CLASS OF 1944 REMEMBERS HOMETOWN WITH GIFT TO TRINITAS HOSPITAL
An event that took place over 60 years ago will help patients diagnosed with cancer for years to come. That event was the graduation of an extraordinary group of individuals – the Thomas Jefferson High School Class of 1944. Members of the Class, now known as “Club 44” decided recently to pool their resources to help their home-town of Elizabeth, New Jersey, and as a result has made a bequest of over $11,000 to the new Comprehensive Cancer Center at Trinitas Hospital. An anonymous donor has agreed to match Club ‘44’s gift, boosting the total contribution to over $23,000.

“This is a wonderful story about people remembering their roots and reaching out to make a difference,” stated Nadine Brechner, Executive Director of the Trinitas Health Foundation. “All of us at Trinitas are so proud that this group elected to help Trinitas and in turn, help the many patients who look to us for care,” she added.

When completed in October of this year, the $26 million, 5-story Comprehensive Cancer Center will offer the latest cancer treatment technology and care to Elizabeth and the region.

The idea to help Trinitas came from Class Member Sid Lessner, a long-time member of the Trinitas Health Foundation Board of Trustees, who proposed the project to classmates Bill Bauerband and Allan Schuhmann in September of last year. The fundraising effort was striding briskly toward its goal when tragically, Sid passed away following an accident in early December. “Sid was passionate about his Class and about his Hospital,” explained Bill Bauerband, adding, “All of us were inspired to double our efforts to achieve Sid’s vision of helping Trinitas build a new Cancer Center for the people of our hometown.” He and Allan Schuhmann pushed the dream forward, and in March, 2005, were able to announce that the project goal had been met.

According to Nadine Brechner, a room in the new Comprehensive Cancer Center will be named in honor of the Class of 1944 and their extraordinary contribution.

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Posted: April 18, 2005

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