MANHASSET, NY – The Auxiliary of North Shore University Hospital (NSUH) in Manhasset was recently named Auxiliary of the Year by the Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS) for its continuous support of the hospital’s extensive array of programs. The Auxiliary was chosen by an expert panel from among 31 nominations. In addition, the Service Guild of LIJ Medical Center in New Hyde Park received honorable mention at the ceremony, which took place at HANYS’ Annual Institute for Health Care Auxiliaries meeting.

For nearly 60 years, the Auxiliary at NSUH has been a strong advocate and goodwill ambassador for the hospital and its surrounding communities – even before the hospital opened in 1953, the Auxiliary was helping to raise funds. The Auxiliary, now headed by Marilyn Sturtevant, recently fulfilled a $2 million pledge to the hospital in support of the Cardiac Center of Excellence, and its volunteers contribute time and services for a stroke club, surgical waiting room and the Center for AIDS Research and Treatment (CART) -- the largest designated center on Long Island.

Volunteers also support patients on many levels, from providing snacks and toys, to reading to children and performing clerical tasks at various outpatient facilities such as the Monter Cancer Center in Lake Success.  Auxiliary members and volunteers are involved in the annual Adopt-a-Family holiday program and “Reach Out and Read,” a program that brings books to the pediatric clinic at the hospital. In 2008, they provided a total of 60,785 volunteer hours to the institution.

Hospital administration, medical and nursing staff, and local community members have benefitted from a friendly and largely productive relationship. “The members of our Auxiliary and other volunteers are the lifeblood of the hospital and community,” said Susan Somerville, RN, executive director of NSUH. “Their limitless dedication and concern for their neighbors bring our hospital much success and better connect us to the patients we serve every day. I’m thrilled to congratulate them on winning the Auxiliary of the Year award.”

The Service Guild of LIJ Medical Center, serving the community for more than 50 years, was recognized for its numerous community outreach programs conducted on behalf of the hospital, including the Center for HOPE, which provides therapeutic services for children coping with the death of a family member, and Babies Alumni, which provides layettes and car seats for newborns.

For more information, contact the NSUH Auxiliary at 516-562-4947, or the LIJ Service Guild at 718/516-470-7090.

Contact: Kristen Longo
516-465-2607/2600 
klongo@nshs.edu