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GivingTuesday 2023: The Impact of Your Gift to the Cooper Team
In Memory of Linda Brand (1948-2023)
The Linda Brand Scholarship Fund is the legacy of the late Linda Brand, Assistant VP for Patient Access & Financial Navigation at Cooper University Health Care.
Before losing her battle with pancreatic cancer in October 2023, Linda shared these words about what inspired the creation of a scholarship fund to support the professional development of Cooper Team members.
A Lifetime Career at Cooper
“Cooper has been my life for the past 30 years and I’ve met the best people here. Their compassion, commitment and sacrifice to help other people is amazing and inspiring. Cooper has made a difference in my life and I am passionate about ensuring it makes a difference in the lives of others.”
“I was recently diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer and I wanted to, in my memory, leave a scholarship fund for other employees in non-clinical positions to be able to do what I did – to expand their career and to make it a lifelong goal to be part of the Cooper Family.”
“I started as a manager in the Department of Pediatrics and I was able to expand my career and work my way up through [Cooper’s] tuition reimbursement program and different continuing education that the hospital offered.”
Making A Difference
“I had the good fortune to have the right people – the right bosses – to help me grow my career [at Cooper] and I want to do the same for others. It’s a privilege to help employees become the best they can be. Just as we help our patients, we want to help our employees and this is my way of giving back for the last 30 years of my career, which has been one of the best portions of my life.”
“I always try to instill in my team how important it is that everything they do is for the patient; how they can make a difference in somebody’s life every single day. Where else can you work that you can make a difference in somebody’s life every single day? At Cooper, you can.”
Growing the Next Generation of Health Care Leaders
The Linda Brand Scholarship Fund is dedicated to financially supporting the professional development of Cooper employees who demonstrate a financial need and who serve in non-clinical roles throughout the health system.
Cooper generously offers tuition assistance for employees who meet certain criteria and the scholarship fund is designed to complement these resources.
About Linda Brand
Linda Brand served Cooper for nearly 30 years in various non-clinical, administrative roles. Throughout her career, she demonstrated an unwavering commitment to creating opportunities for others to advance both professionally and personally.
Linda always encouraged her team members to pursue additional education, certifications and other endeavours as in investment in both their own career and the development of Cooper’s next generation of leaders.
In 2023, Linda was diagnosed with a terminal form of pancreatic cancer. The fund is intended to carry on her mission and vision of creating a pathway for Cooper employees to achieve their highest potential and remove financial barriers that can often stall educational aspirations.