Letter from the Calvary Fund Board Chairman

Dear Friends of Calvary,

As Chair of the Calvary Fund Board, I am honored by the outstanding commitment of our donors to our community and the mission of Calvary.

Last year, we witnessed great disruption and crisis, but as we reached for those bedrocks in our community, we were reminded that we have the foundation to weather all storms.

Calvary Hospital has seen more than one pandemic, but continues to provide excellence in palliative care to help cancer patients in their final days. Their commitment to providing compassion, comfort and care to thousands of patients and families is possible because of your support.

As we look ahead, we are inspired and moved by the care we were able to provide to Mary Murray’s beloved sister Sheila in 2017. For 11 weeks, Calvary provided care to her sister for which Mary is truly grateful as she shares in her story…

“I wish I could have kept her at home, and even if I was provided with nurses 24 hours a day, it wouldn’t have mattered. I couldn’t provide the same care she received at Calvary.”

For many in the healthcare community, COVID-19 has forced them to confront the harsh realities that people are facing at the end-of-life.

Despite the efforts of many organizations, there are still many misconceptions about palliative care among the public and within the healthcare community. This year, Calvary is embarking on an initiative, “A Year in Palliative Care,” to address the critical issues at end of life. They will initiate a multi-channel campaign to educate people about palliative care.

Please visit www.calvaryhospital.org for updates, or to sign up to receive palliative care email alerts at www.calvaryhospital.org/inform.

Your continued commitment to Calvary Hospital is paramount and fundamental to the growth and expansion of the hospital and its services. Thank you once again for your support of this sacred mission.

Carlos Hernandez
Chairman of Calvary Fund Board
Calvary Hospital

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A Year in Palliative Care

Palliative care can play an important role in a person’s program of care before they get to the end of life.

It’s hard to believe that it was barely 30 years ago when the term Palliative Care first became known in the U.S. This refers to care a person receives that is focused on symptom control, pain relief, and quality of life, rather than a cure for the illness.

Many people usually become familiar with this topic when a loved one receives hospice in the last six months of life. However, palliative care can be given while other ongoing treatments are being applied. This aspect sets palliative care apart from hospice care.

Now the tide has turned. For people still receiving some sort of curative care, palliative care can actually play an important role in a person’s program of care before they get to the end of life. It is no longer relegated to end-of-life patients.

For many in the healthcare community, COVID-19 has forced them to confront the harsh realities of people facing the end of life.

“COVID-19 transformed medical care in a revolutionary way,” said Christopher P. Comfort, MD, Chief Operating Officer, Calvary Hospital. “The sheer patient volume and unpredictability of an unfamiliar disease spotlighted how important it was for all healthcare professionals – especially those in curative settings – to have basic knowledge of palliative care.”

Despite efforts by many entities, there are still many misconceptions about palliative care among the public and within the healthcare community. To help address this, Calvary is embarking on an initiative this year, “A Year in Palliative Care.” Using a multi-channel approach, Calvary will educate people by spotlighting topics such as: questions to ask when seeking hospice care, inpatient versus home hospice, keeping family members engaged, Advance Care Planning, and much more.

“The ability of a physician to bring up palliative and possible hospice care to their patients at the appropriate time – is a fundamental responsibility of the medical profession. Doing so can help avoid unnecessary and futile treatments that have little impact on patients’ quality of life,” noted Dr. Comfort.

“Palliative care should be part of the skillset of every physician. We should not be segregating palliative care into a medical specialty like it is now.”

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Calvary’s 17th Annual Trusts & Estates Conference

Nearly 300 of the area’s top trusts and estates attorneys joined the virtual conference. This year’s topic, “Ethics for Breakfast: Ethical Implications for Attorneys in the Gig Economy,” proved to be a timely one due to continuing changes in the workplace related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The Honorable Nora S. Anderson, Surrogate, New York County returned as the moderator for an esteemed panel of experts, which included Mary P. O’Reilly, Esq., Partner, Meltzer Lippe; Lisa Solomon, Esq., Owner, Lisa Solomon Legal Research & Writing; Lori Sullivan, Esq., Counsel, Seward & Kissell LLP; and J. Richard Supple, Jr., Esq., Partner, Clyde & Co. LLP.

All attendees qualified to receive two CLE (Continuing Legal Education) credits in Ethics and Professionalism. The conference is organized by the Calvary Hospital Professional Advisors Council (PAC).

Special recognition must be extended to the generous sponsors and supporters of this year’s conference, our distinguished panel and Conference Co-Chairs (pictured top left l to r):
Erin Gilmore Smith, Esq., Senior Vice President, Senior Trust Officer, Bank of America Private Bank; Gerard F. Joyce, Esq., National Head of Trusts and Estates, Managing Director and Deputy General Trust Counsel, Fiduciary Trust Company International; (pictured bottom center) Leah D. Hokenson, Esq., Managing Director, Baldwin Brothers LLC.

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