Why I Give
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Foundation is fortunate to have the support of donors and friends who make philanthropic contributions and selflessly give their time to keep our patients healthy.
Below are some moments made possible by the generosity of our community. We could not do it without you.
Kathy Pretz was just 52 years-old and newly married when she discovered her brain tumor was back.
After undergoing a craniotomy two years earlier at 50, Kathy was looking for a less invasive treatment. Her research led her to Dr. Rahul Parikh and the team at the Laurie Proton Therapy Center at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. “I liked that it was targeted radiation. I had just gotten married after my surgery and before this treatment. I had my whole life ahead of me. Proton Therapy sounded much better than another brain surgery,” Kathy said.
Proton therapy is an advanced form of radiation therapy that uses a beam of protons to precisely target tumors. This precision reduces damage to healthy tissue near the tumor. This was important to Kathy as her tumor was behind her left eye, attacking her optic nerve.
First step was the hardest, according to Kathy. She had to be fit for the mask she would wear for her treatments. After that, she travelled from her home in Little Egg Harbor for her 38 sessions. “I never regretted those trips. I can say firsthand that this treatment is a miracle. Bottom line, it gave me my life back,” Kathy said.
Five years later and Kathy is still doing well! “My tumor has shrunk and is not life threatening anymore due to the radiation doing its job. It's there, but will keep dissolving in time,” she said. “Dr. Parikh and the team truly gave me my life back. They are my superheroes. During those 20 minute sessions they would talk to me, hold my hand and reassure me. They got me through it and I cannot say enough about how amazing they were.”
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- Thanks to a generous philanthropic donation from the Nandansons Charitable Foundation, a wireless fetal monitoring system in now in place in the Maternity Unit to benefit new mothers and babies. Click here to read more.
“We’re thrilled that we at Kaplan Companies can do our part
to help these wonderful people who risk their lives every day,”
says Jason Kaplan, President of Kaplan Companies. "Our recognition
of nurses shouldn't go away after the COVID-19 pandemic ends. We should
be clapping for nurses and doctors every day. "
Join cardiac surgeon and donor Leonard Y. Lee, MD, Professor of Surgery, James W. Mackenzie, M.D. Endowed Chair; Chair, Department of Surgery, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School; Chief, Surgical Service, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, NJ, as he performs minimally-invasive heart valve replacements and a quadruple bypass during a typical day of surgery.
“It’s important that we continue to invest in the hospital, ” says Campbell. “Medicine never stops growing. It’s always changing. Those changes have to come from a leader, and that leader is Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital.”
Keeping Kids Calm in the Emergency Department
The New Pediatric Emergency Department Features a Special Space for Children with Sensory Issues
Mrs. Johnson’s legacy at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital through her philanthropy and advocacy will continue to impact nurses and patients for years to come.
Bringing Smiles to Children with Cancer
A Foundation's Generous Donations Help Children and Their Families Cope During Difficult Times.
A Prescription for Survival
An Innovative Program Helps Ensure that Patients Have Access to Lifesaving Medications
A cancer diagnosis was not going to stop Manuel August from marrying his true love.
When a child calls the hospital “awesome” that is quite an endorsement.