Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Level I Trauma Center Honors Survivors During National Trauma Survivors Day Celebration
(New Brunswick, NJ) - Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH), an RWJBarnabas Health facility, and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School’s (RWJMS) Shock Trauma Program marked National Trauma Awareness Month and National Trauma Survivors Day with a celebration honoring two recent trauma survivors and their care teams.
Sayreville resident Brianna Gonzalez and New Brunswick resident Javier Lopez Quiroz and their family members were honored for their courage, resilience and determination to move forward with their lives.
During the annual celebration, entire teams of caregivers are invited to RWJUH to honor their patients. These teams feature a broad range of disciplines, including Police, Firefighters, Mobile Health Services, Environmental Services, Patient Transport, Security, Nurses, Technicians, Physicians, and Surgeons among others.
Brianna came to RWJUH Pediatric Trauma Center following a serious motor vehicle crash on the Garden State Parkway on June 28, 2023. After her family’s vehicle was struck and rolled over, Brianna was rushed to RWJUH’s Pediatric Trauma Center. Time was of the essence as she experienced dangerously low blood pressure and a racing, irregular heartbeat. Following a CT scan, the Trauma Surgeon determined Brianna had a lacerated liver, kidney and spleen. She also suffered multiple fractures, including several to her ribs. Brianna recovered enough to be transferred out of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and eventually she returned home. She continues to do well and celebrated her 12th birthday this year.
Javier was transported by first responders to RWJUH’s Level I Trauma Center after he was struck by a car while riding his motorized bicycle in New Brunswick on May 15, 2023. RWJUH Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics responded to the scene immediately to find Javier unresponsive with multiple abrasions and lacerations. He was rushed to RWJUH’s Level I Trauma Center where the Trauma Surgeon determined Javier was suffering from life-threatening internal bleeding in his liver. He underwent emergency surgery to stop the bleeding. Thanks to the efforts of RWJUH’s multidisciplinary team which includes trauma surgeons, emergency physicians, anesthesiologists, OR nurses and staff and interventional radiologists, Javier survived and has made a full recovery. He returned home after three weeks and continues to do well.
The Level I Trauma Center at RWJUH is a leader in providing life-saving trauma care to New Jersey residents. One of only three Level I Trauma Center’s in the state, RWJUH’s Adult and Pediatric Trauma Program cares for more than 3,600 trauma patients annually. In addition to treating the seriously injured, clinical faculty affiliated with the Level I Trauma Center at RWJUH and RWJMS conduct research and educate other health care professionals about the most recent advances in trauma care.
About Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) New Brunswick, an RWJBarnabas Health Facility, is a 628-bed academic medical center that is New Jersey’s largest academic medical center through its deep partnership with Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. RWJUH is the flagship Cancer Hospital of Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, a nationally-ranked 2023-24 Best Children’s Hospital by U.S. News & World Report. Centers of Excellence include cardiovascular care from minimally invasive heart surgery to transplantation, cancer care, stroke care, neuroscience, orthopedics, bariatric surgery and women’s health. A Level 1 Trauma Center and the first designated Pediatric Trauma Center in the state, RWJUH’s New Brunswick campus serves as a national resource in its ground-breaking approaches to emergency preparedness.
RWJUH has earned significant national recognition for clinical quality and patient safety, including the prestigious Magnet® Recognition for Nursing Excellence and being named to Newsweek’s 2023 list of Best Ambulatory Surgery Centers. The RWJUH Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center has been recognized by The Joint Commission and the American Heart Association as meeting The Joint Commission's standards for Disease-Specific Care Comprehensive Stroke Center Advanced Certification. RWJUH has also earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Disease-Specific Care Certification for Spine Surgery; The Joint Commission Gold Seal Certification for Bariatric Services; and The Joint Commission Gold Seal Certification for Hip and Knee Replacement services. The Joint Commission also awarded RWJUH a Gold Seal Certification as well as an Advanced Certification in Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) Implantation.
Contact: Peter Haigney
RWJUH Public Relations
(732) 937-8568