Family looks to inspire additional support to enhance patient care

Glen Cove Hospital has received a $1 million gift from John and Diana Colgate toward the purchase of its first in-house MRI machine and the creation of an MRI suite. The amount contributes significantly toward the $3 million total cost the hospital is raising to acquire this technology, which is critical for detection, diagnosis and treatment of many medical conditions.

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Philanthropists Diana and John Colgate are supporting Glen Cove Hospital’s efforts to acquire its first in-house MRI machine, which will enhance patient care and comfort. Photo credit: Northwell Health

An MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) machine takes noninvasive, detailed photos of organs and structures within the body that help physicians diagnose injury and disease or evaluate treatment. Currently about 350 patients a year needing MRI assessment at Glen Cove Hospital are transported via ambulance, accompanied by a nurse, to a nearby Northwell Health imaging center.

“We are so grateful for this gift from the Colgates, which will elevate the care and comfort of all our patients,” said Kerri Scanlon, RN, FAAN, executive director of Glen Cove Hospital, Northwell Health’s award-winning, 247-bed community hospital on Long Island’s North Shore. “As the hospital looks forward to its centennial next year, this MRI will likely be the technology most critical to our strategic growth and expansion, and we hope the Colgates’ generosity inspires others to help us fulfill this goal.”

The proposed in-house MRI suite will accommodate two to three times more patients a day and would include on-call staff during evenings and nights to reduce or eliminate overnight waits, according to Melonie Pernice, Glen Cove Hospital’s associate executive director for hospital operations. Construction of the four-room suite includes a waiting area and patient dressing room, as well as spaces for pre-screening and testing.

The addition will continue Glen Cove Hospital’s transformation as a healthcare destination that is home to renowned surgeons and physicians and state-of-the-art facilities. It is a Magnet-designated hospital for nursing excellence, and has established a Center of Excellence in Hernia Surgery as well as innovative, cutting-edge programs in both women’s surgery and head and neck surgery. Glen Cove Hospital achieved most recently a prestigious four-star rating from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in its annual 2020 hospital rankings — one of only four hospitals on Long Island to receive four or more stars.

The Colgates, who live on the North Shore in Nassau County, are longtime supporters of Glen Cove Hospital. Their giving dates back over four decades and includes gifts to support the Oncology Department as well as renovations in the Emergency Department.

They were inspired to make their latest gift to help bring an MRI to Glen Cove Hospital after Diana Colgate’s personal experience last year. While being treated as a patient at the hospital, Mrs. Colgate’s care team determined she needed an MRI.

“I thought to myself, there are so many more people here who are sicker and older than I am who need an MRI,” said Diana, who serves as an honorary trustee on Northwell Health’s Board of Trustees. “We want to bring this technology on site to enhance efficient, convenient care for patients.”

“An MRI is important for all patients, but when this happens to your own family, it really gets your attention,” said John Colgate, a great-great-grandson of William Colgate who began a soap and candle business in the early 1800s that later became the Colgate-Palmolive Company. “Glen Cove Hospital is an incredible community hospital that provides excellent care, and an MRI would make a meaningful difference in its continued success.”

The gift supports Northwell’s Outpacing the Impossible campaign, a $1 billion comprehensive fundraising effort to fuel innovation to advance health care and support Northwell’s promise to the people it serves. The campaign — which was publicly launched in October 2018 and to date, has raised more than $900 million — supports capital projects, improves hospitals and clinical programs, advances research and funds endowment for teaching and research initiatives.

“Donors help us fulfill our mission as a nonprofit organization by accelerating our ability to raise health in our communities,” said Brian T. Lally, senior vice president and chief development officer at Northwell. “The Colgates’ generosity plays an important role in Glen Cove Hospital’s continued growth as a leading community hospital.”

About Northwell Health

Northwell Health is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 23 hospitals, 830 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians. We care for over two million people annually in the New York metro area and beyond, thanks to philanthropic support from our communities. Our 77,000 employees – 18,900 nurses and 4,800 employed doctors, including members of Northwell Health Physician Partners – are working to change health care for the better. We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies. For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

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