John Gilbert and Sarita Tirpak

Passion, commitment to excellence and community support from area leaders; these are some of the reasons John Gilbert and Sarita Tirpak got involved in St. Mary Medical Center.

Both are lifelong residents of the area. Sarita grew up in Levittown and John in neighboring Washington Crossing, New Jersey. John’s first contact with the hospital was through his friend and business associate Sid Yates, one of the founding members of St. Mary. John started working in Newtown in 1975 when Sid introduced John to many other area business leaders who were also involved with the hospital. From the early days of Sister Clare to the current leadership of Greg Wozniak, John and Sarita have been impressed with the hospital’s focus on quality, growth and mission.

Faith plays an important role in Sarita’s life and the healing environment at St. Mary made it their hospital of choice when her father was in the late stages of his cancer. “Our family was truly appreciative of the quality of care he received. The nurses and nurse assistants are amazing people. They treated my father like a gentleman and always showed him respect in all aspects of his care.”

“What has impressed me over the years is the level of passion and commitment our community members have to providing access to excellent healthcare to our area. Passion is contagious, and being part of something special makes us want to do more.” Two years ago John and Sarita’s interests took a new turn. They made their first gift to St. Mary and have been advocates ever since. They take their role as community leaders very seriously, enlisting the help of their friends and neighbors in spreading the word about the great work that goes on at St. Mary. “We want to help raise as much money as possible for St. Mary as a way of ensuring the latest in medical advances will be available in our area partnered with the quality of care St. Mary provides.”

John recently became a Foundation Board member hoping to help steward the continued growth and excellence. He enjoys the quality of leadership both from the volunteers and the staff he has encountered. “This is a journey we are happy to be on. We feel it is important to financially support St. Mary and we encourage others to do the same. St. Mary is our community hospital, a place for healing and hope.”