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The charitable arm of the Deborah Heart and Lung Center has received what it describes as a multimillion-dollar, "multigenerational" donation it will use to enhance heart care for children.
The $4 million gift to the Deborah Hospital Foundation comes from the estate of Joan Dembeck Zdanowicz.
Zdanowicz, the primary caregiver for her parents, was the sole beneficiary of their estate that included a charitable remainder trust established by her mother, Josephine Dembeck, a past volunteer member of a Deborah chapter.
The gift to the Burlington County specialty hospital's foundation represents a combination of Joan Dembeck Zdanowicz’s management of her parents trust and funds from her own estate. In recognition of the gift, Deborah has renamed the pediatric cardiology department at its Browns Mills campus as the Joan Dembeck Zdanowicz Pediatric Cardiology Department.
Deborah said the gift honors the "philanthropic legacy" of Josephine Dembeck and Joan Dembeck Zdanowicz and celebrates their commitment to Deborah’s youngest patients.
"[The donation] marks a significant milestone in the hospital’s progression to incorporate advanced diagnostic equipment, treatments and techniques to help patients with congenital or acquired heart conditions live long and healthy lives," Deborah said in a statement.
Deborah is nearing the completion of a $108 million expansion project that will add three floors to the hospital. The project is adding 36 private patient rooms to the hospital, bringing it to a total of 95 beds. The project is scheduled to be completed this spring. The USDA Rural Development program has provided a $88 million community facilities loan and $10 million community facilities loan guarantee for the project — the largest investment in a single facility in the history of USDA Rural Development in New Jersey.
The hospital has also initiated a search for a new CEO.
In February, Joseph Chirichella announced his plans to retire after serving as president and CEO of Deborah for more than a decade. Chirichella's last day is still being determined. He has agreed to remain at Deborah Heart and Lung Center for an unspecified period of time after a successor is hired to help with the transition.
