Soothing Nature

“Nature has the power to calm and uplift the spirit, which can help reduce mental and emotional fatigue and lead to better outcomes for our patients, visitors, and staff,” said Dominican Hospital President/CEO Nanette Mickiewicz, MD. "Our Meditation Courtyard provides a calm, restful space for mental rejuvenation.”

We are deeply appreciative of the generosity of the more than 650 members of the community who contributed to the Healing Courtyards Initiative. All four gardens are open and transforming the experience of visitors, patients, employees, and physicians.

The Nello and Pam Santacroce Meditation Courtyard is designed as a quiet area, to focus on meditation, contemplation, mindfulness, and self-care as part of one's therapeutic approach, or just to simply get away from the inherent stresses in a typical day. A clinging green wall, alongside the relaxing sound of water from a perpetually flowing water wall, promises serenity and calming effects. This tranquil setting is enhanced and inspired by the stunning redwoods of the Santa Cruz Mountains. A very special thank you to Pam Santacroce, former Dominican Hospital board member and current Foundation board member, for naming the garden in honor of her husband Nello. The Dr. Joseph T. Anzalone Newborn Care Courtyard is a place of repose, where new mothers, fathers, and families can find their inner calm—especially after the excitement experienced in new birth. Inspired by nature, this serene, quiet space will provide much-needed fresh air, a place to settle the mind, and a feeling of peace. The Courtyard is a multi-generational spot, as observed in the Celebrating Births and New Life honor wall, where the history of Dominican births and the compassionate care that has touched so many lives from the very beginning can be tracked over years to come.

Vonnie Anzalone named the courtyard in honor of her husband’s work and dedication to delivering babies in our community. Randy and Janet Krassow named the Green Wall in the Newborn Care Courtyard and one of our mosaic

Our Newborn Care Courtyard is unique in that it delivers access to a natural, outdoor setting while ensuring new parents have the privacy they need during this special time. This space is private to our Birth Center patients and staff.

animals in honor of their grandson, Hunter. Caroline Kuspa gifted a turtle in honor of her mother, Dr. Harriet Korakas— the first female OB/GYN physician in our community— who delivered many, many babies locally. Jane Burroughs named the mosaic deer in memory of her husband, Dr. Dean Burroughs, a local and highly respected pediatrician. Ben and Yuki Batterson named a bench in honor of their daughter, Hope Batterson, and the care the family received while in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Care Courtyard join two existing courtyards at the hospital. The Monterey Peninsula Foundation Rehabilitation Garden was designed with the input of physical, occupational, and speech therapists to serve our patients in the Acute Rehabilitation Unit (ARU) recovering from stroke, neurosurgery, spinal cord injuries, or cardiac, oncology, orthopedic surgeries. Further down the hospital main corridor, you will find the Norman & Maureen Benito Surgery Courtyard, which features a soothing pond with turtles and koi fish. This space includes private respite areas to reduce stress for visitors as well as patients recovering from surgery. The Surgery Lounge serves as the main waiting area for acute surgeries and includes a private consult room where surgeons can report the outcomes of the surgery, ensuring patient privacy. Above the Surgery Lounge, is a balcony terrace which significantly increases the only outside space available to patients on the second floor.

Including the remodeled Surgery Lounge with private consult room