Your Impact
Providing High Quality Healthcare
See how Officer Chris Leighton had his life saved by Dr. Paul Burns and the staff at Deborah.
Advancing Treatment
You help Deborah Hospital Foundation provides advanced treatment for children with congenital heart disease in the United States and around the globe. As a supporter, you help shape the future of cardiac care and ensure that no child will ever have to face this life-threatening condition alone. All gifts, both large and small, go directly towards research, equipment, training programs and other related initiatives that help make cardiac care more accessible to those who need it. We can ensure the highest quality of patient care for these children, giving them the best chances of survival and a better quality of life, thanks to you.
Watch how patients, like Seamus, have received the highest quality of life-saving care and read more from Seamus’ mother thanking supporters of Deborah for providing vital care that has enabled her children to live a life free from fear.
Read more of Seamus' story
Being a parent in the best of circumstances is challenging. It means being completely and totally overwhelmed (in the best possible way) by love, joy, responsibility, and selflessness. It means sleepless nights, caterpillars on the coffee table, finger-paints on the kitchen walls, stubbed toes, and gapped toothed grins. It also means dealing with childhood illnesses, and for some, it also means learning to live with a serious chronic heart condition.
Thankfully, Deborah Heart and Lung Center offers one of the top Pediatric Cardiology programs in the region. In partnership with St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children in Philadelphia, Deborah detects and treats some of the rarest cardiac conditions in the world. More than check-ups, tests and diagnoses, Deborah’s pediatric physicians provide children and their parents with peace-of-mind and the ability to live happy lives…while preventing potential tragedies.
My son 16 year old, son Seamus is a very active kid — he rides BMX, he is a swimmer and a lifeguard. After he suddenly passed out several times for no reason, I made the appointment with Dr. Cara Garofalo at Deborah’s Pediatric Cardiology Department. During the appointment, a slight irregularity on Seamus’s EKG was noticed and Dr. Garofalo immediately ordered a series of tests. Trusting her instincts, she also ordered genetic testing. He tested positive for Long QT Syndrome Type 5 — a cardiac condition that affects less than 300 children worldwide. This affliction, if undetected, could lead to sudden cardiac arrest — a symptomless condition that kills close to a half a million Americans annually.
Even as a nurse, when I learned that my son had Long QT Syndrome, it was a lot to take in. I immediately worried that it would stop him from doing the things he loves. And naturally, I worried about the possibility of losing him all together. I wanted to put him in a bubble to keep him protected. Dr. Garofalo said when they detect even the most subtle abnormality on a test they take great strides to ensure there is no underlying issue. And for our family… it was a lifesaver. Further genetic testing led to the diagnosis of Long QT Syndrome for two of my other children and my husband, even though they had never had symptoms.
We now consider ourselves part of the Deborah family with three children as patients of Deborah’s Pediatric Department and my husband seeing an electrophysiologist. I feel confident knowing that they will continue to receive their care from Deborah’s highly trained specialist as they grow older.
Today, Seamus lives with a Linq Monitor implanted in his chest that collects heart rhythm data and sends it to his doctors via a small device plugged in at his bedside. Seamus, his brothers and dad must stay hydrated to maintain electrolytes and take a beta-blocker every day. For Seamus, a defibrillator may have to be implanted down-the-road. But for now, he’s back living his active, teen-age lifestyle.
Our family now lives our lives without fear. I want my boys to live a happy life, and thanks to all of the donors who support Deborah they are now be able to do that. And me too! It makes me proud to be part of the Deborah family.
From the bottom of my and my son’s well-monitored heart…thank you for all that you do for Deborah. We are forever grateful.
— Christy O’Kane, RN Deborah Heart and Lung Center
Patient Care Pavilion Opens New Chapter for Deborah
The opening of the new Patient Care Pavilion marks a historic moment for Deborah Heart and Lung Center, bringing facilities up to the same world-class standard as the care patients receive. This milestone is a powerful step toward exceptional quality, equitable access, and a stronger healthcare future for New Jersey.
See how this new chapter is setting the stage for decades of impact.
Celebrating 101 Years After A Life-Saving Procedure
Mrs. Jordan of Bayonne celebrated her 101st birthday thanks to a successful transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) at Deborah Heart and Lung Center, making her one of the oldest patients in the country to have a TAVR procedure.
Watch this video to see how!
Patricia’s Journey to Healing and Hope
After facing serious heart complications twice in her life, Patricia Dini found hope and healing at Deborah Heart and Lung Center. With advanced treatment and no out-of-pocket costs, she was able to focus entirely on her recovery.
Read her story to see the difference compassionate, barrier-free care can make.
Read more of Patricia's story
Two hearts. Two surgeries. Two miracles.
That’s my Deborah® story.
I’m a proud Jersey girl, a lifelong traveler, and a two-time heart surgery survivor. My life has been filled with exotic trips and adventures in over 30 countries, many of which I would not have experienced had it not been for the extraordinary care I received at Deborah Heart and Lung Center.
My journey began as an innocent eight-year-old. A heart murmur led to a diagnosis of an atrial septal defect – a hole in my heart the size of a half-dollar. It was Faustino Niguidula, MD, a pioneer in pediatric cardiovascular surgery, who performed my life-saving open heart procedure at Deborah. As a child, I didn’t fully comprehend the gravity of the situation, but looking back, I can remember the incredible skill and compassion shown to me and my family.
Deborah’s lifesaving surgery as a child opened my eyes to the importance of savoring every moment, and I became determined to embrace my life by exploring the world through travel.
As a 52-year-old mother of three sons, there have been so many milestones that I’ve been able to experience with them thanks to Deborah’s care. I’m grateful that my life has been filled with incredible achievements, accomplishments, and adventures: from paddle boarding and surfing in Hawaii, to hiking and witnessing the Perseid Meteor Shower in the French Alps, paragliding in the Swiss mountains, and visiting the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
Fast forward to 2023. A routine checkup revealed another nightmare. I was diagnosed with AFib, a leaky valve, and another hole in my heart. Immediately, I knew to go back to Deborah – to a place that I can count on. Justin Szawlewicz, MD, Chair of Cardiology, and the entire adult congenital heart team became my saviors and my support system.
Undergoing surgery as an adult was a daunting proposition. Fortunately, thanks to Deborah’s innovative approach and expert skill set, the medical team was able to perform non-invasive surgery with a much shorter recovery time. Today, I am living proof of Deborah’s life-saving work.
As the holidays approach, I find myself reflecting on the preciousness of life and the incredible impact Deborah has had on me and my family. I am one of countless individuals whose lives have been transformed by the dedication and skill of the Deborah team.
Your generosity is the lifeline that fuels Deborah’s mission. It enables groundbreaking research, compassionate patient care, and life-saving surgeries.
This holiday season, let’s come together to create a ripple effect of hope. Please help Deborah continue its extraordinary work. Your gift today will last a lifetime.
— Patricia Dini, A Twice-Blessed Deborah Patient
Wayne’s Path to a Healthier Future
Wayne’s journey to better health began the moment he walked through the doors of Deborah Heart and Lung Center. There, he found advanced treatment, a caring team, and the relief of knowing he would never receive a bill for his care.
Read his story to discover how expert, cost-free treatment gave him a new lease on life.
Read more of Wayne's story
Ashland, Virginia is affectionately known as the “Center of the Universe.” It is where I live with Alice, my wife of 57 years, our children, and grandchildren. So, for me, Ashland is definitely the center of my universe.
I’ve had a long and concerning medical history filled with close calls and missed diagnoses. At 49, I suffered a major heart attack, coding three times before reaching the local hospital. More recently, my heart fell out of rhythm and into A-Fib, requiring a pacemaker. Three ablations later, as the A-Fib remained.
I was diagnosed with congestive heart failure, leaving me physically weak and short of breath. I was discouraged that my health and quality of life declined so rapidly, leaving me physically unable to help Alice with responsibilities around the farm. I was advised, without drastic improvement to my cardiac health, I wouldn’t be around much longer. Believing I had no other options, I began to get my affairs in order.
My universe was altered when a friend referred me to Deborah Heart and Lung Center. I reached out to Deborah and was introduced to Kulpreet Barn, MD and his advanced heart failure team, who promptly scheduled me for an evaluation. The following week, my son Matt and I made the six-hour drive from Ashland to New Jersey.
During my five-day stay, Dr. Barn’s team coordinated a series of tests and procedures. They installed two mitral clips to repair a leaky valve, performed a successful ablation finally correcting my A-Fib, and adjusted my medications. Back home, under the advisement of Dr. Bam, the Watchman device was installed further limiting my risk of blood clots and need for certain blood thinners.
To this day Dr. Bam remains in frequent contact with my cardiologist in Virginia, who is astonished with my improved heart function and what Deborah was able to do for me. I am now healthy, actively working full days on the farm, and most importantly, I am still here for Alice and my family. No matter where you live you owe it to yourself and those you love to find the best medical care available…you are worth it.
The cost of the high-level specialized care I received could have financially devastated my family. But thanks to Deborah Hospital Foundation, there is no out-of-pocket expense for any care I received within the hospital. That’s the Deborah way. I’ve been around long enough to know I owe a debt of gratitude to all those donors that invested their philanthropic dollars in Deborah long before I benefited from its life-saving care.
Although my life is here at the “Center of the Universe”, my heart will always be with Deborah.
— Wayne Overton, A Grateful Patient and Donor
“Our family now lives our lives without fear. I want my boys to live a happy life, and thanks to all of the donors who support Deborah they are now be able to do that. And me too! It makes me proud to be part of the Deborah family.”
—Christy O’Kane, RN Deborah Heart and Lung Center
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