RWJ Hamilton Foundation Toasts The Success Of Its Second Annual "All In Good Taste" Event
Wine- And Beer-Tasting Social Supports Hearts Apart, RWJ Hamilton's Perinatal Bereavement Support Program

HAMILTON, NEW JERSEY - The Young Professionals Group of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton (RWJ Hamilton) Foundation hosted a successful wine and beer tasting event, "All in Good Taste," on Thursday, May 17. The second annual event, chaired by Young Professionals' member Dan Benson, raised in excess of $10,000 that will go to support the hospital's perinatal bereavement support program, Hearts Apart.

Hearts Apart brings together a voluntary group of highly committed healthcare professionals who provide round-the-clock support to families delivering on the maternity unit at RWJ Hamilton who suffer a miscarriage, still-birth or the sudden death of an infant. The funds raised at the "All in Good Taste" event will enable:

• maternity nurses to receive highly specialized training in bereavement support;
• the purchase of baskets designed for infant transport;
• the creation of a support resource library for grieving family members;
• the purchase of memory boxes for all parents experiencing this tremendous loss;
• the maternity department to capture keepsake photographs at the families' request;
• the creation of a serene reflection garden.

The social event was made all the more special thanks to the presence of guest speakers Colleen Dempsey and Antonio Sison, MD, Chairman of RWJ Hamilton's Obstetrics and Gynecology Department and Medical Director, RWJ OB/GYN Group at Hamilton. Ms. Dempsey, a young mother, spoke eloquently about the recent loss of her baby and the much-needed and appreciated support she received from the hospital's Hearts Apart program. Dr. Sison also spoke to the program's importance as he related the heart-wrenching account of a mother who not only lost her baby, but went into near-fatal distress herself.

RWJ Hamilton Foundation Vice President Karla Stein notes: "No one in attendance that evening was left untouched, and despite the seriousness of the Hearts Apart program—or perhaps because of it—the evening's vibe was one of joy and vitality. We are so grateful to all those who joined us for this very special event."

Special thanks to Sean's Landscaping, Inc., who served as the event's presenting sponsor; Sovereign Bank, the event's gift sponsor; and a host of area businesses who donated money and services in support of the evening. All attendees went home with a tote bag designed to carry two bottles of wine and a selection of heart-shaped chocolates prepared especially for the event by Tastefully Made, a local confectioner.

RWJ Hamilton's Young Professionals Group, chaired by William Rue, Jr., of Rue Insurance, provides opportunities for young leaders in the community to participate in the governing structure of the hospital and to serve as a resource to the hospital's leadership through involvement on various committees. To learn more about the Young Professionals Group and other opportunities and events sponsored by the RWJ Hamilton Foundation, visit www.rwjuhhfoundation.org. For more information about the Hearts Apart program, call the RWJ Hamilton Foundation at (609) 584-6581.

More About RWJ Hamilton
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton (RWJ Hamilton) is the only New Jersey hospital to receive the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Located in Hamilton Township, NJ, the hospital is part of the RWJ Health System and Network and is affiliated with the University of Medicine and Dentistry New Jersey-RWJ Medical School and the Cancer Institute of New Jersey.

The RWJ Hamilton Health Care Corporation serves communities within a five-county area and includes an acute care hospital, the Cancer Institute of New Jersey Hamilton, three affiliated medical groups, seven Lakeview Child Centers, and the RWJ Hamilton Center for Health & Wellness, home of a medically-based fitness center and the hospital's extensive community education program. Over 1,900 hospital employees and 650 medical staff physicians share RWJ Hamilton's passion for Excellence Through Service. For more information, visit www.rwjhamilton.org.