Mickey Hall: Making a Difference

“I like to say ‘thank you’ to my doctors and nurses by sending a donation to St. Anthony rather than just being treated and walking away. It doesn’t hurt my pocketbook, and I know that it makes a difference.”

Join Mickey and show your gratitude at Give.WMCHealth.org/SACH

Share your story at InfoBSCH@wmhealth.org

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Juan Lopez: Supporting for Women’s Health Services at St. Anthony

Breast cancer awareness and prevention are deeply personal to Juan Lopez. “I lost my mother to breast cancer, and I want other women and their families to know about getting screened for this disease,” he said. “I also want to keep my mother’s memory strong.”

As an officer of The Mustang Club of Orange County, Juan shared his idea for a breast cancer event, open to the public, with the other club officers, Steve Matola, Sidney Silverman Bayer and Tom Perillo. And five years ago, they began to host their Breast Cancer Awareness Car Cruise to benefit Women’s Health Services at St. Anthony Community Hospital.

Their message during the cruise is loud and clear: Be aware, get screened and support local healthcare.

“St. Anthony is my hospital. They do a really great job for people in Warwick and nearby communities, and they’re small enough to care about their patients as neighbors,” Juan said. “The hospital needs community support to continue to provide the best care possible, like having the newest mammography equipment. We’re happy to do our part as a club to help!”

If you are interested in hosting a community event — like The Mustang Club of Orange County — to benefit a specific department at St. Anthony Community Hospital, please contact us at InfoBSCH@wmhealth.org or 845.368.5151.

Join Juan and show your gratitude at Give.WMCHealth.org/SACH

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Bill’s Story: My Doctor for More Than 25 Years

“Dr. Hirsch has cared for me since 1997. I am so grateful that he and Good Samaritan Hospital are here for me year after year.

“My wife, who was a nurse at Good Sam, knew him and always said that he was top-notch. She was thankful for his expertise, professionalism and kindness.

“Beyond my cardiac needs, Dr. Hirsch has stepped up to help me manage other challenging health issues. It’s really great that I can rely on him with complete confidence that he knows what’s right for me. We’ve gotten to know each other very well!

“Dr. Hirsch also took care of my mother-in-law. We credit him for keeping her alive for many years.

“I also have only excellent things to say about the staff at Good Samaritan. They take the time to listen and they truly care. What a special group of people.

“Donations from patients and their families help Good Samaritan’s doctors, like Dr. Hirsch, continue to provide our community the care we need. So if you can give a charitable gift, please do. It really does make a difference.”

Join Bill and show your gratitude at Give.WMCHealth.org/GSH.

Share your story at InfoBSCH@wmhealth.org.

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James’s Story: Grateful Giving to Express My Thanks

“Sometimes, I don’t think twice when I see brochures in plexiglass holders,” said James Obrotka. “But I picked up Good Sam’s Grateful Giving brochure after I rang my ‘radiation finished’ bell. I wanted to show my gratitude to everyone who cared for me by making a donation to the hospital.”

James, who lives in Warwick, came to Good Samaritan Hospital for prostate cancer care. He said that he needed specialized services more advanced than those offered at St. Anthony Community Hospital, which, along with Good Samaritan, is part of Bon Secours Charity Health System and the Westchester Medical Center Health Network. Now that he has completed most of his treatment in Suffern, he can receive additional therapy in Warwick.

“I was very impressed throughout my entire experience at Good Sam,” James said. “I have only great things to say about my doctors, the nurses, the receptionist, the maintenance workers and everyone else.”

Just like him, James encourages others to pick up our Grateful Giving brochure. He said, “If you make a donation to show your appreciation for Good Sam’s staff, it will make a difference for our hospital. And it will let your healthcare team know that they’ve made a difference for you!” 

Join James and show your gratitude at Give.WMCHealth.org/GSH.

Share your story at InfoBSCH@wmhealth.org.

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Uri’s Story: Treated Like a Neighbor

“We are fortunate to have Good Samaritan Hospital and Dr. Fraiman here for our community. Dr. Fraiman is extremely intelligent and experienced, clearly an expert in his field. He takes the time to provide thorough information and answer questions, and I appreciated that I never felt rushed. He also is extraordinarily kind, and that means a lot when you’re dealing with health issues.

“Good Samaritan is an excellent hospital. The staff members provide high-quality care, and they, too, are kind and compassionate. Being treated like a neighbor instead of just a patient adds a comforting personal touch.

“Good Sam, as a non-profit hospital, uses donations from patients, family and friends to increase its investments in healthcare advancements. And these are the advances that allow us to stay close to home for the best possible care. I hope that you will make Good Sam a priority in your charitable giving.“

Join Uri and show your gratitude at Give.WMCHealth.org/GSH.

Share your story at InfoBSCH@wmhealth.org.

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Michael’s Story: Swift Care and Coordination Save the Life of a 68-Year-Old Man with a Heart Arrhythmia

Michael Wartman said if there is one thing he has learned from his experience at Margaretville Hospital, it is that teamwork makes all the difference in a medical emergency.

“I can’t say enough about everyone who helped me,’’ said Wartman, 68 of Baltimore, MD. “From the exceptional healthcare team at Margaretville Hospital to the first responders who literally carried me across the field to the helicopter. I was very lucky.”

Wartman, who is an avid runner, was visiting his close friend in Margaretville on Columbus Day weekend when he went for a run. As he was running down a steep driveway, he suddenly felt dizzy and fainted. When he returned to his friend’s house, they took his blood pressure. It was so high that they immediately headed for the Emergency Department at Margaretville Hospital. 

Wartman said that after doctors stabilized him, an ambulance took him to a field where they airlifted him to HealthAlliance Hospital in Kingston. There, doctors discovered that he had an arrythmia.

“My family has a history of heart disease, so I am glad that doctors were able to diagnose the problem,” said Wartman. He is now back home and is on medication, has returned to running, and says he feels healthier than ever.

“I’m very grateful,” he said. “I would urge anyone to donate to help the hospital. They certainly deserve it.”

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Jessica’s Story: Mom and Twins Survive High-Risk Pregnancy and Premature Birth and are Now Thriving

Jessica Franjul-Pena is grateful for the care she and her twins, Ethan Lorenzo and Katalina, received at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, a member of the Westchester Medical Center Health Network.

Because Jessica conceived through in vitro fertilization, she was monitored closely from the start of her pregnancy. When she was eighteen weeks pregnant, Jessica was diagnosed with chronic hypertension. She was immediately referred to a maternal medicine specialist at Westchester Medical Center. Ultrasound monitoring also later revealed that one of the twins was not thriving as she should have been, and doctors decided to watch the babies even more closely.  

“I had great doctors,’’ said Jessica. “They were really on top of my case, monitoring me and the babies every step of the way.”

Thirty-three weeks into her pregnancy, Jessica’s doctors discovered her liver enzymes were dangerously high. She had developed superimposed preeclampsia, putting both her and the babies at risk. At that point, her medical team decided it would be safest to induce labor even though the babies would be premature. The twins were born on December 21, 2023 and were sent to the Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital. Ethan spent 11 days in the NICU and Katalina spent 24 days there.  

“The NICU experience was amazing. Everyone was always so kind. It’s such a difficult job but they always remained friendly and helpful. There’s a lot to learn in caring for a preemie. They teach you so much,” Jessica said.

Now, Jessica, Ethan Lorenzo, and Katalina are all doing well.

Please give to Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital or Westchester Medical Center today!

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Jack’s Story: Margaretville Hospital Diagnosis and Transport to Trauma Center Saves Local Restaurateur  

In an instant, unexpected health emergencies can happen and when they do, every minute counts. Just ask Jack Zamor. A local restaurateur and 16-year resident of Arkville, Jack juggled busy days and appreciated quiet nights. But one September evening in 2020 was far from quiet. Jack had severe abdominal pain and it would not pass. “It was agony and no matter what I did, there was no relief. Convinced my appendix would burst, I reluctantly texted a friend for help,”  he explained.

Jack soon arrived at the Margaretville Hospital Emergency Department where a CT scan revealed a diagnosis much more urgent than appendicitis. Jack was suffering from an abdominal aortic aneurysm. A rupture would likely be fatal. Arrangements were made for immediate air transport to a trauma center.

“Quick diagnosis and decision making saved my life,” recalls Jack. “I remember wheeling from the hospital onto the ambulance. We then traveled to a field behind the supermarket, which was lit by headlights, to an awaiting medevac helicopter. It took a few minutes, but it seemed like forever.”

Today, Jack is fully recovered and remains extraordinarily grateful for the Margaretville Hospital clinical team – and for life-saving access to trauma-level air transport.

Your support continues to make a difference throughout our community for patients like Jack. Together, we can continue raising the bar because we recognize that health challenges come without warning and for so many patients like Jack, minutes matter. 

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The Coxes’ Story: Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital Helps Couple Manage Son’s Epilepsy

Adam and Ali Cox are grateful for the expertise of doctors in the Pediatric Neurology department at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, a member of the Westchester Medical Center Health Network. Doctors at the hospital diagnosed their son Christopher with epilepsy and helped the family to manage this serious condition.

Christopher had his first seizure at age one, but others followed and got progressively worse until Drs. Philip Overby and Steven Wolf stepped in. After Christopher’s first seizure, doctors prepared the Coxes by giving them the training and strategies they needed to help Christopher if, and when, a second seizure came. Through vigilance, medication and education, 4-year-old Christopher’s epilepsy is under control. The Coxes are now dedicated to helping educate families like themselves- parents of the more than 470,000 children under the age of 14 in the United States who have Epilepsy.

“To the Pediatric Neurology Department at Maria Fareri – THANK YOU!! You never know when someone may need your help. Children with Epilepsy are some of the most vulnerable, and how wonderful it is to know, especially as a parent of a child with Epilepsy, that there are people who are ready, willing, and able to help. If you are in a position to provide a donation, I could not think of a better cause,” said Adam Cox.

Please give to Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital today!

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Katherine’s Story: WMC Helps Woman Who Suffers Life-Threatening Aneurysm While in Greece

Katherine Tsetsekos is grateful for the miracle that returned her to her work and family after being so close to death.

While traveling in Greece, Katherine suffered a life-threatening aneurysm that put her in a coma. Her doctor Chirag Ghandi, MD, said that 50 percent of people who suffer and aneurysm like this one never make it to the hospital and a quarter of those never return to normal. Katherine was one of the lucky ones. Doctors at Westchester Medical Center communicated with doctors abroad, overseeing Katherine’s care until she could be flown home to Westchester Medical Center by air ambulance where she underwent multiple surgeries. With physical rehabilitation and the loving care of her two daughters, Katherine has returned to work and is picking up where she left off in her life.

“I was very fortunate, as we all are to have a hospital where miracles like this can happen.’’

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