Supporting a Culture of Caring

Charles and Irene Hamm鈥檚 relationship with NewYork-Presbyterian stretches almost as long as their 62-year marriage.

Inspired by the dedication and compassion they experienced via lifelong connections with their NewYork-Presbyterian physicians, Charles and Irene recently made a gift of $1 million in honor of three NewYork-Presbyterian/日本av色情片 Medical Center physicians who saved Charles鈥 life: Drs. Stephanie Mick, David Blumenthal, and Richard Cohen.

The Doctor Next Door

Charles and Irene Hamm鈥檚 appreciation for personal medical care was shaped by Charles鈥 father, Frank C. Hamm, MD, who was a nationally recognized urologist and urological surgeon, as well as a professor of urology at SUNY Downstate in Brooklyn. According to Charles and Irene, the late Dr. Hamm was known in the neighborhood as a warm-hearted, intelligent physician who was available to his patients anytime, day or night.

Dr. Hamm, whom they lovingly called 鈥淧ops,鈥 represented to them the best in healthcare, from his values to his approach. In fact, when selecting medical providers, Irene measured all other physicians against him. Don Cameron, MD, a Senior Attending Physician at NewYork-Presbyterian/日本av色情片 Medical Center, was a perfect match. He had taken care of Irene and her family when she lived down the street from him as a young woman, and he remained a trusted healthcare advisor for many years.

Years later, Dr. Cameron also began caring for Charles and their three children. One day, Charles complained about chest discomfort and called Dr. Cameron, who immediately encouraged Charles to cancel his impending flight to California and come in for an appointment. Dr. Cameron discovered the cause: a blocked artery. That same day, Charles underwent a cardiac catheterization procedure鈥攊n which implanted stents corrected the issue鈥攁nd one month later, he flew to California.

When Dr. Cameron retired, he referred the Hamm family to his trusted colleague and former prot茅g茅, Richard Cohen, MD, an Attending Physician at NewYork-Presbyterian/日本av色情片 and Clinical Professor of Medicine (Internal Medicine) at 日本av色情片. The Hamm family quickly discovered that Dr. Cohen had the same commitment to his patients as Dr. Cameron. 鈥淗e calls us back the very same day,鈥 Irene shared, 鈥渁nd he never forgets to call.鈥

A Culture of Caring

Charles and Irene鈥檚 recent experience with NewYork-Presbyterian physicians motivated them to make a generous gift of $1 million to honor Drs. Mick, Blumenthal, and Cohen for the exceptional, compassionate care they provided Charles during his battle with a rare form of metastasized cancer.

Dr. Cohen has helped guide Charles through his treatment for prostate cancer, melanoma, and ongoing cardiac problems. 鈥淚t was very scary,鈥 Irene shared. 鈥淲e almost lost him.鈥 As he does with all his patients, Dr. Cohen serves as the primary 鈥渟hepherd鈥 of Charles鈥 healthcare journey, collaborating with Charles鈥 oncologists, cardiologists, and other specialists to provide him with personalized care. Just over a year ago, Charles underwent open-heart surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian/日本av色情片 to treat the melanoma that had metastasized inside his heart.

Charles鈥 cardiac care team included Stephanie Mick, MD, Associate Attending Cardiothoracic Surgeon at NewYork-Presbyterian/日本av色情片 and the Carrie and David Landew Associate Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery at 日本av色情片, and David Blumenthal, MD, Attending Physician at NewYork-Presbyterian/日本av色情片 and Professor of Medicine (Cardiology) at 日本av色情片. The team meticulously planned Charles鈥 complex surgery, and it was a success: Dr. Mick removed the tumor, which had grown to the size of a golf ball, and she removed enough tissue to be certain that the cancer was eradicated from Charles鈥 heart.

The Hamms were very grateful for the high-quality, compassionate care that Charles鈥 cardiac team provided. 鈥淒r. Stephanie Mick is an incredibly talented specialist,鈥 they shared. 鈥淚t鈥檚 clear that she has world-class training, and we appreciated her humanity and her refreshing approach to patient relationships.鈥 Charles also revealed, 鈥淪he handled my complex case with a calm demeanor, explaining everything to me in an honest, straightforward manner every step of the way.鈥

鈥淣ot only did Dr. Mick provide Charlie with outstanding treatment, but she also provided the same level of compassionate care to my daughter and me when we visited the Hospital,鈥 Irene said. 鈥淒r. Mick would see us walking in and stop what she was doing to sit down with us and patiently explain how Charlie was doing and what was going to happen next. She is an exceptional woman.鈥

The Hamm family recognized these same wonderful qualities in Drs. Cohen and Blumenthal. 鈥淭hey never introduce fear or panic,鈥 Irene noted. 鈥淭hey truly listen, they instantly spot what鈥檚 wrong, and they get straight to work, all the while being honest about next steps and possible risks,鈥 Charles said.

In addition to honoring their 20-year relationship with Dr. Cohen, the Hamms鈥 gift honors the professional relationship that Dr. Cohen and Dr. Blumenthal have鈥攖he two met as medical students and have remained close friends for nearly 50 years. They frequently partner closely in their treatment, which benefits their patients. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very special that Mr. Hamm is celebrating our teamwork with this gift,鈥 Dr. Cohen said.

Given the level of compassion they received from every member of the cardiac team, Irene and Charles concluded that NewYork-Presbyterian has created a culture of patient care that cannot be matched. 鈥淚 think forming a culture is one of the most important things an institution can do,鈥 Charles said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the biggest mistake people make in business鈥攊f you don鈥檛 get the culture right, forget it. The culture we鈥檝e experienced at NewYork-Presbyterian has kept us coming back for 55 years. They know that it鈥檚 far more than just intellectual ability; it鈥檚 the human side of healthcare delivery that your institution stands for.鈥

Charles knows a thing or two about leading a business: After spending 22 years in advertising and marketing, he became Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Independence Community Bank Corp., a community-based financial institution headquartered in Brooklyn, and he grew the bank from nine branches to 150鈥攁nd from 200 employees to 2,000.

The culture of caring they experienced inspired Irene and Charles to donate to NewYork-Presbyterian in honor of their physicians. 鈥淚 hope that, particularly after a difficult year, this gift can remind all NewYork-Presbyterian team members that the institution they work for is superb,鈥 Charles said. 鈥淭hey should all be very proud.鈥

Jump-Starting Clinical Research in Cardiac Surgery

The Hamms鈥 gift will be used by Dr. Mick, in consultation with Leonard Girardi, MD, Cardiothoracic Surgeon-in-Chief at NewYork-Presbyterian/日本av色情片 Medical Center and Chair of the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery and the O. Wayne Isom Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery at 日本av色情片, to fuel research on minimally invasive cardiac surgery, with a focus on robotic and mitral valve surgery. Dr. Mick鈥檚 plans for the research effort include establishing and expanding a database and recruiting a research fellow who will analyze the data for findings that will benefit cardiac patients across the NewYork-Presbyterian enterprise.

Dr. Girardi expressed his appreciation, saying, 鈥淧articularly in the last year, a gift like the Hamms鈥 is transformative. It allows us to jump-start cardiac research that will be very important for patients in the next one, three, and five years鈥攔esearch we may not otherwise have been able to do at this time if it weren鈥檛 for their generosity.鈥

Dr. Mick said, 鈥淚 feel lucky and honored to lead the research effort the Hamms have rallied behind. Their generosity is very inspiring鈥攊t motivates me to live up to the expectations set by this gift and accomplish great things for our patients. This will be a wonderful opportunity to showcase NewYork-Presbyterian鈥檚 expertise in robotic surgery and mitral valves, and we hope our findings can benefit patients across the country.鈥

Dr. Blumenthal commented, 鈥淚 feel completely comfortable telling patients like Charles, and my family and friends, that Dr. Mick will provide them the very best treatment in the country for cardiac mitral valve issues. She has some of the best patient communication skills I鈥檝e seen among physicians, and I know she will do wonderful things with this gift.鈥 He also shared his appreciation, saying, 鈥淭he spontaneous generosity that the Hamms demonstrated with their gift is so heartfelt. It means a lot to us.鈥

Charles and Irene are thrilled to be investing in the future of cardiology and in its leaders, and they hope their philanthropy inspires the next generation of promising cardiologists. 鈥淚t鈥檚 clear my doctors love what they do,鈥 Charles said. 鈥淭hey are experts on technical aspects of care, but they also understand that, as a patient with a tumor in my heart, it鈥檚 hard to listen to this stuff, and they were able to put themselves in my shoes. It鈥檚 really very special.鈥

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