Karen Gauvin knows the ins and outs of great healthcare. She spent much of her career working in hospitals, sub-acute rehabilitation and home care. 

Her high regard for the staff at St. Anthony Community Hospital mostly comes from her father’s multiple inpatient stays there. “The staff are amazing,” Karen said, “I was impressed straight through all aspects of Dad’s care. He received excellent medical attention and was much loved.”

Karen now works in real estate in Warwick. The hospital is one of her selling points. “I always talk about St. Anthony; it is pure gold, right here in the heart of Warwick!”

Also a member of the hospital’s Foundation, Karen said that she hopes community members appreciate the importance of doing what they can – large or small – to support local healthcare. “We are a nonprofit that uses contributions to advance health services, and every contribution helps make a difference. I donate and serve on the Foundation because I am grateful, I want to give back and I want to do my part to make Warwick an even better community.”

Karen Gauvin is a Warwick resident, Bon Secours Warwick Health Foundation Board of Directors member, Licensed Real Estate Broker/Owner, OUR HOUSE Real Estate Group, LLC.

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

Share your story at InfoBSCH@wmhealth.org

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I have lived in Warwick since 1948. Of course, St. Anthony Community Hospital was a very different place at that time. But what has stayed the same is that it is always here for all of us. The staff knows what they’re doing and they do it well.

My wife Marge and I have donated to the hospital for many years. This is an extremely important local resource that uses contributions to support the healthcare it provides our community.

St. Anthony has been important to my family. My mom worked in the Medical Records Department in the 1950s. Over the years, we have received care at the hospital many times. Our two children were born there and my wife had major surgery there. When I became extremely ill, St. Anthony’s doctors ran extensive tests before they referred me elsewhere for specialized care. I was impressed — they knew what was beyond the purview of their expertise. They did everything right. 

Many years ago, I was on the Foundation Board of Directors and then served on the Hospital Board. It was inspiring to see how St. Anthony’s leaders and staff were committed to do their best for the town and the hospital. I know that commitment still holds true from everything we continue to see.

One of the best things a community can have is a hospital like ours. When we send our charitable gifts, we always request that they be used for the Warwick Healthcare Campus, since St. Anthony is part of a larger healthcare network. Marge and I are proud to make donations that help support our local hospital, and we thank others who do the same. We are lucky to have St. Anthony.

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For Roger Vander Plaat, a 30-year resident of Warwick, knowing that St. Anthony Community Hospital has been there for him and his family has been a great comfort.

“Over the years, each of our family members has needed care at St. Anthony,” said Roger. The need was very urgent in some cases, and it was reassuring to know that well-trained, compassionate doctors and nurses, many of whom are our friends and neighbors, were there to provide care. As a husband and father, these situations required me to put my family in the hands of others—the staff at St. Anthony. Their kindness and concern have always proven to be exceptional.”

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Last summer, orthopedic surgeon John M. Hardcastle, MD, received a photo of his patient Jim McIntyre atop Mount Yale, a 14,200-foot mountain in Colorado. This was just four months after Dr. Hardcastle replaced the 67-year-old’s right hip at St. Anthony Community Hospital, in Warwick, a member of the Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth).

McIntyre, a retired teacher, is active hiking mountains, climbing glaciers and sking. After experiencing severe hip pain, he consulted Dr. Hardcastle, who had been treating him for several years for osteoarthritis and degenerative joint disease. “You’ll know when it’s time to replace your hip,” he had advised McIntyre. That time had come.

“Despite the pandemic,” says Dr. Hardcastle, “Jim was wise not to delay his care; many safeguards had been put into place to ensure patient safety.”

Shortly after waking from a minimally invasive procedure to replace his hip, McIntyre walked down a hallway with a physical therapist and a walker and then up and down a flight of stairs. “I was already in less pain than before I came in,” he recalls. “I felt better than I had in three years.”

“The staff at St. Anthony Community Hospital was tremendous,” he said. “Dr. Hardcastle is also an athlete, so he understands how important it is to get back to an active life. He’s a terrific human being and surgeon.”

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