L-R: Theresa E. Jenner, Vice President, Care Coordination; Susan H. Kaplan, Chair, The Miriam Hospital Foundation Board of Trustees; Jenna Rose and David F. Rampone, Event Co-Chairs; Maria P. Ducharme, DNP, RN, President, The Miriam Hospital and Chief Quality Executive, Lifespan
The Miriam Hospital hosted more than 490 donors, friends, and supporters at their 2024 Gala & Auction, which took place Saturday, May 11, at the Longplex Family & Sports Center in Tiverton, Rhode Island.
“A Night of Champions” was the theme of the event, which was co-chaired by the father-daughter duo and longtime hospital supporters, David Rampone and Jenna Rose. The pair served as captains for a sold-out evening of fun and fundraising, and played up the fact that healthcare is the ultimate team sport. “Because when you win in this arena, you don’t just get an award,” David reminded attendees, “you get to save lives and improve the health of the community.”
Celebrating the champions and all-stars who help make the beloved hospital everyone’s favorite home team was a central message that reverberated throughout the soiree. As was the importance of raising much-needed funds to help support and advance the world-class, compassionate care practiced at The Miriam. In total, over $970,000 was raised.
Susan H. Kaplan, Chair of The Miriam’s Foundation Board of Trustees, opened the night’s speaking program by welcoming guests and acknowledging their collective generosity. “I’m so proud of what we have accomplished together over the years by harnessing the power of philanthropy and our shared love of The Miriam,” she said.
Maria P. Ducharme, DNP, RN, President of The Miriam and Lifespan’s Chief Quality Executive, echoed Susan’s sentiments while praising the hospital’s staff of dedicated caregivers and talking about a shift in what Delivering health with care will consist of moving forward. “We need to think outside the walls of 164 Summit Avenue, outside the formal constructs of medical facilities, to ensure that those inside the walls get the care that they need as well,” she explained, “and that’s where Mobile Integrated Healthcare comes in.”
One hundred percent of the night’s auction and fund-a-need proceeds will go to support the critical expansion of Mobile Integrated Healthcare (MIH) at The Miriam. The focus of a moving video during the event, MIH is a vital population health management approach that delivers care outside of the hospital setting using mobile resources—including street medicine, community paramedicine, and community health workers. Specifically, the money raised will support the hiring of a second community health worker dedicated to The Miriam emergency department, as well as a MIH program coordinator, and provide funds needed for staff and patient care supplies for the next 18 months.
Nick Asselin, DO, Emergency Medicine, was featured in the video and reported that “the patient population we care for at The Miriam has become increasingly underserved and we’re a lot of people’s solutions to the inequities in the healthcare system. We really fill those gaps for them.” Fortunately, he added, “the people at The Miriam are passionate about giving care to people who are falling through the cracks.”
Sponsorship and ticket sale proceeds from the event benefit The Miriam’s Greatest Needs Fund, which provides resources to support patient care services, educational programs, and innovative research projects.
The Miriam Hospital extends its sincere gratitude and appreciation to everyone who helped make the 2024 Gala & Auction possible, including their committees, sponsors, auction donors, and entire community of supporters.