Pictured from right are Monmouth Medical Center and Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus President and CEO Eric Carney, Jon Bon Jovi, Dorothea Bongiovi, and NJ First Lady Tammy Murphy
August 6, 2025 -- Rumson, NJ -- Nearly 600 guests gathered in celebration and support of Monmouth Medical Center at the 30th annual Power of Pink fundraiser, held July 17th to benefit cancer care services at the new Vogel Medical Campus in Tinton Falls. This sold-out event to date has raised more than $1.25 million, marking a record-setting milestone for this legacy event.
The luncheon program featured a conversation with celebrity couple Dorothea and Jon Bon Jovi, who were welcomed on stage by New Jersey First Lady Tammy Murphy. The conversation with the Bon Jovis, moderated by former on-air TV reporter Molly Kroon, included a discussion of their commitment to giving back through their JBJ Soul Foundation, which they founded in 2006. The Bon Jovis have also supported community wellness through the innovative Dorothea and Jon Bon Jovi Nutrition Education Program at MMC’s LiveWell Center in Eatontown. Run by Registered Dietitian Jennifer Klein, who has also partnered with JBJ Soul Foundation to present cooking demonstrations at their Kitchens, the Dorothea and Jon Bon Jovi Nutrition Education Programming in the state-of-the-art WEforum Demonstration Kitchen is dedicated to supporting community members in their healthy eating journey.
In his remarks, Eric Carney, President and CEO of MMC and Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus, shared a touching story about a donation by the Bon Jovi family of face shields used by their pyrotechnics team to the hospital during the early days of the pandemic. He noted that Dorothea herself delivered many cases of face shields on behalf of her and Jon, and that she said to thank everyone working in the hospital, and wanted them to know they were their heroes.
“The supplies provided our staff with protection, but Dorothea’s words of inspiration were needed by our staff even more and uplifted their spirits,” he said. “While Jon is known for his powerful choruses, it is their passion for giving back that is making a difference. It is fitting that they are our guests this year because to me, the 30th anniversary of Power of Pink is a celebration of passion; passion for community, passion for health, and passion for Monmouth Medical Center. It is truly awe inspiring.”
“It was a great honor to attend the 30th annual Power of Pink luncheon and to join with our partners at RWJBarnabas Health and Monmouth Medical Center in the fight against cancer,” said First Lady Tammy Murphy. “It was also a privilege to witness my dear friends Dorothea and Jon Bongiovi be recognized for their dedication to service and their incredible work with the JBJ Soul Kitchen. The lessons the Bongiovis’ work teaches are uncomplicated but powerful: kindness matters, service can heal, and hope is something we build together.”
Power of Pink Co-Chairs Sima Yakoby Epstein, left, and Debbie Menkowitz address the audience.
The luncheon, presented by dedicated MMC Foundation community leaders who make up the Women’s Council, was held at the Rumson waterfront home of Amy and Daniel Reich for the third consecutive year. The event was again co-chaired by Sima Yakoby Epstein and Debbie Menkowitz, along with boutique co-chairs Jessica Buchner and Michelle Kutsak.
“The work done here is truly impressive, 30 years of celebrating and service to this incredible community and to Monmouth Medical Center,” said Mark E. Manigan, RWJBarnabas Health President and Chief Executive Officer. “At RWJBarnabas Health our mission is simple: We are partnering with our communities to build and sustain a healthier New Jersey. And in my opinion, you cannot do that work in a fulsome way without kindness. The level of care and compassion our teams demonstrate is paired with the talented providers we have working with us will transform cancer care in this community and the region.”
“Together with Rutgers Cancer Institute, our goal is to bring cancer treatment, diagnosis and prevention into the future right in our patients’ back yard,” said Bill Arnold, Executive Vice President, RWJBarnabas Health, President, RWJBH Southern Region, and Chief Executive Officer, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. “This year we took a giant leap forward with the opening in New Brunswick of The Jack and Sheryl Morris Cancer Center, New Jersey’s first freestanding cancer hospital, along with the new construction of the Melchiorre Cancer Center at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center, opening this fall, and the Specialty Care and Cancer Center at the Vogel Medical Campus, currently under construction in Tinton Falls. These places are special, distinguished – because that is what our patients need and deserve – the best.”
This special anniversary event paid tribute to the many dedicated women whose passion and leadership helped shape Power of Pink into the signature fundraiser it is today. Proceeds from the event will support expanded cancer services at the coming Specialty Care and Cancer Center, a state-of-the-art facility designed to deliver advanced, compassionate care to the region.
For more information or to support the Power of Pink campaign, visit www.rwjbh.org/pop. To learn more about the Vogel Medical Campus, visit rwjbh.org/vmc. To learn how you can support Monmouth Medical Center, visit rwjbh.org/monmouth-medical-center/giving/.
About Monmouth Medical Center
Monmouth Medical Center, an RWJBarnabas Health facility, along with The Unterberg Children’s Hospital, is a regional teaching campus for Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. As the first hospital in Monmouth and Ocean counties, Monmouth Medical Center offers the most experienced surgeons in robotics and other minimally invasive procedures as well as bariatric and joint and spine surgery. Delivering more babies annually than all other hospitals in Monmouth and Ocean counties combined, Monmouth Medical Center was recently one of nine New Jersey hospitals recognized by Newsweek magazine as a top maternity hospital. The hospital offers access to the region’s top cardiologists and the award-winning, nationally recognized RWJBarnabas Health heart centers. It was the first hospital in New Jersey and the 11th in the country to earn Magnet Recognition with Distinction® from the American Nurses Credentialing as a reflection of its nursing professionalism, teamwork and superiority in patient care. It is the only hospital in Monmouth and Ocean counties to consistently receive an “A” Hospital Safety Score by The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit organization. RWJBarnabas Health and Monmouth Medical Center, in partnership with Rutgers Cancer Institute — the state’s only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center — brings a world class team of researchers and specialists to fight alongside patients, providing close-to-home access to the latest treatment and clinical trials.
About RWJBarnabas Health
RWJBarnabas Health is New Jersey’s largest and most comprehensive academic health system, caring for more than five million people annually. Nationally renowned for quality and safety, the system includes 14 hospitals and 9,000 affiliated physicians integrated to provide care at more than 700 patient care locations.
RWJBarnabas Health partners with its diverse communities to build and sustain a healthier New Jersey. It provides patient-centered care in a compassionate and equitable manner and is the state’s largest safety-net provider and leader in addressing the social determinants of health. RWJBarnabas Health provides food to the hungry, housing for the homeless and economic opportunities to those most vulnerable.
RWJBarnabas Health’s commitment to enhancing access to care includes a transformative partnership with Rutgers University, including the Rutgers Cancer Institute — the state's only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
RWJBarnabas Health is among New Jersey’s largest private employers, with more than 43,000 employees, contributing more than $5.5 billion to the state economy every year. For more information, visit www.RWJBH.org.
Contact: Elizabeth Brennan
732-606-6428
Elizabeth.Brennan@rwjbh.org
Kathy Horan
732-546-6317
Kathy.Horan@rwjbh.org