STANDING Brooklyn’s Biggest Booster
Hospital honors BK philanthropists
BY ELISSA ESHER
Hundreds of Brooklynites gathered
at a Downtown Marriot for
the Brooklyn Hospital Foundation’s
annual Founder’s Ball on Oct.
16 — where guests celebrated four
honorees for their significant contributions
to the borough and the
medical facility.
“We were absolutely fl oored to see
how many people came out to celebrate
with us, especially since it was
pouring rain,” said the hospital’s Vice
President and Chief Development Offi -
cer Debbie Niederhoffer. “I think seeing
all the examples of great philanthropists
who have worked with the
hospital left people very inspired.”
This year’s honorees included
Brooklyn Hospital Foundation Chairman
Dino Veronese; laparoscopic and
robotic surgeon Dr. Dhanan Etwaru;
Associate Program Director and
Chief of General Internal Medicine
Dr. Linus Yoe; and Red Apple Group
Principal John Catsimatidis Jr.
The event helped raise a whopping
$1.4 million from the 860 attendees
— marking the seventh year
the gala has crossed the $1 million
threshold — and will help fund a $20
million renovation and expansion
project for the Downtown Brooklyn
hospital’s emergency department.
“These enhancements are critically
needed,” said Niederhoffer.
“The emergency department we
have now was built to accommodate
40,000 patients a year. Last year, we
saw 70,000 and...that number is just
going to expand. The most important
gift we can give to this area is
an emergency room they can count
on.”
COURIER L 56 IFE, OCTOBER 25-31, 2019
BY JOE HITI
The New York City College of Technology
held a fundraiser for their
state-of-the-art academic complex in
Downtown Brooklyn last week.
Students, faculty and alumni
rubbed elbows and explored many of
the different programs that the school
has to offer, including the school’s
dental hygiene clinic.
The clinic, located on campus,
is a teaching facility that offers discounted
dental services to the community,
while providing students the
chance to get hands-on experience
while completing their degrees in
dentistry.
During the length of an appointment
patients can experience
an oral cancer examination,
screening for periodontal
disease, polishing and various
other screenings and procedures.
City Tech also offers a vision clinic,
where doctors-in-training offer locals
free eye exams, along with a
wide array of discounted frames and
lenses.
BY ELISSA ESHER
Thousands of cancer-fi ghting
Brooklynites strutted through
Coney Island for the “Making
Strides Brooklyn” walk-a-thon on
Sunday, where charitable Brooklynites
raised more than $28,000
to help fi ght breast cancer.
The fi ve-mile fundraiser began
at MCU Park on Surf Avenue
when NYC Health and Hospital
honcho Kathleen Terrio cut
the ribbon to kick-start Sunday’s
walk.
“It was an honor to cut the
ribbon for the walk,” said Terrio.
“We at the hospital are here
as a service to help the women of
our community live their best
lives. It was cool to see the community
we’ve been serving come
together for this event.”
Terrio, the hospital’s IT Coordinating
Manager — along with
Chief Operating and Nursing Offi
cer Mei Kong, and Community
Advisory Board Chair Rosanne
De Gennaro — opened the walk,
which helped raise the funds
for non-profi t Making Strides
Against Breast Cancer.
Sunday’s event marked the
ninth fundraiser organized by
the hospital since the campaign
started in late August — the most
of any year since the hospital began
their annual breast cancer
fundraisers over a decade ago,
according to Terrio.
During the walking fundraiser,
Making Strides Brooklyn
incorporated women’s teams
from King’s County local high
schools — such as cheerleading
squads and dance teams — which
performed on the sidelines to put
some pep in walkers’ steps.
Terrio said she hoped the annual
breast cancer fundraisers
would only grow in the future.
“Breast cancer touches so
many people in our community,”
she said. “The hospital conducts
approximately 4,500 breast cancer
screenings a year. We want to
show the people of South Brooklyn
that the hospital is here for
them, that we want to lift up
those struggling, and that we
want to fi nd a cure.”
Guests watch in awe as City Tech Mechatronics students present their award-winning
robotic creations. Pap Studio
City Tech raises funds for clinics
Brooklyn Hospital Foundation’s Founders Ball boasted 860 guests last Wednesday, including
Co-Founder and Principal of Slate Property Group David Schwartz, honoree John Catisimatidis
Jr., hospital executives Gary Terrinoni, Lizanne Fontaine, Borough President Eric
Adams, and Lenny Singletary, Photos by Derrick Watterson
Dr. Linus Yoe recieved the Water E. Reed
award for work as Associate Program Director
and Chief of General Internal Medicine at
The Brooklyn Hospital Center.
Thousands walk against
cancer in Coney