For 37 years, Ernestine (Ernie) McCormick dedicated her career to advocating for the prescription drug needs of more than 100,000 patients. Her work was not just a profession, but a calling. After retiring and moving from Brooklyn to Parlin in 2007, Ernie’s passion for helping others never wavered.
A woman of deep faith and boundless generosity, Ernie found joy in her family, art, nature and philanthropy. She became a steadfast supporter of Bayshore Medical Center Foundation and Hackensack Meridian Health Foundation, giving selflessly to ensure patients received the best care possible. By 2020, her generosity grew into a monthly commitment, strengthening Bayshore Medical Center’s ability to invest in cutting-edge technology and support the education and growth of team members.
Despite facing multiple battles with cancer, Ernie’s resilience was extraordinary. She endured surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation with determination, always pushing through pain to recover with strength and dignity. But, after her fifth fight with cancer, her family shared these powerful words:
“Ernie fought the good fight. Ernie finished the race. And Ernie never lost her faith.”
To honor her incredible legacy, her loved ones established the Ernestine McCormick Memorial Fund, ensuring her commitment to philanthropy continues to make an impact, just as she did in life. Through this fund, Bayshore Medical Center will continue to receive support in her name, carrying forward her spirit of compassion and service.
We are deeply grateful for Ernie’s lifelong dedication to uplifting others. Her impact will forever be felt in the lives she touched, the patients she helped and the future she helped shape.
Did you know that you can celebrate or memorialize a loved one through philanthropy at all of our hospitals? To learn about how you can honor a loved one at Bayshore Medical Center, please contact Marisa Medina, executive director at Bayshore Medical Center Foundation, at marisa.medina@hmhn.org.
A Ripple Effect of Giving and Love to Benefit Patients
For Sandy Rosamilia and her family, a generous gift made through the Jessica Foundation to support the cancer center expansion project at JFK University Medical Center – given in honor of her granddaughter, Jessica, and her husband, Joseph – is sure to do just that.
Giving with Heart & Sole to Benefit Cancer Patients
Karen Sole’s connection to John Theurer Cancer Center spans two decades and two generations. Both she and her son have received care at the cancer hospital, and her gratitude has inspired her to give back through philanthropy since 2022.
Iced Coffee for a Good Cause
Iced Coffee Funds Dance Therapy for Children at Joseph M. Sanzari Children's Hospital. Support Child Life programs; donate today.
Bringing Smiles and Hope to Pediatric Patients at JFK University Medical Center
To honor the life of Marisa Tufaro, The Marisa Tufaro Foundation and the Middlesex County community rallied together in her memory, culminating in a heartfelt gesture to support pediatric patients and their loved ones at JFK University Medical Center.
Since December, The Marisa Tufaro Foundation has made a generous multi-part gift to bring smiles to pediatric patients and their families. Generous donations include a portable Starlight Nintendo gaming station, four new iPads with protective cases, more than 700 children’s books, hundreds of toys, and two multi-device charging stations for parents.
In addition, the foundation also made a monetary gift to support the Patient Assistance Fund, which offers relief for families dealing with various personal or medical expenses.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to honor Marisa’s loving memory by supporting her hometown hospital which, incredibly, assisted more than 23,000 patients in its pediatric emergency department last year alone,” says Greg Tufaro, Marisa’s father and co-executive director of the foundation. “We are honored to be able to pay forward the benevolence of our nonprofit’s supporters from across Middlesex County and beyond with donations that can help ease some of the anxiety or stress these pediatric patients may experience and burdens their families may face.”
Born with a complex cardiac defect, Marisa Tufaro survived six open-heart surgeries and a heart transplant before succumbing in January 2017 to a rare form of cancer following a courageous battle. She was just 13 years old.