The Surprise of a Lifetime Grateful Patients and Colleagues Rally Together to Honor Dr
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Fall 2018 through Philanthropy at LifeBridge Health MARC SUMMERFIELD/GUILL PHOTO More than 150 donors and guests surprised Dr. Jerry Reichmister (pictured in the foreground with his wife, Susie) at a dinner in his honor on September 6 at the Suburban Club. The Surprise of a Lifetime Grateful Patients and Colleagues Rally Together to Honor Dr. Jerry Reichmister’s Storied Career with $2.5 Million Surprise Endowment JEROME “JERRY” REICHMISTER, M.D., IS son]. Twenty minutes later, he knocks on “The man is just a wonderful individ- A BUSY MAN. But that’s never stopped my front door at my home to look at the ual,” says Sandra Berman, a grateful the orthopedic surgeon from making a X-rays and look at my son. That, to me, patient and friend of Dr. Reichmister’s for Jgood, old-fashioned house call when a is one of his most important influences: 50 years. “He has impeccable character, patient is in need. Just ask Jonathan to show what a physician could and he’s an outstanding orthopedic surgeon, Ringo, M.D., president and COO of should be.” Sinai Hospital, senior vice president of As you talk to Dr. Reichmister’s ➤ continued on page 2 LifeBridge Health—and one of the count- patients—many of whom are physicians less grateful patients Dr. Reichmister has themselves—stories like Dr. Ringo’s start amassed over his 51-year career. to become less and less surprising (see “My son was away at summer camp page 3 sidebar). If one thing is certain, when I got a call in the middle of the it’s that Dr. Reichmister is beloved by his night that he had fractured his arm,” Dr. colleagues and his patients alike, not only Ringo explains. “When we brought him for his clinical expertise, leadership, and home, I called Dr. Reichmister to ask vision, but also for his genuine, heartfelt who he’d recommend [to evaluate my compassion. Clockwise from top: Dr. Reichmister soaked in the surprise as his wife, Susie, looked on; Guests gave Dr. Reichmister a standing ovation as he entered; The Reichmisters’ daughters, Beth Casper and Jodi Kessler, present their father with a custom-made Sinai Hospital captain’s chair. PHOTOS BY MARC SUMMERFIELD/GUILL PHOTO The Surprise of a Lifetime The endowment was the idea of Ron- Joe Cooper, Jonathan Davidov, Louise ald Delanois, M.D., Dr. Reichmister’s Goodman, Susan Weikers, and Ben continued from page 1 successor as chief of orthopedics at Sinai Schapiro—to petition grateful patients, and one of his many mentees. “I like to colleagues, and friends. Donors were given and he’s extremely devoted to all his say he is one of the fathers of the Rubin only one condition: they couldn’t tell Dr. patients.” Institute,” says Dr. Delanois. “He had Reichmister. The fund was going to be a So when Berman and her husband, the wherewithal to look forward and surprise. Malcolm, were asked in early 2018 if see what LifeBridge Health and Sinai “Being silent in our community is they would like to make a gift in Dr. could be. By creating the endowment, hard,” Laurie Wallace, director of clinician Reichmister’s honor, they didn’t have to it immortalizes what he’s done, it gives engagement, says with a laugh. “One think twice. “What he has done in the permanence to his name, and the funds donor told us, ‘I can’t go to dinner with community—helping patients, leading LifeBridge Health, and building the Rubin This has been a very memorable night for me, Institute for Advanced Orthopedics—you just can’t say enough good things about one I will never forget. I want to thank each and him. It was our pleasure to honor him,” every one of you for your love and support which is she explains. The Berman family’s donation was plainly evident here tonight. one of 79 gifts that came together to JEROME “JERRY” REICHMISTER, M.D. launch the $2.5 million Jerome P. Reichmister Chief of the Department of are going to be invaluable to the orthope- Jerry until you tell him! I won’t be able Orthopedics Endowment at Sinai Hospital. dic service line’s future.” to look him in the face.’ But we received The fund will provide long-term support For eight months, Dr. Delanois such an incredible outpouring of support for the chief of orthopedics’ salary, as worked with Dr. Reichmister’s wife, from the community. When Dr. Delanois well as operational needs such as equip- Susie, along with a committee of LifeBridge pitched this, it was a lofty idea, but the re- ment, technology, research, and physician Health leaders, development staff, and sponse exceeded everyone’s expectations.” and staff recruitment. volunteers—including Lynn Abeshouse, As planned, no one was more aston- 2 www.lifebridgehealth.org/giving The Surprise of a Lifetime continued from page 1 ished than Dr. Reichmister. When the endowment was unveiled to him at a surprise retirement celebration in his honor on September 6, the good doctor was both overjoyed and humbled. “This has been a very memorable night for me, one I will never forget,” he told the crowd of more than 150 well-wishers, many who had come in from all over the country to share their support in person. “I want to thank each PHOTOS BY MARC SUMMERFIELD/GUILL PHOTO and every one of you for your love and support which is plainly evident here tonight. I’m overwhelmed by this depart- mental chair to say the least.” “The evening was very moving,” adds Berman. “I don’t think he had any idea what was in store for him. But to see him receive this honor—someone we’ve known as a friend and a leader, and someone who has taken care of our families and our children and so many others we love—it was a very special night.” l Clockwise from top: Neil Meltzer, Dr. Reichmister, Dr. Jonathan Ringo, and his wife, Dvora Ringo; Dr. Reichmister with two of his original practice co-founders, Dr. William Smulyan (l) and Dr. Robert Keehn (r); Dr. Reichmister with his mentee and successor to the orthopedics chief role, Dr. Ronald Delanois. Jerry’s Fan Club We asked a few of Dr. Reichmister’s many grateful patients and colleagues to share why they gave in his honor. “Dr. Reichmister’s patients adore him. As a patient of Dr. Reichmister’s myself, I can say this man provides you with the kind of attention, the kind of caring, and the kind of support that any patient would hope for.” Neil Meltzer | President & CEO | LifeBridge Health “He has a deep heart. It’s been most amazing when we’re out to dinner, and a patient from 20 years ago will come up and say, ‘Hey, Dr. Reichmister! I’m doing great. You fixed my shoulder and it’s just fantastic.’ And the incredible thing is that he always remembers every patient.” John Herzenberg, M.D. | Director of International Center for Limb Lengthening & Director of Pediatric Orthopedics | LifeBridge Health Rubin Institute for Advanced Orthopedics “Jerry interacts with all his patients on a personal level. He’s there when you need him. My father thought the sun rose and set with Dr. Reichmister. He was his hero.” Louis F. Friedman, Esq. | Secretary | LifeBridge Health Board of Directors “Jerry’s patients really love him because he takes care of them from head to toe, not just their physical ailments, but also taking the time to really listen to them. For many of them, he is just Jerry or Dr. Jerry, not Dr. Reichmister.” William Smulyan, M.D. | Retired | Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics, OrthoMaryland “Jerry’s been a mentor to me. Every time I strive to be a really great doctor, I think about the example he sets. He’s put together a great residency program at Sinai that he’s nurtured over the years. Now, I get a great deal of satisfaction from teaching the residents. “And one of the things I always find myself saying to the students is, ‘Well, Dr. Reichmister did this,’ or ‘Dr. Reichmister does that.’” Barry Waldman, M.D. | Co-Director of Center for Joint Preservation and Replacement | LifeBridge Health Rubin Institute for Advanced Orthopedics www.lifebridgehealth.org/giving 3 $100,000 OR MORE CUMULATIVE SUPPORT The Family Society recognizes donors who have made gifts of $100,000 or more to Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, Northwest Hospital, Carroll Hospital, Carroll Hospice and Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center and Hospital since 1998, the year the health system was formed. Donors are in- vited to join the Society in perpetuity once they have given at least $100,000 cumulatively. LifeBridge Health honors and remembers those donors whose visionary gifts have provided the foundation upon which our affiliates have been built. If we have inadvertently missed you, please accept our sincere apology and notify us of our omission. Northwest Hospital Auxiliary The Lee L. & Sophie Dopkin Jacqueline & John Rosenthal* FOUNDERS Omnicare Foundation, Inc. Estate of Charles E. Sands Cheryl A. & Robert J. Post Michael & Ansela Dopkin Smith & Nephew, Inc. & Family Milton Roberts Trust Orthopaedic Division SOCIETY Estate of Helen Eisenberg Estate of Lewis Rosenburg James M. Smith & Family The Footlick Family Foundation Michael & Lauri Weinman* $1,000,000 OR MORE Rosenthal-Statter Foundation, Inc. Robert* & Ronnie Footlick Jacques* & Marlene Rubin Leslie & Joseph Schaller Randi & Frank Settleman Anonymous (2) Herman & Walter Samuelson INNOVATORS Estates of Charles Austrian, M.D. Foundation France-Merrick Foundation & Florence Austrian Save-A-Heart Foundation, Inc. The Family of Albert Gabbay, M.D. Harvey* & Ruth Bair Margaret D.