Deborah Hospital Foundation’s 17th Annual Red Tie Gala, held on Saturday, November 12th, at the Hilton at Penn’s Landing in Philadelphia, raised nearly $300,000 for cardiac care at Deborah Heart and Lung Center, New Jersey’s only specialty heart, lung, and vascular hospital.
Deborah Heart and Lung Center, New Jersey’s only specialty cardiac, pulmonary, and vascular hospital, kicked off its holiday giving by hosting High-Octane South Jersey, whose generous and compassionate members bring the joy of giving each year to the pediatric patients at Deborah, as well as many local children. In its 8th year, High-Octane’s annual “Santa Claus Rally” arrived at the Deborah campus in Browns Mills with a truck-sized trailer bursting with toys, all donated by the car club’s generous members.
Further embracing the spirit of philanthropy, emulating that it is “better to give than receive,” Deborah Team Members also donated hundreds and hundreds of new toys to be used by the Hospital’s community partners: the Pinelands Family Success Center, the Christian Caring Center, and the Pemberton Township School District.
“I am truly humbled by the generosity and kindness of the High-Octane South Jersey car club and our Deborah Team Members, who pitched in together to make Christmas brighter for many children in our community,” said Deborah President and CEO Joseph Chirichella. “High-Octane South Jersey has ensured that throughout the year pediatric patients at Deborah will receive a little something special to help ease any fears when visiting a cardiologist.”
“We are grateful that a large collaborative effort by many caring and dedicated people will help so many in our community this holiday season.”
Deborah President and CEO Joseph Chirichella (left), Santa, and High-Octane South Jersey founder Chris Scafario open the toy donation truck.Unloading the truck and passing the toys down the line.Unloading the truck and passing the toys down the line.Unloading the truck and passing the toys down the line.Volunteers lend a hand.Toys ready for sorting.One of the cars from a High-Octane South Jersey club member.Volunteers from the Pemberton Township Medical Arts Academy.Volunteers from the Pemberton Township Medical Arts Academy.Deborah President and CEO Joseph Chirichella, and Executive Vice President and COO Joseph Manni, (far left and right) welcome the High-Octane South Jersey car club.Thanks all around. From left, Santa, Chris Scafario, Founder High-Octane South Jersey with his daughter Annabella; Jenn Myers, Director, Pinelands Family Success Center; Rita Jenkins, Assistant Director of School Counseling/Health Services, Pemberton Township School District; Cara Garofalo, MD, Chair, Deborah Pediatric Cardiology.
Deborah Heart and Lung Center in Browns Mills, NJ is an 89-bed teaching hospital that specializes in the prevention, diagnosis, research, and treatment of heart, lung, and vascular diseases. Founded in 1922, Deborah has been a regional and nationally recognized leader throughout its 100-year history, during which time it has healed 2.3 million patients from every corner of the United States and 87 countries in the world. From performing the first open heart surgeries (adult and pediatric) in New Jersey, to running one of the highest volume left-ventricular assist device (LVAD) implant programs in the region, Deborah has stood at the forefront of medical innovation, all while never wavering from its founding mission “there is no price on life.” Deborah is consistently recognized as a leader in patient care from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, ranked among the top hospitals in New Jersey for patient satisfaction; holds a top-tier Society of Thoracic Surgeons rating which places Deborah among the best cardiac surgery programs in the country; and is designated a national Top Teaching Hospital by The Leapfrog Group. Deborah is an Alliance member of the Cleveland Clinic Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute.
