Morristown Medical Center & Goryeb Children’s Hospital FALL 2021
DONORS LIGHT THE WAY
FOUNDATION JOURNAL Table of Contents
EDITOR Anna O’Sullivan ASSOCIATE EDITOR AND STAFF WRITER Laura Deal DIGITAL STRATEGY Michelle York EDITORIAL SUPPORT Anne Coyne CONTRIBUTORS Lisa Duff
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INNOVATION
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ONCOLOGY
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PEDIATRICS
MINI GRANTS SPUR INNOVATION AMONG CARE TEAMS
ARESTY FAMILY FINDS A SECOND HOME AT MORRISTOWN
Miguel Farias Bonnie Gannon Sam Hollenshead Susan Johns Gerri Kling Tim Luby Dave Martin Joette Rosato Cynthia W. O’Donnell, JD Meg Walters
Crazy Dog Design
Michelle York
FOUNDATION FOR MORRISTOWN MEDICAL CENTER JENNIFER L. SMITH Chief Development Officer BONNIE GANNON Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations CHRISTINE HAJSOK Director of Finance and Data Management CYNTHIA W. O’DONNELL, JD Director of Planned Giving
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RICHARDSON FAMILY GIVING IMPACTS MOST VULNERABLE PEDIATRIC PATIENTS CLOSE UPS
CELEBRATION OF PHILANTHROPY CARDIOLOGY
LEADING MEDICAL PRACTICES INVEST IN SUPERIOR HEART CARE CORPORATIONS AND FOUNDATIONS
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF CYNDI BENNETT HEALING HANDS AWARD
Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute Doctors and Nurses LEGACY GIVING
CHRONIC ILLNESS LEADS TO A LEGACY OF GOODWILL SAMETH EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT Golf Tournament Seeds Funding for Expansion, Renovation
ANNA O’SULLIVAN Communications Manager JOETTE ROSATO Director of Annual Giving
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Designed by 7 Layer Studio
NOTE: Some photos were taken before social distancing and mask guidelines were in effect.
INNOVATION
MINI GRANTS SPUR INNOVATION AMONG CARE TEAMS
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he Foundation for Morristown Medical Center Mini Grant Program supports projects up to $20,000 that are not funded through the hospital’s annual budget but enhance patient care. A total of $40,000 is awarded quarterly ($160,000 annually) to fund a variety of projects that facilitate innovation for clinical, nursing and care teams. Awardees have utilized Mini Grant funds for a wide range of patient-centered initiatives, which include music therapy to enhance patient recovery, equipment needs such as vein scanners and mobility programs for critically ill pediatric patients. Mini Grant funds and the teams that carry out these projects make a lasting impact on Morristown Medical Center and Goryeb Children’s Hospital patients and their families.
To give an unrestricted gift, which will support programs like Mini Grants, visit
Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute pulmonary team members with the NuStep T4R Recumbent Cross Trainer purchased to enhance the cardiac patient mobilization program.
f4mmc.org/journal
A Goryeb Children’s Hospital patient participates in a horticulture therapy program aimed at improving mental and physical health while providing the opportunity to grow, harvest and eat their own food.
A patient at the Joan and Edward Foley Pediatric Intensive Care Unit participates in a new pediatric progressive mobility program to encourage movement and shorter hospital stays.
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ONCOLOGY
ARESTY FAMILY FINDS A SECOND HOME AT MORRISTOWN
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atti Aresty became familiar with Morristown Medical Center more than 30 years ago when her late husband, David Aresty, began treatment for a series of conditions. She recalls the excellent support system and how the doctors and nurses cared for her husband and her family during their most challenging experiences of loss. In return, she and sons Adam and Benjamin Aresty, daughter Rachel, son-in-law Danny, and granddaughter Dylan Solomon gave $500,000 to support Carol G. Simon Cancer Center’s first-floor renovation, a part of the Growing Forward Campaign. The reconfiguration of the first floor will create a new Patient Access Center in the lobby. This will allow for a one-stop, convenient outpatient experience where patients can check in for all appointments simultaneously. The centerpiece will be The David and Patti Aresty Family Registration Area.
Over time, her gratitude grew and ignited her interest in volunteering. This in turn spurred a variety of gifts over 29 years, totaling more than $1 million in support of three of the hospital’s Centers of Excellence: Carol G. Simon Cancer Center, Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute and Goryeb Children’s Hospital.
Patti Aresty, a Washington Partner* and Carol G. Simon Cancer Center Philanthropy Council member, is glad that the donation will leave her family’s name indelibly marked at a place she has grown to love. Thinking back to when her husband was a patient, she remembers how quickly the Morristown Medical Center team became like family.
As a volunteer, her passion runs deep, and her stories, each more interesting than the last. She designed pediatric gowns with Marguerite Goryeb. She also worked tirelessly alongside Carol G. Simon, delivering flowers to patients, bringing them newspapers, and sitting and visiting with those who looked like they needed some cheer.
“My husband always felt Morristown Medical Center was about the people, not bricks and mortar,” Aresty said. “His attitude was to have fun. He would stop and buy Danishes before his appointments. The nurses loved to sit and visit with us, and the doctors were so caring, always by our side.”
“I have known the hospital forever, and I love everything about it,” Aresty said. “All of our children were born there.” When the pandemic surged last year, Aresty purchased 100 baby monitors for the Sameth Emergency Department so that caregivers could communicate with COVID-19 patients in a safe way. She contributed to Serve It Forward, supporting the purchase of restaurant gift cards. She arranged for gallons of homemade chicken soup from Chef Loryn’s in Madison, New Jersey, to feed frontline caregivers. When she moved from her Short Hills, New Jersey-home, she donated her paintings to line the hospital’s hallways. “It’s such an amazing place,” Aresty said. “I can’t say enough about it. When I walk through the doors, I feel like I’m home.” * Washington Partners are donors who have given $1 million or more over their lifetimes.
WHEN I WALK THROUGH THE DOORS, I FEEL LIKE I'M HOME. –Patti Aresty
If you are interested in donating to Carol G. Simon Cancer Center, contact Lisa Duff at
973-593-2405 lisa.duff@atlantichealth.org
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hen Dick and Linda Richardson moved to Summit, New Jersey, in the 1960s to raise a family, the couple noticed something special about Morristown Memorial Hospital (now Morristown Medical Center). Whether it was for a minor injury or the need for advanced medical attention, they were thankful for first-rate care and compassion in their backyard. After 20 years of consecutive giving, their two recent gifts reflect the breadth of how much the hospital has helped their growing family. The couple made a $100,000 gift to the Growing Forward Campaign for Goryeb Children’s Hospital’s recent renovation and expansion and a $120,000 donation to fund the Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship Program at Sam’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Morristown Medical Center.
PEDIATRICS
RICHARDSON FAMILY GIVING IMPACTS MOST VULNERABLE PEDIATRIC PATIENTS “It saddens us to see a sick child,” Linda Richardson said. “Our twin granddaughters, Sydney and Zoey, were born early, but thank heavens for the excellent care they received at Morristown Medical Center; they are now healthy 11-year-olds.” To make a gift to the Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship Program or Goryeb Children’s Hospital, contact Gerri Kling at
973-593-2414 geraldine.kling@atlantichealth.org
The Richardson’s gift to the Growing Forward Campaign helped address Goryeb Children’s Hospital’s capacity issues, including a renovation to the building’s design. As a result of the project, Goryeb Children’s Hospital can better meet the challenges of caring for the most seriously ill children in the region. Their commitment to the welfare of children’s health made it easy for them to then support the NeonatalPerinatal Medicine Fellowship Program. The advanced curriculum of the fellowship will prepare physicians to care for fragile infants, provide academic support for clinical research and offer mentorship in communicating difficult news to patients’ families. Housed within Sam’s NICU, a Level III Regional Perinatal Center, the fundraising goal is to raise $2 million to endow one fellow.
The Richardson family circa 1985.
The Richardsons are glad they can find opportunities to connect to Morristown Medical Center in meaningful ways since, for years, they have watched the community hospital’s transformation into a world-class medical facility. When they were a young couple, a fond memory is when the Maternity Center (now the Deskovick Maternity Center) was above the main entrance. “I stood outside the front door with our eldest daughter, Lisa, and waved up to my wife right after she had our second child,” Dick Richardson said. Shortly after, a third child was born – and the years sped by raising their happy family. They found themselves back at an expanded and renovated Deskovick Maternity Center. This time around, it was to welcome their grandchildren into the world. Five of their six grandchildren were born at the hospital.
The Richardson family today. Photo credit: Heidi Warner
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CLOSE UPS
Hamilton Farm Golf Club in Gladstone, New Jersey.
DONORS CELEBRATE CAMPAIGN SUCCESS, PANDEMIC SUPPORT
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ore than 120 donors gathered at the Celebration of Philanthropy held at Hamilton Golf Club in Gladstone, New Jersey, on September 29, 2021. The event acknowledged donors who contributed to the Growing Forward Campaign – supporting the renovation and expansion of Carol G. Simon Cancer Center, Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute and Goryeb Children’s Hospital – and the COVID-19 Support Fund. In total, community members contributed $40.3 million to the campaign and more than $4 million to the pandemic fund.
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Neil and Lois Gagnon, Honorary Trustees, Foundation for Morristown Medical Center, and long-time donors.
The event began with a heartfelt video featuring patients whose lives were touched by the extraordinary care they received at Morristown Medical Center. The speaking program, which was equally as inspiring, included remarks from Trish O’Keefe, PhD, RN, president, Morristown Medical Center, SVP and chief nurse executive, Atlantic Health System; Robert Tafaro, chairman, Foundation for Morristown Medical Center Board of Trustees; and Leslie 'Les' C. Quick III, Growing Forward Campaign chairman and honorary trustee, Foundation for Morristown Medical Center.
Long-time donors Joe, Jeanne and Rick Goryeb (Trustee, Foundation for Morristown Medical Center).
Foundation for Morristown Medical Center Trustee J. Peter Simon and long-time donors Katie Simon Krag and Brace Krag.
Eric Whitman, MD, Interim Chief Research Officer, Atlantic Health System, Medical Director, Atlantic Health System Cancer Care; Linda Gillam, MD, MPH, Dorothy and Lloyd Huck Chair of Cardiovascular Medicine at Morristown Medical Center/Atlantic Health System, Medical Director, Cardiovascular Service Line, Atlantic Health System; Kevin McGovern, Executive Director, Cardiovascular Services, Atlantic Health System; Lydia Nadeau, Executive Director, Oncology Service Line, Atlantic Health System; Walter D. Rosenfeld, MD, Chair of Pediatrics, Goryeb Children's Hospital, Medical Director of Children's Health, Atlantic Health System; Joanna L. Wright, MHA, MBA, Executive Director, Women’s & Children’s Services.
Celebration of Philanthropy, Hamilton Farm Golf Club, Gladstone, New Jersey.
Leslie 'Les' C. Quick III, Growing Forward Campaign Chair, Honorary Trustee, Foundation for Morristown Medical Center; Nikki Sumpter, Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer, Atlantic Health System; Trish O’Keefe, PhD, RN, President, Morristown Medical Center and Senior Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive, Atlantic Health System; Jennifer L. Smith, Chief Development Officer, Foundation for Morristown Medical Center; Robert Tafaro, Chairman, Foundation for Morristown Medical Center Board of Trustees.
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GROWING FORWARD CAMPAIGN
LEADING MEDICAL PRACTICES INVEST IN SUPERIOR HEART CARE
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o build the most extensive cardiac program in New Jersey and one of the nation’s leading cardiology and heart surgery hospitals, philanthropic investment from doctors’ practices affiliated with Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute has made all the difference. In the recent Growing Forward Campaign to expand and renovate Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute, Anesthesia Associates of Morristown, Mid-Atlantic Surgical Associates, Morris Heart Associates and Morristown Cardiology Associates collectively gave $1.32 million to support the project*. In response to an increase in patient volume, the latest expansion at Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute was a 55,400-square-foot addition that includes 72 private patient rooms and two additional floors. It also increased MRI capacity exclusively for cardiovascular patients to keep in step with high demand. More than 100,000 heart patients come through its doors each year, a number that will climb as the population ages. Growing demand for expert cardiovascular care also means investing in technology, cardiologists, cardiac
surgeons, anesthesiologists, cardiac intensivists, research initiatives and infrastructure. “Anesthesia Associates of Morristown is an integral part of the world-class care delivered by Morristown Medical Center,” said Walter Lewis, MD, Foundation for Morristown Medical Center trustee and Anesthesia Associates of Morristown president. “We proudly support the continued growth of Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute, expanding the ability of Morristown Medical Center to improve the health and well-being of the communities we serve.” Specialty needs in expert cardiovascular care provided by Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute include building programs for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, sports cardiology, cardiooncology, pediatric oncology and heart disease in women – and many other areas of specialized clinical care. The impact of consistent, long-term philanthropy has helped Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute achieve national recognition as a top 50 hospital for Cardiology & Heart Surgery (No. 42) by U.S. News & World Report and one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Surgery for three years in a row by Healthgrades. “There is no question that philanthropic support is essential to programmatic growth, whether it be expanding existing services or introducing new ones,” said Linda Gillam, MD, MPH, MACC, Dorothy and Lloyd Huck chair, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine; and medical director, Cardiovascular Service Line, Morristown Medical Center/Atlantic Health System. “With the recently completed Growing Forward Campaign, we were fortunate to have support from many physicians and other health care team members, all critical to the high-quality care that we continue to provide at Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute.” * Individual doctors within these practices also gave generously in support of the Growing Forward Campaign.
To learn more about supporting Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute, contact Susan Johns at
973-593-2143 susan.johns@atlantichealth.org
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Illustration by Meg Walters, Crazy Dog Design
CORPORATIONS AND FOUNDATIONS
THE POWER OF ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP How Cyndi Bennett Espouses Corporate Responsibility
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t all started in the 1920s with a runaway horse and a carriage accident. Nearly 100 years later, Selective Insurance Group, Inc. still embodies the values of its founder, D.L.B. Smith, who said: “… I will not let this Company lose the human touch, which has been largely responsible for its success.” “This [sentiment] naturally extends to our care for employees and the efforts we take in supporting our neighbors in the community,” Cyndi Bennett, executive vice president, chief human resources officer at Selective, said. Being supportive of its neighbors translates into a robust philanthropy program. Over the past decade, Selective Insurance Group Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Branchville, New Jersey-headquartered company, donated more than $4.6 million to charitable organizations across the country. Since 1997, Selective Insurance Group Foundation has provided more than $460,000 in funding oncology initiatives at Carol G. Simon Cancer Center to their most recent gifts at Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute and Goryeb Children’s Hospital, a part of the Growing Forward Campaign. Project Independence (a relief fund for Morristown Medical Center patients who are often unable to work due to illness) is another priority for them. Selective’s management team promotes civic responsibility by providing compensable volunteer days to encourage employees to be active citizens. During the pandemic, one employee with medical training treated COVID-19 patients in a homeless shelter; another made 3-D-printed face masks and delivered them to front-line caregivers.
Here's a look at Bennett's day: 7:00am The Vernon, New Jersey-resident catches up on the headlines with Bloomberg: Business News in the shower. “I’ve had speakers installed all over my house,” she said. “On the weekends, I switch over to ’60s and ’70s music.” 8:00am to Noon Bennett meets with team members to support the organization’s talent strategy, including diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Employee Resource Groups, such as Working Caregiver, PRIDE Alliance and Black Employee Resource Group, help strengthen worklife balance and increase job satisfaction. Noon to 1:00pm “Once a week, I buy lunch for an employee,” she said. “I enjoy sitting with them and hearing their personal stories.” 1:00 to 5:00pm Bennett leads meetings on strengthening employee development efforts. “As a Hispanic female, I am grateful for mentors who have helped me to succeed,” she said. “Selective is in the process of helping underrepresented employees rise to first-level management positions. I believe that everyone – no matter what their level or background – has tremendous potential.” 5:00 to 8:00pm A benefit for this busy executive and grandmother of five is that her retired husband, Jack, loves to cook. “I get home around 8:00pm for dinner,” she said. “We look forward to this time of day to catch up and unwind.”
Corporations and Foundations To learn more about supporting Morristown Medical Center, contact Bonnie Gannon at
973-593-2419 f4mmc@atlantichealth.org
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HEALING HANDS
HEALING HANDS AWARD
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fter a series of near-fatal health conditions, Dennis Gibbons quickly recognized the physicians and nurses at Morristown Medical Center, who came through with multiple, speedy diagnoses; expert medical interventions; and a level of teamwork that proved lifesaving for the Jersey City, New Jerseyresident. He and his wife, Lucia, avid cyclists, acknowledged Gurpreet Sidhu, MD; Renee Frankel, MD; Jason Lowenstein, MD; and John Brown, MD, with Healing Hands tribute awards. They also gave a generous gift in honor of the nurses at Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute. “I almost lost Dennis,” Lucia Gibbons said. “Your great emergency room, doctors and nurses have us celebrating my husband’s strong comeback.” The 61-year-old’s health issues began when he lost weight without trying and became breathless while walking up a flight of stairs. When Dennis Gibbons' ankles began to swell on vacation in Bermuda, they flew back to New Jersey and went straight to the Sameth Emergency Department
(ED) at Morristown Medical Center. Once at the ED, a medical team rushed to his side. “They spoke in plain language, and I could understand what was going on,” Lucia Gibbons said.
Dennis Gibbons
Dr. Sidhu’s diagnosis was quick and accurate: heart failure. Spending a week at Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute at Morristown Medical Center, physicians at the Heart Success Program fitted him with a defibrillator vest. The nurses catered to his every need. “Everyone was highly professional and highly responsive,” Dennis Gibbons said. “Especially the nurses – they were phenomenal. And Dr. Sidhu was the captain of the team throughout. My wife and I fully trust and love that man.” Once home from the hospital, Dennis Gibbons experienced intense back pain, which he thought was from the weight of his defibrillator vest. But after an exam by Dr. Frankel, she discovered his spine had eroded from a bacterial infection.
“He looked terrible, and I was worried he wouldn’t make it to our 27th wedding anniversary,” Lucia Gibbons said. After an antibiotic regimen, Dennis Gibbons looked like a new person, although he would need spinal fusion surgery. He chose Dr. Lowenstein to handle the spinal fusion and in no time, after surgery, the couple was back to their workout routine. Dennis Gibbons could not believe the next health issue. During a routine MRI, physicians found an aortic aneurysm. Thankfully, it was small enough only to require monitoring – and in stepped Dr. Brown. “I was impressed with Dr. Brown’s expertise and bedside manner,” Dennis Gibbons said. “He would greet me in the waiting room. I’ve never had a doctor do that in my life.” What struck Dennis Gibbons the most was the teamwork of the doctors. “All four of them made me better,” he said. “All four made me heal; all four put me back together.”
YOUR GREAT EMERGENCY ROOM, DOCTORS AND NURSES HAVE US CELEBRATING MY HUSBAND'S STRONG COMBACK –Lucia Gibbons
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To honor one or more of Morristown Medical Center’s team members with a Healing Hands Award, please visit: f4mmc.org/healing-hands
LEGACY GIVING
CHRONIC ILLNESS LEADS TO A LEGACY OF GOODWILL
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n October of 2019 Morristown Medical Center admitted Allan Staats, 81, and treated him for scleroderma, a hardening of the skin in his throat and esophagus, making it difficult for him to swallow. According to his widow, Barbara Staats, physicians had to insert a feeding tube into his stomach for vital nutrition. “The nurses were so warm and caring,” said Barbara Staats of Morris Township. “At first, we thought we’d be there for a few days, but Allan had trouble adjusting because of his Type 1 diabetes. One of the medical residents was so patient and kind. He sat with my husband and addressed all of his questions and concerns.”
Barbara and the late, Allan Staats.
Once discharged, despite the extraordinary care he received, Allan Staats continued to struggle with his health. “He always tried very hard to maintain an optimistic attitude, even in the face of the unknown,” Barbara Staats said.
He always tried very hard to maintain an optimistic attitude, even in the face of the unknown. –Barbara Staats
Scleroderma often includes pulmonary and hypertension issues, and Allan Staats returned to the Sameth Emergency Department (ED) at Morristown Medical Center in January of 2020 with pulmonary fibrosis. Barbara Staats recalls multiple medical staff rushing to tend to him. He was unconscious, intubated and transferred to the Nancy and Skippy Weinstein Inpatient Hospice and Palliative Care Center at Morristown Medical Center for immediate care. During this challenging time, while Allan Staats was in hospice, the nurses clearly and patiently explained the process of what was going to happen next. “It happened as they said it would; there were no surprises,” she said.
Allan Staats’ first-rate and compassionate care over the years led him to include Morristown Medical Center in his estate plans. The retired Exxon International executive decided to establish a revocable living trust, which allows donors to add and delete beneficiaries and buy and sell assets at any time, up until the grantor passes away. Funds from the Staats’ trust were realized through a very generous, unrestricted gift made to support Morristown Medical Center’s greatest needs: recruiting medical experts, expanding programs and securing state-of-the-art technology. “Everyone at the Weinstein Center and the Sameth ED are remarkable, and the care was top-notch through it all; it’s why Allan felt so good about giving generously to the hospital,” Barbara Staats, a Washington Partner*, said. * Washington Partners are donors who have given $1 million or more over their lifetimes.
Legacy giving is an easy way to support Morristown Medical Center, bolstering future medical initiatives while communicating your values. To make a legacy gift, contact Cynthia W. O'Donnell, JD at
973-593-2418 cynthia.odonnell@atlantichealth.org 11
FOUNDATION FOR MORRISTOWN MEDICAL CENTER | F4MMC.ORG | 973-593-2400
Foundation for Morristown Medical Center
SAMETH EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT
475 South Street | Morristown, NJ 07960
THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR SPONSORS, DONORS AND GOLFERS who supported the Foundation for Morristown Medical Center Golf Classic at Baltusrol Golf Club benefiting the Sameth Emergency Department renovation and expansion.
Morristown Medical Center’s Sameth Emergency Department (ED) is one of the busiest in the state, averaging close to 100,000 patient visits per year. The need to renovate and expand is crucial. We gratefully acknowledge all donors and sponsors who have generously supported this project. For more information on the project or to donate, visit: f4mmc.org/sameth-ed
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