Nashua Resident Contributes to Success of Heroes in Health Care

VNA Care, the first organized visiting nurse association in the United States, raised nearly $250,00 for patient care services during the annual Heroes in Health Care Gala at the Mandarin Oriental, Boston.

Heroes in Health Care is VNA Care’s signature event and has raised millions in essential funding for home health and hospice care in Massachusetts. Presenting sponsors of this year’s Gala were Corridor, The Kraft Group, and Mutual of America, and Trustee Sponsors were Joshua and Amy Boger, two long-time supporters of VNA Care, and Homecare Homebase.

“We could not be more thankful to our generous donors, who make it possible for our visiting nurses and other clinicians to be heroes in the community every day,” said Laura Wise, manager of fund development. “Our mission is propelled forward each year by people coming together to support life-changing care that has immeasurable value for patients and their families.”

During the event, Heroes awards were presented to The Kraft Group for bringing the Patriots’ plane to China and back with a million N95s for health care professionals and Charles R. Bridges, MD, ScD, executive vice president and chief scientific officer of Corvista Health and an innovator in the field of cardiac disease. The evening also featured musical performances by Boston Children’s Chorus, Shanell “Sugar,” and contemporary viola player Jeremy Green. Boston’s first-ever Youth Poet Laureate Alondra Bobadilla read a new work that paid tribute to the life-changing care provided by VNA Care’s visiting nurses.

Joshua Boger, PhD, founder of Vertex Pharmaceuticals, and Amy Boger, MD, ceramic artist, served as Honorary Chairs. Linda Hope-Springer of Nashua served as Gala Board Chair and Renee Picard Walsh served as the Gala Committee Chair. Honorary Gala Committee members were Edward J. Benz Jr, MD, President & CEO Emeritus, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Kevin B. Churchwell, MD, President & CEO, Boston Children's Hospital; Joyce Cummings, Co-founder, Cummings Foundation; Catherine D'Amato, President & CEO, The Greater Boston Food Bank; Laurie H. Glimcher, MD, President & CEO, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; John R. Greed, Chairman, President & CEO, Mutual of America; Robert S.D. Higgins, MD, President, Brigham and Women's Hospital; Deval Patrick, Managing Director, Bain Capital; Diane Patrick, Senior Counsel, Ropes & Gray; M. Lee Pelton, PhD, President & CEO, The Boston Foundation; Steven Strongwater, MD, President & CEO, Atrius Health; and Kate Walsh, President & CEO, Boston Medical Center.

VNA Care has a 136-year history of providing health care in patients’ homes and the community. The nonprofit provides a comprehensive range of home health, palliative, and hospice care in more than 200 Eastern and Central Massachusetts communities. To learn about sponsoring the 2023 Gala, please contact Laura Wise at 617-886-6460 or Laura_Wise@vnacare.org.