A twenty-five year love affair with St. Mary—still going strong Len and Marilyn Franckowiak are loving and living retired life. They have lived in Bucks County long enough to witness St. Mary sprouting from a farm field and growing into a wonderful medical center. “It is comforting to know that our medical needs can be addressed within a short ride, and sophisticated emergency care is available at the end of an ambulance ride.” “We, our children, and grandchildren have experienced very good care through the generations. There are so many reasons why we donate, encourage others to donate and volunteer our services.” Marilyn was first encouraged to volunteer 25 years ago by Sr. Hildegarde Grogan, who, at the time was Vice-President of Patient Services. Sr. Hildegarde needed someone to sift through tons of data and prepare charts—and at that time, it was with a pencil, ruler, and graph paper! Soon Marilyn was named a community representative to Ethics Committee on which she served for 15 years. Sister Hildegarde was aware that Marilyn’s first career was in nursing, and she put her to work researching and writing the nursing standards for the new Cancer Center. When Sister left, Marilyn continued to work for the next five Vice Presidents. For the past year, Marilyn has worked for the Trauma Prevention Coordinator. Another area of opportunity for her service was the Healing Environment program. Marilyn makes afghans and hats for cancer patients, has delivered them to and visited with patients, and even designed two items to aid patients during their healing. Marilyn absolutely cherishes every minute of her more than 6500 hours...
Leadership happens when individuals seize the moment and show others the path to a greater good. Certainly, leadership was demonstrated when the physician partners at the Endoscopy Center at St. Mary pledged a major gift to the St. Mary Medical Center Capital Campaign, Expanding on Excellence, Your Health, Your Hospital. Drs. John Volpe, Anne-Marie Marcoux and Richard Goldstein led their partners Drs. Salowe, Barash, Kravitz and Modena to become one of the first medical groups to make a donation. Through the Expanding on Excellence Campaign, the group saw an opportunity to help the hospital further its mission in an important way. It was, in Dr. Marcoux’s words, a group decision to say “thank you” to a medical center whose leadership has recognized the needs of physicians by creating a medical environment that better serves the needs of the patients. “The Endoscopy Center has enhanced the way we practice medicine,” explained Dr. Volpe. “We can give better care to the patient because we have the tools and state of the art technology to do so.” “St. Mary is a good friend professionally and a strong pillar of the community,” Dr. Goldstein added. “We see ourselves as partners in the process and recognize the philanthropic efforts St. Mary makes in the community through the work they do at the Mother Bachmann Maternity Center and other outreach programs in Bensalem.” And they also see St. Mary worthy of their philanthropic support. Having worked with other hospitals, they are incredibly impressed by the leadership, transparencies, and stewardship of a well-run organization. Drs. Volpe, Goldstein and Marcoux are trailblazers in their support for this...
What would you say to a cherished loved one if both of you knew he had only thirty six hours to live? Jane Eagleston faced that excruciating moment two years ago, and her answer is truly a love letter to her beloved husband Mark, and in the telling, to St. Mary Medical Center. “Mark and I are both New York born and bred,” admitted Jane. “Moving to Bucks County in 2003 was a major move for me, but Mark was enthusiastic about expanding his company into Southern new Jersey and Pennsylvania.” They spent the next few years exploring this new environment and enjoying the beauty that is Bucks County. Life, however, began to darken in 2007. Mark started to complain about a terrific pain in his chest and general malaise. Initially, his physician thought he had developed pleurisy and ordered a complete series of tests. The good news was that all the tests showed negative results; the bad news was that the pain persisted and became more severe. Then one day Mark sneezed. “I heard him sneeze, and instantly thereafter, he screamed in agony, ‘I feel as though every rib in my chest is broken!’” Jane recalled. “his pain was so intense he threatened suicide.” Immediately, Jane rushed him to St. Mary Medical Center where indeed, it was determined that he had fractured his ribs. More tests were ordered, and this time, the results were dire. “Mark was diagnosed with a most lethal, aggressive form of blood cancer,” said Jane. “His oncologist Dr. Evan Alley said there was an inoperable tumor behind his rib cage, causing the fractures. he...
Louis DiFranco, Lower Makefield resident, is a very busy man. He and his wife Jacki are fully engaged parents of two “tween” children who participate in many school and extra-curricular activities. His professional career is equally demanding. As an executive in the field of Finance and Asset Management, Louis’ time is a precious commodity. However, he has found the time for St. Mary Medical Center, and says that decision has led to a tremendously rewarding and enriching experience in his life. How does a New Jersey transplant find his way to St. Mary? According to Louis, he and Jacki moved from Lawrenceville several years ago to Bucks County, and as a responsible member of his new community, he was looking for a way to volunteer in a meaningful way. A long time colleague, Bob Field, who serves on the St. Mary Medical Center Board, began the conversation about St. Mary, and indicated that Louis’ background might be a good fit to the board. “Bob talked to me about the high caliber of individuals who are leading St. Mary,” said Louis, “and that sparked my interest to pursue an involvement.” A meeting with Board Chairman Frank Guarrieri and CEO Greg Wozniak sealed the deal. “I was totally impressed with the professionalism of these men and the focus they placed on maintaining the integrity of the ministry and mission of St. Mary,” said Louis. “Their plans were broad based, expertly constructed with considerations for the financial well being of the hospital as well as responsive to community needs. When they encouraged me to join the St. Mary Medical Center Board, I...
In 1987 Dr. Anil Deshpande and his wife Aparna moved to Bucks County to start his medical career. St. Mary Hospital, as it was known then, was a small community hospital servicing a growing population. With the arrival of Dr. Deshpande came the expertise for advanced cardiac care that he used to help develop a comprehensive cardiac program. In 1997 he performed the first Open Heart procedure in Bucks County. Twenty-five years ago the Deshpandes had no way of knowing how their involvement with St. Mary would move beyond his medical training. But it has, and their role as leaders in the philanthropic effort at St. Mary has reached well beyond the medical community. Dr. & Mrs. Deshpande are Co-Chairs of this year’s Gala; Dr. Deshpande sits on the Foundation Board; served as the Co-Chair for Medical Staff Committee during the Access to Excellence Capital Campaign; and was Co-Chair for the Expanding on Excellence Capital Campaign. Part of their reasoning for getting involved was the early realization that quality medical care close to where they live is extremely important. And because they plan to stay in the community long after Dr. Deshpande retires, St. Mary isn’t just a place of work, it is their hospital of choice. Dr. & Mrs. Deshpande also believe in the vision and mission of St. Mary Medical Center. Along with the growth of Bucks County they have witnessed the growing generosity of the community and the steadfast commitment to providing world-class healthcare right here in Bucks County. Additionally, the culture of philanthropy has taken hold among his peers. In part, because Dr. Deshpande led...
