Newsroom

There are many exciting and inspiring things happening at Providence St. Jude Memorial Foundation. We’re glad to share them with you.

Stories

From the Harp

Susan discovered she would be calling on her friends at Providence St. Jude for help — an experience that she describes as life-changing.

Family Caring for Family

In July 2020, Daniel Kim was admitted to Providence St. Jude Medical Center with severe COVID-19 symptoms.

Meet Nerissa Valdellon

“I definitely want to make a positive impact.” That’s the main reason Nerissa “Rissa” Valdellon says she serves on the Foundation Board.

Meet Col. Thad Sandford (Ret.)

For the Foundation Board, Col. Sandford hopes to apply the leadership and innovation in the use of health care technology.

Meet our New Chief Executive

With more than 35 years of health care experience, Laura Ramos has been named the new chief executive of Providence St. Jude Medical Center.

A Gift from the Very Beginning

Providence St. Jude Medical Center is fortunate to have a large community of supporters, but few can claim a history back as far as Christian Gerola did.

Giving Patients a Second Chance

Thanks to our community, Providence St. Jude Center of Rehabilitation and Wellness has acquired the Aretech ZeroG® Gait and Balance System.

Every Cent Counts

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Charlie Enriquez and Katie Cole who held a lemonade stand to raise money in support of Providence St. Jude.

A Commitment to Community Health

Construction is underway on a brand-new health care clinic in Anaheim thanks to Providence St. Jude’s Care for the Poor program.

Meet Our Cardiac Experts

A team of preeminent cardiac experts will be key to propelling Providence St. Jude’s program to new heights of excellence.

The Sister Jane Frances Society is a unique and profoundly valued group at Providence St. Jude Memorial Foundation. This group was established to recognize and honor those who have made legacy gifts in their
estate plans to Providence St. Jude Medical Center.

COVID Unit Nurse Shares Frontline Experience

But when COVID-19 hit last year, Trevor’s experience dramatically changed. His cross training in critical care was pushed to the forefront as he began serving in the medical center’s COVID unit.

New Board Members Join Providence St. Jude

Providence St. Jude Memorial Foundation is honored to welcome Cindy Shin and Mayor Peggy Huang to their Board of Directors.

Tobi-Hope Jieun Park Gives Back

When poet and Orange County School of the Arts senior Tobi-Hope Jieun Park released her debut collection, Meraki, last year, she not only shared her talents with the world, but also her heart.

Grateful Giving

Paul and Mary Reitler met while he was traveling across the country with friends. The two lovebirds carried on a long-distance romance. Paul graduated from Stanford University and they were married while he served in the Navy. After graduating from Harvard Law School, he joined a Los Angeles–based law firm that later grew from a California firm of four offices to an international firm having fifteen offices.

From Your Heart to Theirs

Thanks in large part to philanthropic support, Providence St. Jude has moved into a new era of complex minimally invasive cardiac care procedures. As the cardiac care program seeks to build upon its suite of advanced diagnosis and treatment offerings, the support of the community partnered with a team of preeminent cardiac experts will be key to accelerating growth and propelling the program to new heights of excellence.

Coming All the Way Back from COVID-19

St. Jude’s Post-COVID Recovery Program draws upon the same expertise that has made the hospital a national leader in areas from cognitive recovery and chronic pain to cancer rehabilitation. “We don’t know of another program in the state that offers this level of comprehensiveness and innovation,” explains Dr. Covarrubias-Eckardt.

A High-Tech “Clothespin”

At Providence St. Jude Medical Center there is another option: a miniature clothespin-like device that attaches to the mitral valve to help it close more completely and restore normal blood flow. Called MitraClip, the dime-sized clip is implanted via a catheter threaded through a vein near the hip and successfully prevents the backward flow or regurgitation of blood by fastening together the valve’s leaky flaps.

A Legacy of Love

Katie Monson might have been only twenty years old. But, in that short time, she shared a lifetime’s worth of empathy and compassion.

In Their Blood: A Lifelong Passion for Philanthropy

Haydee and Carlos first became involved with Providence St. Jude Medical Center when their youngest son, Rodney, was born in April of 1970. Despite modest means, the Molluras were emphatic about their desire to support the medical center. We felt strongly we should give back,” reflects Carlos. “These values are in our blood.”

Pieces of the Puzzle

From 1976 to the beginning of 2015, Dr. Sugarman solved countless diagnostic puzzles as a leading internist and rheumatologist in the Providence St. Jude Medical Center community.

Meet our New Board Members

Providence St. Jude is honored to welcome GianCarlo “GC” Alabastro and Sister Eileen Mcnerney, CSJ to the foundation’s Board of Directors.

The patients & staff of Cardiac Rehab thank you

I cannot begin to describe the immense gratitude and honor that our team feels toward the grateful patients who recently made philanthropic contributions in support of our cardiac rehabilitation program.

Endoscopy Center named in honor of Knott family

In an extraordinary act of generosity, Russell and Mildred Knott of Fullerton announced that they would make a $1.3 million contribution to support the creation of a state-of-the-art endoscopy facility at St. Jude Medical Center.

“Playing” it Forward How One Mother is Stepping Up for Women’s Health

Beverly Dreher doesn’t need to be convinced of the importance of annual mammograms. A member of the Yorba Linda Country Club, she always participated in the club’s annual golf tournament dedicated to friends who have passed away from breast cancer.

A wedding anniversary comes with a new reason to celebrate

In 1968, Dave and Vicki Schindele vowed to care for each other “in good times and bad.” Little did they know that they would be fulfilling that promise 50 years later at St. Jude on the eve of their Golden Anniversary.

A mother’s words manifest as a gift for nursing

Through a remarkable act of generosity, Lennette Schnur is making an estate gift to establish the an endowed fund for nursing — with a goal to break down financial barriers for nurses wishing to pursue further education.

From survivor to supporter

“St. Jude was the reason I was able to start the following New Year off as a survivor. Through my mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation, they held my hand and guided me through every step.”

So, what comes after cancer treatment?

It’s a Tuesday afternoon and the sound of Shania Twain’s “I Feel Like a Woman” is coming from a gym within the St. Jude Centers for Rehabilitation and Wellness. Inside, Jason Tse, occupational therapist, is helping Julia Cook Muneer master a new line dance.

A heartfelt gift for the present and future

In honor of their appreciation and passion for the program, Dorothy Lippman Salovesh and Charles “Ched” Salovesh announced plans to create an endowment for palliative care services at St. Jude.

A New Aortic Valve: Kitty’s Story

When Kitty Barton needed to have her aortic heart valve replaced, she had one requirement: She needed to be able to dance her way through Aruba several weeks later—a trip she had planned with her daughter and one she considered “non-negotiable.”

Like rock ‘n’ roll, she’s here to stay

Imagine being told by your doctor that you have six months left to live. Yet, here you are 14 years later, healthier than ever—that is the story of Cindy Wilman.

Meet Dan Mabbott and his team of experts

For Dan Mabbott, 65, St. Jude Medical Center was something he drove past on his way to see his doctor at the St. Jude Medical Plaza. “I was happy the hospital was here, I just didn’t think I’d need it,” explains the retired mechanic.

From Stage IV to second chance: A life saved through clinical trial

Jamie Calver was floating on cloud nine. The 55-year-old husband, father and vice president of a haircare company was heading to the airport with his wife of four years for a belated honeymoon trip to Italy when suddenly, he felt excruciating pain down the left side of his body.

Expanding Senior Services

Funds from St. Jude’s Emergency Response & Recovery Campaign are helping equip and expand the hospital’s Caring Neighbors Program — an initiative that assists frail and isolated seniors with services such as coordinating health appointments, grocery shopping or providing companionship.

Giving back for a life regained

Dick Joe assumed his fatigue was just part of getting older. The stockbroker and grandfather of four recalls taking walks with wife, Marian, that left him short of breath and feeling weak. It wasn’t until a visit to the Great Wall of China that Dick was certain something was not right.

When all seemed lost, hope was found at St. Jude

David March was admitted to St. Jude Medical Center with coronavirus on April 1. The next day, he was put on a ventilator in an induced coma where he would remain for 17 days. With his chances for survival estimated at less than 5% after multiple episodes of severe respiratory failure, David’s family prepared themselves for life without him.

Philanthropy: Making the impossible, possible

In August 2018, Keiko Matthews, MSN, RN, completed her shift at St. Jude, went home, and woke up the next day with an excruciating headache. She asked her fiancé to call 911. The last thing she remembers is silently repeating, “Please take me to St. Jude.”

‘I was a hopeless cause — yet here I am’: You helped Joni beat the odds

Jo Ann “Joni” Feldman was used to her husband Don getting migraines, but she was surprised when she found herself with one for several days straight. A visit to her doctor lead to an MRI which turned into something no one expected—a trip to the ER: Joni had a ruptured brain aneurysm.

A groundbreaking cancer treatment hits a home run

Don Kwart’s surgery and chemotherapy for colon cancer had failed. But after genetically profiling Don’s cancer, a St. Jude oncologist offered a new strategy: an experimental immunotherapy.

“Game changing” surgical technique targets brain cancer

St. Jude Medical Center is one of the first hospitals in the nation — and the second in California — to use a new breakthrough that allows surgeons to visualize brain cancer in real time. A revolutionary imaging agent called Gleolan causes the tumor to “light up” by making cancer cells appear fluorescent red, clearly delineating tumor tissue from the surrounding brain.

State-of-the-art radiation therapy comes to St. Jude

St. Because of support from friends across our community, Providence St. Jude Medical Center has a new, state-of-the-art radiation system called AlignRT® in the hands of our radiation therapists and oncologists.

Engineering a new approach to brain cancer

As chair of the Cal State Los Angeles Mechanical Engineering Department, Darrell Guillaume spent his days explaining complex concepts. So, when he began losing control of his speech in early 2016, he knew something was wrong.

Hometown heroes

As our area continues to face unprecedented challenges as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the Orange County community has stood with us — raising funds, providing protective gear, offering meals and so much more.

The story of Brian Hong

Now retired, Drs. Amin decided they were at the right time in their lives to downsize, but more importantly, to give back to the community they cherished in a significant way. Their extraordinary generosity will help fund Nursing Excellence and Behavioral Health.

Giving Impact: Securing life-protecting equipment

Donations have enabled the purchase of high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters that clean the air in rooms with patients diagnosed with, or under investigation for, coronavirus disease.

St. Jude Medical Center Receives $3 Million Gift to Advance Stroke and Patient Care

St. Jude Medical Center is pleased to announce a $3 million gift—one of the largest in the hospital’s history—from the estate of the late Marvin Blaski, a patient who dedicated the bequest gift in appreciation for the outstanding care he received after a stroke in 1996.

St. Jude Medical Center Receives $2 million legacy gift

St. Jude Medical Center is honored to announce a remarkable $2 million legacy gift from the estate of Wo Kong Kwok, PhD, a Fullerton resident who made the donation in gratitude for the care his wife, Tzu-Wen Kwok, received before she passed away in 2016.

St. Jude Medical Center’s walk among the stars celebrates 30th anniversary

FULLERTON, CA – Eight hundred loyal supporters will honor past and present cancer warriors at the 30th of St. Jude Medical Center’s A Walk Among the Stars event on Saturday, November 16 at the Anaheim Marriott.

Successful Neighbors Helping Neighbors – Concert on the Hill Event

Thanks to the generosity of our loyal supporters, the September 30, 2021 event raised over $224,000 for Providence St. Jude Medical Center’s Care for the Poor Programs.