When Betty Bott’s husband, Charles, was treated for cancer at Holy Redeemer Hospital, the staff’s care and compassion inspired her. “You could just feel the spirit,” Betty said. “There’s a genuine caring there.”

After Charles’s cancer journey ended, Betty chose to share her time as a volunteer for Redeemer Health. She’s continued to do so for 30 years, warmly greeting others as a receptionist at the hospital front desk, assisting women coming in for mammograms, serving on the Drueding Center Auxiliary, and other roles whenever asked.

Betty also is one of the most philanthropic and consistent donors to the Redeemer Health system, building an amazing legacy — one she believes Charles would admire. Her support includes a transformational gift to support the lifesaving work at our cancer center.

“I’ve seen many advancements in medicine over the years,” Betty said. “I feel that it is important to keep the progress and innovations available for all patients.”

“Betty’s tremendous generosity has been crucial to helping our cancer program grow,” said Donna Miller, RN, MSN, CCCTM, CNML, Administrative Director, Redeemer Health in partnership with MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper.

“The team we’ve put together in the cancer center is amazing!” said William L. Scarlett, DO, FACS, FACOS, MHCM, Executive Director, Redeemer Health in partnership with MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper. “Their compassion and concern for our patients impresses me every day.”

“I was recently invited to hear about the direction of the cancer center,” Betty said. “What I learned that day made my heart so happy. As a people person myself, I was thrilled to learn that a dedicated social worker, a financial aid counselor and more nurse navigators were added to the staff to offer such meaningful support to patients and families.”

“It is really mind boggling to know that my gifts have touched the lives and hearts of so many others,” adds Betty. “I just think of it as something I should do.”

It is hard to imagine being discharged from the hospital with no family in the immediate area, with no form of transportation, while living in an isolated boarding house — and in the middle of a pandemic. This was exactly the situation John* faced in early 2021.

With the help of our generous community funders, including foundations, corporations and individuals, the Redeemer Health Home Care team sprang into action. They got John set up with telehealth to supplement his regular home care visits. Through this technology, which allows health care visits via phone or computer, nurses could communicate with John every day, sometimes several times a day. His vital signs were all monitored electronically right from his home.

The bridges Redeemer Health Home Care built to care for John helped him to make considerable lifestyle changes. With the help of grant funding, we were able to provide him with a scale, oxygen monitor and blood pressure cuff to keep, so he could continue monitoring his health after his discharge. Now he is hopeful and looks forward to resuming a more active life and connecting with his family.

“We are connected to each other as we collaborate daily to deliver care skillfully and safely to our patients,” says Carleen A. Valerio, RN, a Redeemer Heath Home Care and Hospice (NJ) caregiver. “Through our empathy and compassion, our patients realize that we firmly stand behind our mission statement to Care, Comfort, and Heal."

Advancing technology enables us to build more caring bridges. Your gift in support of Home Care helps make this possible.

Every day Sally Kivilis, RN, strives to help those she serves. She’s a clinical liaison at Cooper University Hospital for Redeemer Health Home Care and Hospice.

Clinical liaisons play a major role in the management of a home care patient. And beyond clinical care duties, they provide comfort to family and caregivers.

On the day we check in with Sally, she’s helping ease the worries of her patient’s husband while working to coordinate the patient’s care.

Mrs. Johnson* received a referral to Redeemer Health Home Care after a new cancer diagnosis. Sally accepted the referral and entered her chart in the system.

“I stopped by her room on the Oncology Unit and introduced myself to let her know I’d be following her progress during her hospitalization,” says Sally. “We briefly discussed home care, and I encouraged her to reach out to me if she had any questions.”

Sally learned that Mrs. Johnson’s husband was tearful and stated he didn’t want to lose her. Without hesitation, Sally reached out to him. Sally reassured him she was checking in on his wife several times a day and helping coordinate her care. By the end of the call, he felt comforted and appreciative.

“I told him to be good to himself so that he can be there for her when she got home,” says Sally. “I call him daily to reassure him that we’ll be there for his wife’s home care needs.”

As a clinical liaison, it’s crucial to help not only the patient, but also to soothe a family member’s anxiety as their loved one goes through a life change.

Redeemer Health Home Care provides compassionate care for patients and their families throughout New Jersey and southeastern Pennsylvania. From short-term recovery to comfort during advanced illness, we care for you in your home, where you’re most comfortable. We improve quality of life for you and your caregivers through comprehensive health care programs and hospice services in the home. If you would like more information about Redeemer Health Home Care, please visit redeemerhealth.org/homecare or call 1-888-678-8678. 

*Fictitious name to preserve patient privacy
 

Redeemer Health Jersey Shore Food Pantry recently completed renovations that will help improve its efficiency in serving vulnerable individuals and families who are faced with food insecurity. The pantry welcomes neighbors on-site, and, unlike many pantries, even makes deliveries to food-insecure patients cared for by Redeemer Health Home Care Jersey Shore.

The renovations – which include new doors for better access to processing shipments, new floors, a new concrete walkway, and a shipment pad outside the facility – help ensure the pantry is optimally prepared to bring comfort and nourishment to the many people it serves.

The pantry is a well-oiled machine thanks to the dedicated volunteers who receive, unload, and sort food orders, help organize the food within the pantry, and prepare food bags for distribution. 

“Becoming a volunteer is how we can give back to our community, and how we can become an advocate for our neighbors that rely on the pantry’s services,” says Marion Stewart, a Redeemer Health Jersey Shore Food Pantry volunteer. “The renovations at the pantry will make it easier for us to serve our neighbors and help extend our reach to those who need it.” 

Redeemer Health appreciates the kindness and generosity of volunteers and the support of our donors. Both are a true testament to carrying out our Mission to Care, Comfort, and Heal. 

The Redeemer Health Jersey Shore Food Pantry is open Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Those interested in volunteering must be at least 16 years old and can commit a minimum of 30 lifetime hours. Interested in volunteering? For more information, call 215-938-3243.

Cancer met its match – Abby Match, that is. After being diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer at 35, Abby faced cancer with a positive attitude to beat it after eight rounds of chemotherapy, surgery and radiation at Redeemer Health in partnership with MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper.

Now a thriver, Abby is part of Living Beyond Breast Cancer’s (LBBC) Young Advocate Program. LBBC is a national nonprofit organization seeking to create a world that provides trusted information and community support and resources to breast cancer patients. As a Young Advocate, Abby helps women diagnosed with breast cancer before the age of 45 understand the disease, provides peer support, and directs peers to much-needed services. Additionally, she connects others to LBBC through grassroots outreach within her community and helps raise awareness to make a difference.

Abby joined forces with LBBC and Stella & Dot – a boutique-style accessories company offering flexible entrepreneurship for women – to generously donate nearly 150 “pouf” gift bags for Redeemer Health in partnership with MD Anderson at Cooper breast cancer patients. The Stella & Dot gift bags include items such as bandannas, Kind bars, socks, teas, and an information card directing patients to peer support programs and helpline resources.

This generous donation surely brought a smile to our patients’ faces as they navigate their way through breast cancer treatment.

“This journey I’m on is not where I saw my life going, but I’m going to make something of it,” says Abby. “I’m going to make pink lemonade out of all the lemons. And that’s the best thing I can take from this experience.”

Redeemer Health’s partnership with Abby, LBBC, and Stella & Dot is one of the many ways Redeemer Health works toward its mission to Care, Comfort, and Heal. For more information about breast cancer services at Redeemer Health in partnership with MD Anderson at Cooper, visit https://www.redeemerhealth.org/breast-cancer.
 

Two Redeemer Life Care communities, Lafayette and St. Joseph Manor, have earned national distinctions for the quality of care they deliver.

US News has awarded a “Best Nursing Home 2022” rating to both communities for the quality of their long-term care and short-stay program. The publication used scientific literature review, discussions with industry experts, and statistical modeling to carefully evaluate 15,298 nursing homes across the country, awarding only 7% of these facilities with a “Best Nursing Home 2022” rating.

“We are proud to have earned a 'Best Nursing Home 2022' rating by US News. This distinction signifies the devotion and dedication that we demonstrate to residents every day. We treat every resident like family and look forward to continuing our legacy of high-quality, compassionate care,” says Joe Munizza, Vice President, Residential Services.

Additionally, St. Joseph Manor has earned Newsweek’s “America’s Best Nursing Homes 2022” rating based on an evaluation done by Statista, a Newsweek partner that looked at performance data drawn from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), peer recommendations derived from more than 10,000 medical experts, and metrics around the handling of COVID-19 also drawn from CMS data, as well as other official sources.

Out of 11,849 nursing homes analyzed across the country, Newsweek awarded only 450 with its “Best Nursing Home” rating, with St. Joseph Manor being one of only 26 who earned this distinction in the state of Pennsylvania.

“These distinctions attest to the unwavering focus we maintain to provide high-quality, compassionate care and service. Our staff continued their steadfast dedication to our residents and their health and safety even during the most trying challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. We are proud to have earned recognition by Newsweek and US News and remain committed to upholding the highest level of quality care,” says Ellie Nocito, Vice President and Administrator, St. Joseph Manor and Redeemer Health Transitional Care Unit.

For more information about Redeemer Health Life Care communities, visit redeemerhealth.org/lifecare.

Let’s be honest, the most important talks tend to be the most challenging, especially with an aging loved one. You may tiptoe around the home care conversation because you don’t want to step on their independence. To start a helpful conversation, make sure your loved one feels involved in the process from start to finish.

The benefits of home care services are many. There’s help with everyday activities like preparing meals, bathing and housekeeping. Then there’s medically driven support, like disease management and palliative or hospice care. Your family can build a home care plan that meets your loved one’s specific needs.

Here are five factors to consider when choosing the best home care option for your family:

Identify abnormal patterns in behavior. Keep a watchful eye for subtle changes in behavior. Ask yourself questions like:

• Are they wearing the same clothes each visit? Or disheveled?
• Is housekeeping falling behind? Dishes piling up? Lightbulbs not changed? Trash not taken out?
• Are they eating well? Is the fridge empty or filled with outdated food? Has toast become the meal of choice?

All of these are reasons to consider home care support for safety, companionship and assistance in meeting basic needs. They also indicate medical evaluations could be needed for:

• A change in mental status
• Fatigue 
• Joint pain
• Balance issues
• Fear of falling
• Depression
• Failing eyesight

Conduct research. Gather information about your available home care options. Then weigh your options to make the best decision for everyone involved. The sooner your family identifies the ideal option, the better for your aging loved one.

Listen. After you’ve found the best option for your family, listen for areas where your loved one needs extra support. Home care providers can tailor support to your unique situation. 

Provide love and support. Reflect on the reasons why you’re taking this important step. Ensuring your loved one’s wellbeing helps them understand you love them and want what’s best for them. Remind them added support at home won’t change your role as a family member. They’re not losing you.

Remind them home care doesn’t take away their independence. It’s important to acknowledge their fear of losing independence. Emphasize that home care services allow them to age in place and maintain their independence.

Start your home care conversation today. Don’t wait for the perfect moment. Finding home care options positions you to make the best decision for your whole family. Getting this support sooner rather than later can lead to a better quality of life for your loved one.

Our team can help you determine whether support at home is right for your family’s situation. Please call us at 215-698-3719 to discuss how we can help.

Redeemer Health provides caring support at home services in Pennsylvania, including Philadelphia, Bucks and Montgomery Counties, and partners with other organizations to provide home support in New Jersey.
 

Sister Mary Anne McDonagh, CSR, was a licensed practical nurse who founded the Holy Redeemer Jersey Shore Food Pantry and spent her life caring for poor persons in need.

To her family, she was joyful Aunt Nancy, whose giving spirit inspired them to strive to make a difference in the lives of others through service and philanthropy.

"She was nothing but a bubble of energy and a positive person. Not a negative bone in her body," Bryan Morrissey said of his aunt, who died of cancer in 2012 at age 73.

John Morrissey, Bryan's brother, said their aunt's profound commitment to service instilled in him the sense that service should be part of his own daily life.

"She was always serving somewhere," John said. "She was a woman of the cloth, always visiting the poor, sick, tired, and hungry. She would tell us stories of people she would encounter along the way. She would try to provoke hope in them to help them push forward and be their best self."

In Sister Mary Anne's memory, the family partnered with Redeemer Health to continue the legacy of the Holy Redeemer Golf Klassic, which began in 2002. Proceeds benefit the Food Pantry, which incorporates Redeemer's mission to Care, Comfort and Heal. This year's tournament, the 20th, took place September 10 at the Seaview Hotel and Golf Club in Galloway, NJ.

Sister Mary Anne's legacy also is influencing the next generation of the family.

"She exposed us to everything that she was working on with her fellow Sisters, at the Food Pantry or other projects," said Bryan's son, Kevin Morrissey. "She became a paragon for us to look up to and admire and aspire to and showed us how we can also help others. A lot of us are on various boards and organizations because she taught us how to give and volunteer."

Sister Mary Anne grew up in County Mayo, Ireland. She came to the U.S. at 17 years of age and worked in the rectory and with visually handicapped children at St. Francis de Sales Church in West Philadelphia. In 1958, she entered the Sisters of the Redeemer in Meadowbrook, PA, and professed her vows in 1962, when she was 20.

She felt her calling enabled her to use her personal gifts and talents to meet the needs of the poor and sick, especially in the ministry of home care, beginning with her experience out of the Fifth Street convent in Philadelphia.

"Her mission and demeanor showed that she loved what she did, which cascaded down to the Morrissey side, and she was an influence in our life," Bryan said. "She passed on that you do hard work, get out there and get the job done."

Calling her aunt "charismatic," Trish Spellman said Sister Mary Anne "could pull out of you the desire to be a better person and to contribute to society to help make a difference."

Sister Mary Anne's talents attributed to her eventual leadership roles in the order. She helped to attract young women for the Congregation and worked in the formation of new novices. Though drawn more to "hands on" care than administration, she served as a Sister Board member when requested.

Sister Mary Anne helped open Holy Redeemer Home Care in Swainton, NJ, in the early 1980s. She opened the Food Pantry in 1989, having seen the need in the community while visiting home care patients, who often had little to no food in their cabinets. She expanded the pantry's clientele to include anyone in need. She enlisted help from local churches and individuals. Volunteers started to spring up from Avalon, Cape May Court House, Ocean City, Sea Isle City, and Stone Harbor.

"When she needed anything, people came out of the woodwork to help her in any way," said Mary Francis McGarrity, a niece. "She had a philosophy - 'in giving you receive' - and she always got back three times."

The Redeemer Jersey Shore Food Pantry became a certified member of the Community Food Pantry of Southern Jersey in 1995. It was dedicated to Sister Mary Anne in 2013.

Even when she had cancer, Sister Mary Anne had the drive to keep giving, Mary Francis said, noting her aunt enrolled in trial therapy treatments because she wanted to help others in the future. She ministered to fellow patients in the chemo center by listening to their stories and cheering them up while waiting for her own treatment. "She had a remarkable life," Mary Francis said.

To learn more about the Golf Klassic, go to: Holy Redeemer Golf Klassic.

Holy Redeemer Hospital has been named an honoree of Excellence in Patient Safety Recognition, a program launched in 2018 by The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania.

Holy Redeemer Hospital is one of only 17 hospitals in Pennsylvania that have received this distinguished recognition, which HAP awards to top-performing hospitals that have demonstrated low rates of health-care associated infections.

“This recognition by The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania attests to our continued and focused efforts to prioritize patient safety. Despite the extraordinary challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic throughout the last year, our leadership and team members across all operational areas tirelessly fostered Safe Care principles, which are the tenets of our commitment to high reliability,” says Catherine Egan, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer, Holy Redeemer Hospital, and Jeanette Teets, Vice President and Chief Quality, Safety, and Reliability Officer, Redeemer Health.

The Excellence in Patient Safety Recognition program analyzes the CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network to identify hospitals performing better than average. The data measures the following criteria: central line-associated bloodstream infections, catheter-associated urinary tract infections, and clostridium difficile infections. The recognition program also identifies best practices that can be shared among all hospitals.

For more information about Redeemer Health, visit redeemerhealth.org. 
 

Redeemer Health Food Pantries received over 11,000 pounds of nonperishable food on November 12, as a generous donation from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints delivered the food via an 18-wheeler, which traveled from Salt Lake City.

A vast majority of the food items were grown on Church farms and ranches, and the logistics in production of these goods were predominately coordinated by Church members.

“We are once again this year tremendously thankful for the generosity of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” says Joshua M. Jenkins, Vice President, Mission Integration and Pastoral Care at Redeemer Health. “This donation will directly support food pantry operations; something which is at the very core of upholding human dignity and supporting our mission. It is wonderful to have amazing partners in this effort as witnessed by the donation from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”

"It is a privilege to support the wonderful efforts of Holy Redeemer Food Pantries. Their work reflects the example of their namesake as they seek to aid and comfort those in need,” says Joel LHeureux, President of the Philadelphia Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “When we reach out to others in service and love it blesses both the giver and receiver. We hope that this contribution will aid them in the important and sacred duty we share."

In addition to its extensive range of health care, home care, and life care services, Redeemer Health carries out its mission to care, comfort and heal through community resources including the Redeemer Health Food Pantry of Pennsylvania, located in Philadelphia, and the Redeemer Health Jersey Shore Food Pantry, located in Cape May County, New Jersey. Each month, both facilities support more than 600 families who face food insecurity.

If you are interested in supporting Redeemer Health Food Pantries, please visit www.redeemerhealth.org/giving/ways-give.