Brings Community Together

(West Islip, NY) The Wilson Family recently presented a check for more than $5,400 to the Good Samaritan Hospital Foundation for the hospital’s pediatric services. Chris Wilson, a 17-year-old junior at West Islip High School, is lucky to be alive. Critically injured after being hit by a car while walking to school, he remained in Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center’s Pediatric Intensive Care Unit for six weeks, the first 11 days in a coma. Thanks to the support of his family and health care providers, “angels” as his mother Tara refers to them, he has made a remarkable recovery. Chris’s parents sat vigil by their son’s bed never giving up hope that he would be alright.

“There were a lot of people asking what they can do so we decided to have a blood drive to raise awareness of traumatic brain injury and how a stop light could have prevented my son’s accident,” said Marty Wilson. More than 500 attended the fundraiser at the Masonic Lodge in Babylon, including State Senator Owen Johnson. At the event, 113 pints of blood were donated.

“Chris’s recovery has not been easy.  He has worked very hard at his rehabilitation and keeping up with his school work,” said Tara Wilson.

Good Samaritan’s pediatric department offers a comprehensive continuum of care that ensures that newborns through adolescents receive expert care close to home. The hospital offers pediatric emergency services, a pediatric intensive care unit and a cystic fibrosis center in addition to the largest freestanding outpatient pediatric specialty care center on Long Island.

For more information on the Good Samaritan Hospital Foundation or pediatric services, please call (631) 376-4444.

Pictured ((L-R): Good Samaritan’s Vice President of Medical Affairs Ken Long, Executive Director of the Good Samaritan Hospital Foundation Kathy Dulanto, Good Samaritan Pediatric Intensivist Fillipo DiCarmine, MD, Deborah Vail, RN, Dayna Byrne, RN, Nurse Manager for PICU Kathleen

Cleary, RN, Tara Wilson, Christopher Wilson, Martin Wilson, Good Samaritan Pediatric Intensivist Laura Nimkoff, MD, Nancy Cecere, RN, and Nancy McNeil, RN.

Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center is a 537-bed (including 100 nursing home beds), voluntary, not-for-profit hospital located in West Islip.  The medical center, which has more than 4,500 employees and almost 900 physicians on staff, had nearly 30,000 patient admissions and more than 95,000 emergency department visits in 2011.  Good Samaritan is a member of Catholic Health Services of Long Island. Visit the website at www.good-samaritan-hospital.org.

Good Samaritan provided more than $43 million in community service and charity care in 2011.  The medical center supplies residents with the tools necessary to maintain good health.  This includes community lectures, screenings, health fairs and other community programs and services.