Every day, patients and families at Mohawk Valley Health System (MVHS) experience moments of exceptional care that leave a lasting impact. Whether it is a compassionate nurse, a skilled physician, a life-saving treatment or a comforting gesture during a difficult time, these experiences often inspire a deep sense of gratitude. For some, that gratitude becomes a desire to give back and that is exactly what happened with Ron and Sheila Cuccaro.
When Ron Cuccaro fell and injured himself four years ago, the last thought on his mind was that his journey to recovery, which involved a bout with sepsis, would involve an ostomy. An ostomy is a surgically created opening on the abdomen that allows waste to be diverted through a “stoma” (the visible part of the intestine) and collected into a specialized, wearable pouch. It can be temporary or permanent.
Fortunately for Ron, the ostomy was temporary, but the experience he and his wife Sheila had ignited a permanent desire to make a difference. They wanted to help other members of the community in need of ostomy care. So the Cuccaros reached out to the MVHS Foundation to share their experience and to make a gift. The donation, which has become annual, was dedicated to ostomy care and the creation of an ostomy clinic. It came with only one request – that Tanya Brennen, the nurse who helped educate and assist them on their ostomy journey, be recognized for her exceptional care.
“Tanya was a life saver,” Sheila notes. “She was at the end of the phone, available for visits – always there when we needed her. Tanya gave us the tools and confidence we needed and I don’t know what we would have done without her.”
The Ostomy Clinic that the Cuccaros helped create through their generosity is located in the Wound Care Center at the MVHS Medical Arts Building on Middle Settlement Road and is celebrating its one-year anniversary this July. The clinic has already made a big difference to the community in such a short period of time.
“I am thrilled to see the clinic come to fruition,” Ron says. “It far surpasses my expectations.
Knowing that it is making a significant difference for so many patients and that it is providing Tanya and her associates with more resources to deliver their valuable care to those in need is very rewarding.”
And Brennen and the staff who support ostomy care throughout MVHS are extremely grateful for the Cuccaro’s generosity.
“When someone has the ability through their experience to not only say thank you, but also help provide support so we can do our job better – that just means so much,” she says. “Thanks to Ron and Sheila, we’re able to help patients with ostomies in ways we could only dream of before and we are so thankful that their gratitude and generosity was expressed so meaningfully.”
At its heart, grateful patient philanthropy like Ron and Sheila’s creates a cycle of caring and gratitude. Patients receive exceptional care, choose to give back and help make that same care available to others. Their gifts strengthen the healthcare system, expand opportunities for innovation and improve health outcomes throughout the community.
MVHS Foundation works to ensure every act of generosity is recognized and we help tell our donor’s stories of appreciation, hope and their desire to make a difference. If you have a story of gratitude and want to share your story, please visit https://www.mvhealthsystem.org/all-in-for-you.
