A Toast to Children’s Health

Long Branch — More than 225 supporters recently joined The Unterberg Children’s Hospital Leadership Council and Monmouth Medical Center Foundation to celebrate the second annual “A Toast to Children’s Health” wine-tasting event, benefiting nearly 22,000 pediatric patients from the community who are treated at The Unterberg Children’s Hospital at Monmouth Medical Center.

PHOTO 1: Frank J. Vozos, M.D., FACS, President and Chief Executive Officer, Monmouth Medical Center; Tara Kelly, Vice President, Monmouth Medical Center Foundation; Michael Fux, Founder, Michael Fux Family Center at The Unterberg Children’s Hospital at Monmouth Medical Center

The event, held at the Rumson Country Club Riverhouse, supports The Unterberg Children’s Hospital Leadership Council’s mission by raising funds to ensure the hospital’s continual success in delivering extraordinary care that changes children’s lives, restores hope and fosters dreams for tomorrow.

The night also included speakers and patient testimonials, showcased artwork from the Child Life Program and featured the debut of “Paintings for Hope,” a compilation of photographs and artwork by pediatric patients who have been treated at The Unterberg Children’s Hospital at Monmouth Medical Center, including Mya Lin Terry, a 10-year-old Ocean Township girl who passed away in 2013 after battling cancer for more than five years. Donors had the opportunity to sponsor a patient, allowing the patient to be featured in the book and receive a copy of the completed piece.

“Having spent half of Mya’s life in the hospital, it is our hope that we help ensure that all children like Maya are able to enjoy their childhood, despite health battles they may be facing,” said Kelly L. Terry, Mya’s mom and president of The Mya Lin Terry Foundation, a charitable, non-profit organization created to honor the memory of Mya Lin.

The Leadership Council, led by a group of individuals who serve as ambassadors for the hospital through education and local events, supports Monmouth Medical Center’s commitment to pediatric excellence. Their mission is to educate the community about services available at the hospital, develop philanthropic relationships and promote the health and wellness of children in the community.

(left to right) Event chairs Robert and Dianne Butters wearing t-shirts painted by pediatric patients pictured with committee members Brendan and Tiffini Haley, Rob and Kathryn Patton, Michael and Jennifer Jamin, Dimitrios and Kristie Corodemus, Lisa and Josh Mendelson.