number one killer of women in the United States, causing 1 in 3 deaths, or approximately one every minute, according to the American Heart Association.

The evening will include a fashion show with clothing courtesy of designer Beverley Olivacce, a shopping boutique, a beauty suite, accessories wall, raffles, dinner, and dancing. Attendees are encouraged to wear red attire.

This year’s honoree, Kara Bennorth, has nearly 40 years of experience in public affairs, marketing, communications and development in both healthcare and the public sector. Bennorth started her career at Westchester Medical Center in 1995 and progressed to serve as Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of WMCHealth.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the WMCHealth Heart and Vascular Institute, which offers a wide range of cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery, and vascular surgery services, including heart failure and heart transplantation, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), and many more, to Hudson Valley residents. To learn more about sponsorships for the event or to buy tickets or donate, visit WMCHealthGiving.org. Tickets can be purchased here.

For Annie Pevear, running has been a lifelong passion since her mother first encouraged her to lace up her sneakers at age 10. This fall, she transformed that passion into purpose, raising nearly $6,000 for WMCHealth’s Margaretville Hospital while training for and completing the 2024 New York City Marathon.

The fundraising journey began at Margaretville Hospital’s annual art auction in May, where Pevear learned about the opportunity to support the hospital through marathon fundraising. As a longtime runner and community member who has witnessed firsthand the vital role of the rural hospital, she eagerly volunteered for the challenge.

“I think it’s an essential thing to have in a rural area,” Pevear said, noting that the hospital is just 15 minutes from the Farm School in Roxbury, an educational farm where she works. “I’ve had to bring students to the ER when something happens, and they always get such good treatment there.”

Her fundraising efforts combined grassroots outreach with community events, including hosting a successful fundraiser at a local cidery. The campaign quickly gained momentum as community members, hospital board members and even strangers contributed to the cause, which will support the hospital’s current initiative to build a helipad.

A Boston native who moved to the Catskills nine years ago, Pevear approached the marathon with dedication, following a rigorous two-month training schedule that included running up to 60 miles per week. The marathon itself proved to be an unforgettable experience, particularly the final stretch through Harlem and into Central Park, where she was cheered on by students and families from her school.

“I love to run, so it felt good to run for a cause,” she reflected. “Some people who donated see me running on the roads all the time, so it felt like they could cheer me on for the marathon too. It was wonderful to turn my daily runs into something that benefits our whole community.”

The successful campaign highlighted the community’s commitment to maintaining quality local healthcare. “The community will really come together when people need things,” Pevear said. “Everybody can rally around the hospital because it’s so essential to everybody’s health and safety here.”

Thanks to all the generous donors who contributed toys to our annual holiday toy drive, children at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital were able to enjoy playing with new toys during their hospitalizations. The children will continue to enjoy new toys year-round as the donated toys will be used to stock playrooms in the Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy department at the hospital.