Deborah Heart and Lung Center celebrating 100 years
BROWNS MILLS » It’s been a 100 years since Deborah Heart and Lung Center opened its doors, and in recognition of this milestone, Deborah has received numerous State and federal recognitions, including a letter from New Jersey Governor, Phil Murphy; a joint New Jersey Senate/Assembly Resolution signed by Nicholas P. Scutari, President of the Senate and Craig J. Coughlin, Speaker of the General Assembly; a Proclamation from the Burlington County Board of Commissioners; and a collective letter from New Jersey’s Congressional leaders Senator Robert Menendez, Senator Cory Booker, and Congressman Andy Kim.
“We are delighted that Deborah Heart and Lung Center has received these special recognitions from the Governor, the Legislature, the County Commissioners, and our federal Congressional representatives,” Deborah President and CEO Joseph Chirichella said in a press release. “One hundred years ago, our founder Dora Moness Shapiro was determined to help those who could not afford the cost of healthcare. Dora was a pioneer in healthcare, recognizing that health disparities create barriers to accessing care. This drive gave rise to a 100-year legacy of caring that has since allowed Deborah to heal 2.3 million patients, reaching patients from every State in the U.S. and from 87 countries throughout the world, without ever billing a patient for care provided at the hospital. These extraordinary statistics prove how one person’s dream to make the world a better place can create a powerful surge of immense good.”
Founded by Shapiro in 1922, it was originally a hospital meant to serve people recovering from tuberculosis, according to the release. At the time, the only way to get better from TB was fresh air, a high-calorie diet, and relaxation.
As a result, Shapiro sought a rural location within driving distance of New York City to provide refuge for those less-fortunate individuals who could otherwise not afford this care. Shapiro found her hospital in the “healing airs” of the Pine Barrens, purchasing a small group of cottages
where a physician was already treating TB patients in Browns Mills. She then hired the physician, and soon Deborah was treating patients.
By the 1950s, antibiotics were being used to successfully treat TB, and as a result of over 30 years of know-how in treating chest issues, the hospital began
transitioning to specialty care in that area.
Fast-forward to today, and Deborah is recognized worldwide as a leader in treating heart and lung patients.
“Deborah’s excellence is built on a combination of innovation in medical advances, clinical research, investment in the future
of medicine, embracing new technology, educating physicians and caregivers of the future, adhering to the highest ethical and medical standards, and an unwavering commitment to the Deborah team, our community, and our patients,” said Chirichella. “Everyone who has worked here, volunteered at the
hospital, or helped fundraise in support of the Deborah mission that allows for equal access for all patients, regardless of ability to pay, has played an important role in Deborah’s history. We are all so proud of the hospital we have helped create, and are proud to celebrate its 100th anniversary this year.”