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The Cooper Foundation Announces $750,000 Pledge from Johnny M Foundation

L-R: Dr. John McGrath, Maryann Canal, Kathy Albanese, Dr. Michael Goodman, Susan Bass Levin, John Murabito, Patti Murabito, Robyn Harvey, Nita Dranoff, Todd Sherman. Not pictured is Shannon Buck, Johnny M Foundation Board Member.

The Cooper Foundation of Cooper University Health Care recently announced a $750,000 pledge from the Johnny M Foundation to establish the Johnny Murabito Child Life Program at the Children’s Regional Hospital at Cooper.

The gift will support the renovation of the hospital’s current Child Life facilities, including play areas and waiting rooms, as well as the expansion of program offerings, including art and music therapy, for pediatric patients. The Johnny M Foundation presented a $100,000 check to Susan Bass Levin, President and CEO of The Cooper Foundation, Michael Goodman, Chairman and Chief, Department of Pediatrics, and Robyn Harvey, Executive Director, Women’s and Children’s Institute, at its Gala in October.

“Each day, our Child Life specialists strive to give children a positive experience during their hospital stays away from home,” said Susan Bass Levin, President and CEO of The Cooper Foundation. “We are moved by John and Patti Murabito’s generosity and commitment to transform the Child Life program into a modern, welcoming environment for our littlest patients.”

The Johnny M Foundation was established in 2010 by John and Patti Murabito of Mount Laurel, N.J., in memory of their son, John Murabito, Jr., who passed away at the age of three. The foundation is committed to providing all children with access to life’s basic necessities during their formative years, as well as opportunities to foster productive lives as they grow into adulthood.

“Johnny touched the lives of so many in such a short amount of time,” explained Patti Murabito. “We hope our gift will touch the lives of young children and their families during their stay at Cooper and that Johnny’s spirit will live on forever.”

The Children’s Regional Hospital at Cooper is an integral part of an academic medical center committed to excellence in education, research and high quality care for pediatric patients and their families. As the only state-designated acute children’s hospital in South Jersey, Cooper provides training for medical students and residents in addition to exceptional comprehensive pediatric tertiary care services for every patient, every day in a patient and family-centered environment.