What You Need To Know
Jersey Shore University Medical Center announced the renaming of its state-of-the-art outpatient facility from ‘HOPE Tower’ to the ‘Dr. Robert H. and Mary Ellen Harris HOPE Tower.’ The renaming celebrates a legacy of profound generosity from Mary Ellen Harris and the Golden Dome Foundation, whose contributions to Hackensack Meridian Health have surpassed $50 million over the last seven years. The Golden Dome Foundation trustees include Mary Ellen Harris, Judith Lolli, Colonel Charles Grinnell and Paul M. Petigrow, Esq.
The newly named tower was unveiled during a special ceremony on January 9 attended by Hackensack Meridian Health and community leaders, hospital executives and team members to honor Mary Ellen Harris’s unwavering commitment to advancing health care in the region. Her visionary support, totaling more than $30 million to Jersey Shore University Medical Center alone, has been instrumental in acquiring game-changing cardio and neuroscience technology.
Mary Ellen’s philanthropic spirit has funded numerous advancements across the Hackensack Meridian Health network, including the Dr. Robert H. and Mary Ellen Harris Heart & Vascular Center at Ocean University Medical Center and the Dr. Robert H. Harris Emergency Care Center at Bayshore Medical Center. At Jersey Shore University Medical Center, her support has led to the creation of the Dr. Robert H. Harris Neuroscience Treatment Center, the Dr. Robert H. and Mary Ellen Harris ZAP-X Center for Noninvasive Neurosurgery and the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit, as well as updates to the Cardiology Waiting Area.
The renaming of the HOPE Tower stands as a testament to the enduring impact of Dr. Robert H. Harris. Dr. Harris, a dedicated researcher, was instrumental in bringing the pain reliever Advil to market and developed Vimpat, a crucial drug for epilepsy treatment. Mary Ellen Harris continues to build on his legacy through the Golden Dome Foundation.
During the ceremony, Joyce Hendricks, president and chief development officer of Hackensack Meridian Health Foundation, presented Mary Ellen Harris with a stethoscope, symbolizing her vital role in the health care network.
The Dr. Robert H. and Mary Ellen Harris HOPE Tower, a $265 million, 10-story facility, opened in 2018 and offers a wide range of outpatient services such as the John Theurer Cancer Center at Jersey Shore University Medical Center and infusion center, pediatric sub-specialties, imaging and lab work, and is home to the Christopher Center for Mental Health & Wellness, as well as advanced academic and research space. The renaming ensures that the legacy of Dr. Robert H. and Mary Ellen Harris will continue to offer hope and healing and be recognized for generations to come.