CNBNews

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers announced a community-focused partnership with Camden’s Cooper University Health Care, the leading academic health system in South Jersey. Cooper is now an Official Partner of the 76ers. “Community engagement is one of our core values and we’re thrilled that this partnership with Cooper University Health Care will create new avenues to positively impact youth in the City of Camden,” Philadelphia 76ers President Chris Heck said. “Basketball has the power to bring people together and drive meaningful growth and change in our communities. Together with the team at Cooper, we look forward to doing just that.” “Cooper... Read more →

Cooper is one of nine hospital-based sites across New Jersey selected for this new initiative (Camden, NJ) – Cooper University Health Care was one of nine sites in New Jersey announced by Governor Phil Murphy and Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewel today to receive a $500,000 federal grant as part of a new hospital-based violence prevention program in the state. Cooper, in partnership with Camden’s Center for Family Services, will use the funds to provide a range of education, social services, case management, and substance abuse services to victims of violence. “We thank Governor Murphy and Attorney General Grewel for selecting... Read more →

(Camden, NJ) Cooper University Health Care recently became the first hospital in the world to use a new virtual reality (VR) system for patient rehabilitation following a stroke, announced Tudor G. Jovin, MD, chief and chairman of the Cooper Neurological Institute, and internationally renowned neurologist and researcher. Prior to the commercial launch of The REAL™ Immersive System, a team of physicians and therapists at the Cooper Neurological Institute (CNI) worked closely with California-based medical device producer, Penumbra, in the research and development phase for the new system. Field tests at Cooper were instrumental in refining the technology for patient use. “As... Read more →

(Camden, NJ) – Andrea Russo, MD, a cardiologist and director of electrophysiology and arrhythmia services at Cooper University Health Care, was one of the lead investigators in a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine which examined the ability of smartwatches to detect atrial fibrillation in users. Atrial fibrillation, also known as AFib, is an irregular heartbeat that, without treatment, increases a person’s risk of stroke. The study looked at Apple Watches and their ability to detect AFib. Each of the watches included in the study used a light sensor to measure blood flow at different times. If... Read more →

From the American College of Surgeons (Camden, NJ) — Cooper University Health Care is one of only 88 hospital nationally that have been recognized by the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP®) 2019 for achieving meritorious outcomes for surgical patient care. “We are proud to receive this recognition from the American College of Surgeons which is a reflection of our ongoing dedication and commitment to providing outstanding surgical care for our patients,” said Francis R. Spitz, MD, FACS, vice chief of the Department of Surgery and head of the Division of General Surgery at Cooper University... Read more →

Camden, NJ – Cooper University Health Care Chairman George E. Norcross III announced that the health system, through The Cooper Foundation, has raised $30,000 to provide support to those affected by Hurricane Dorian which devastated the island nation of the Bahamas in early September. Mr. Norcross kicked-off the fundraising effort with a personal donation of $5,000. “More than a month after the hurricane leveled entire communities there, the need for humanitarian help is still urgently needed,” said Mr. Norcross. “I want to acknowledge Cooper’s board members, physicians, employees, and members of the community who generously gave to Cooper’s Bahamian Relief Fund.”... Read more →

Young Patients Will Ride in Style to the OR – Helping to Relieve Fear and Anxiety (Camden, NJ) – Having surgery can be stressful for anyone, but especially for children. Thanks to a special donation from Cherry Hill Imports Auto Group, children at Children’s Regional Hospital at Cooper will now have a new way to relieve some of their stress and anxiety while preparing for surgery. Representatives of the auto group visited Cooper on October 17 to donate three mini, luxury remote-controlled cars – a VW Beetle, a Mercedes, and an Audi. The cars will be used by the children under... Read more →

Ninth Annual Jim Fifis Lung Cancer Research Fund Benefit Dinner Raises $125,000 for MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper More Than $1 Million Raised Since First Event in 2011 CAMDEN, N.J. – Susan Bass Levin, President and CEO of The Cooper Foundation, announced that the Ninth Annual Jim Fifis Lung Cancer Research Fund Dinner, held on Sept. 17, raised $125,000 for the lung cancer program at MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper. Since its founding in 2011, this annual event has raised more than $1 million to support lung cancer research at MD Anderson at Cooper, South Jersey’s most comprehensive resource... Read more →

Camden, NJ -- Camden, NJ -- Cooper University Health Care Chairman George E. Norcross III announced that the health system, through The Cooper Foundation, has established a Bahamian Relief Fund to provide support to those affected by Hurricane Dorian that devastated the island nation last week. In the past few years, Cooper employees have contributed over $45,000 for hurricane relief efforts in Puerto Rico and Houston following Hurricane Maria and Hurricane Harvey. Cooper Chairman George E. Norcross III has kicked-off the fundraising effort with a personal donation of $5,000. “The images coming out from the Bahamas in the aftermath of Hurricane... Read more →

CAMDEN CITY, NJ – George E. Norcross, III, chairman of the Cooper University Health Care Board of Trustees, announced today that The Cooper Foundation is now accepting applications for the first-ever Camden City Community Grant Program. Grant applications are due by Friday, Nov. 8, 2019 at 3 p.m. The Norcross Foundation, The Michaels Organization, NFI, and The Cooper Foundation initially announced the new $1 million grant program in January 2019. These community building grants will be awarded over the next five years to Camden City based, non-profit community organizations committed to making Camden a healthier place to live, work, learn and... Read more →

(CAMDEN CITY, NJ (July 2019)(Gloucestercitynews.net)--Harish Kakkilaya, MD, FACS, FASMBS, (photo) has joined Cooper University Health Care’s Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery Center, a multidisciplinary program to help people with obesity or morbid obesity achieve and maintain their weight-loss goals and improve their health. “Dr. Kakkilaya is a fellowship-trained bariatric and metabolic surgeon who has performed more than 1,000 weight-loss surgeries with excellent outcomes,” said Rohit A. Patel, MD, FACS, director of Cooper’s program. “We are excited to have him join our team as we provide the highest level of care to our patients.” A graduate of Mysore Medical College and Research Institute,... Read more →

Camden City, NJ--Twelve years ago, the Fifis family lost a great man, husband, father, brother, uncle and friend to lung cancer. His sons made a promise - to help find a cure for lung cancer and the Jim Fifis Lung Cancer Research Fund at MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper was born. Now in its 9th year, the Jim Fifis Lung Cancer Research Fund Dinner raises funds and awareness to advance MD Anderson at Cooper’s mission by ensuring that our neighbors have access to the best possible lung cancer care right here in South Jersey. This year's dinner is on Tuesday,... Read more →

CAMDEN CITY, NJ (Gloucestercitynews.net)--Seniors leaders and staff of Cooper University Health Care gathered to celebrate Cooper employee John Bishop who heroically saved a woman who was being brutally attacked alongside a busy South Jersey highway June 6, 2019. Putting his own safety aside and thanks to his quick actions, he was able to rescue the victim and subdue the perpetrator until police could arrive. Police credit him with saving the woman’s life. “Every day Cooper employees save the lives of others. But what John did was over and above the call of duty. The entire senior leadership team commends John for... Read more →

Katherine Doktor, MD, MS (CAMDEN CITY, NJ)-(Gloucestercitynews.net)--In a case report published June 17, 2019, in the Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers at Cooper University Health Care caution that rising water temperatures in the Delaware Bay may be to blame for an increased number of local cases of Vibrio vulnificus (V. vulnificus), a flesh-eating infection that can occur after handling or consumption of seafood. In the article, the team of infectious disease specialists at Cooper, including Katherine Doktor, MD, and Henry Fraimow, MD, and clinical pharmacists Madeline King, PharmD, and Lucia Rose, PharmD, describe five cases of V. vulnificus necrotizing fasciitis that... Read more →

CAMDEN CITY, NJ (Gloucestercitynews.net)--Cooper University Health Care is the first hospital in New Jersey to offer bronchoscopic lung volume reduction as a treatment option for patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or emphysema. photo: Wissam Abouzgheib, MD “This is another first for Cooper, and we’re excited to offer this new treatment for patients. Previously, patients were limited to more invasive surgical options. This new treatment is also a breakthrough for patients who are not candidates for surgery and now have a shot at a better quality of life,” said Wissam Abouzgheib, MD, Head of Interventional Pulmonary at Cooper. “As... Read more →

David D Shersher, MD (Camden City, NJ)--Cooper University Health Care recently became the first hospital in South Jersey to offer the LINX® Reflux Management System for people whose chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)cannot be controlled medically. Unlike standard surgical treatments for GERD, the minimally invasive LINX treatment uses a tiny bracelet of magnetic titanium beads to surround and compress the lower esophageal sphincter. This valve normally prevents stomach fluids from refluxing into the esophagus. The magnetic attraction between the beads prevents gastric pressure from pushing open the muscle. The bracelet is flexible enough that the force of swallowing allows the beads,... Read more →

(Camden, NJ) Nidhi Baxi, an undergraduate biology student at Rutgers University-Camden, was named as the winner of the 2019 Cooper Civic Leadership Award at the Eighth Annual Chancellor’s Awards for Civic Engagement held recently. Cooper University Health Care established the Civic Leadership Award in 2018 to honor a Rutgers University-Camden student who exemplifies outstanding service to the Camden community. “We are proud to honor Nidhi with the Cooper Civic Leadership Award,” said Anthony Welch, Cooper University Health Care’s vice president of government and community relations, who presented the award at the ceremony held on the Rutgers-Camden campus. “Nidhi embodies the spirit... Read more →

(Camden, NJ) Cooper University Health Care presented the 2019 Cooper Military Employee of the Year Award to advanced practice nurse Ella Hawk, a member of the hospital’s cardiothoracic surgery team. The celebratory event, honoring Cooper employees who are veterans and/or active military, was held on May 21, 2019. The Cooper Military Employee of the Year Award was established in 2018 to formally recognize the outstanding contributions a Cooper staff member has made to the health system, the community, and the nation, as well as in support of Cooper’s mission To serve, to heal, to educate. “Today we are proud to honor... Read more →

Athletic Field Funded by $250,000 grant from the Philadelphia Eagles, the NFL Foundation and LISC and a matching $250,000 grant from The Cooper Foundation Camden, N.J. – KIPP Cooper Norcross Academy (KCNA) celebrated the opening of a new turf field at its Lanning Square campus in Camden, New Jersey on Monday, May 13. Teachers, students, parents, community leaders, and NFL Foundation representatives gathered for a ribbon cutting at the new athletic field, which was installed thanks to a $250,000 grant from the Philadelphia Eagles through the National Football League Foundation Grassroots Program and a $250,000 matching grant from The Cooper Foundation.... Read more →

CNBNewsnet | March 7, 2019 (Camden City, NJ) – Internationally renowned neurologist and researcher, Tudor G. Jovin, MD, has joined Cooper University Health Care as chief and chairman of Cooper Neurological Institute. Dr. Jovin is an expert in the interventional and non-interventional treatment for the entire spectrum of stroke and cerebrovascular disorders. He is board certified in neurology and has additional board certifications in vascular neurology and critical care neurology. He was one of the nation’s first interventional neurologists, a medical subspecialty that uses minimally invasive technologies applied from within the vessels to diagnose and treat diseases of the arteries and... Read more →

Cooper participates in the American Heart Association’s Little Hats, Big Hearts program to empower new moms to live heart-healthy while raising awareness of congenital heart defects. (CAMDEN CITY, NJ) – Cooper University Health Care is excited to join the American Heart Association’s Little Hats, Big Hearts program this year. The American Heart Association is raising awareness about family heart health and congenital heart defects, the most common type of birth defect in the country, with support from The Children’s Heart Foundation. This effort aims to empower new moms to take charge of their own wellbeing while creating a healthy lifestyle for... Read more →

CAMDEN CITY, NJ (January 29, 2019): George E. Norcross, III, the Executive Chairman of Conner Strong & Buckelew and chairman of Cooper University Heath Care (CUHC), John J. O’Donnell, the Chief Executive Officer of The Michaels Organization, Sidney Brown, the Chief Executive Officer of NFI, and Susan Bass Levin, the President and CEO of The Cooper Foundation, today announced the establishment of a new $1 million grant program to benefit City of Camden non-profit community organizations. “Camden is undergoing an unprecedented renaissance, with historic drops in crime across the city and in every neighborhood, rising test scores, and new development and... Read more →

Sapphire and Nixie, mermaids from Adventure Aquarium in Camden stopped by Cooper University Health Care on Friday, November 2, 2018 to meet and greet with young patients, their families, and staff. The Mermaids are visiting the Adventure Aquarium for a special promotion which continues through November 11, 2018. Medical students and pediatric residents enjoyed the visit as much as the young patients! Read more →

CAMDEN, N.J. – Twenty-five employee volunteers from Cooper University Health Care joined representatives from the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey (UWGPSNJ) and the Parkside Business and Community In Partnership, Inc. to install a new Born Learning Trail at Farnham Park in the Parkside neighborhood of Camden on Tuesday, October 16, 2018. This new park feature is the first Born Learning Trail in Camden County. Generously supported by The Cooper Foundation, a Born Learning Trail is a series of 10 signs accompanied by colorful shapes and designs painted on the walkway that enhance the learning experience. The Trail... Read more →

(CAMDEN) – Executives from Subaru of America’s corporate headquarters and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) delivered messages of hope and 100 specially made blankets to outpatients at MD Anderson at Cooper to help encourage patients and keep them warm as they continue their fight against cancer. “This is such a generous and kind gesture from our friends from Subaru of America, and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society,” said Adrienne Kirby, PhD, FACHE, Executive Chair and Chief Executive Officer at Cooper University Health Care. “The blankets and the notes of encouragement will mean a lot to our patients – just as... Read more →

(Camden) -- Former NJ State Senator Raymond Lesniak and representatives from the non-profit organization Toys for Hospitalized Children visited Children’s Regional Hospital at Cooper University Health Care to brighten the day of young patients with gifts of toys and music. Toys for Hospitalized Children is a non-profit organization founded in 1953 to bring smiles and healing to sick children. Since its inception in 1953, Toys for Hospitalized Children has brought smiles to 950,000 children in 150 hospitals in 10 states with gifts and toys. Each year, it distributes more than 20,000 toys and gifts at hospitals, institutions, and special needs facilities.... Read more →

(Camden City, NJ) Cooper University Health Care has expanded its life-saving air medical transport service to the South Jersey community with the addition of a new helicopter. Cooper has been providing this vital service to residents of Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland, and Salem counties since 2010. The new helicopter, Cooper 2, is based out of the Flying W airport in Medford, Burlington County, and will provide coverage for the northern region of the service area. Cooper 1, based at the Millville Municipal Airport in Millville, Cumberland County, will continue to cover the southern regions of the state. Both... Read more →

(Camden City, NJ)(July 31, 2018)(CNBNewsnet) – Seven months ago the Freeholder Board, Camden County Chief’s Association, and health care providers came to the table with a plan to fund the life-saving tool, naloxone, for all police officers in the county. Since that time more than 480 naloxone reversals were deployed county-wide providing a critical antidote to the fatal effects of an opioid-induced overdose. Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli lauded the healthcare systems for tearing down the obstacles to getting access to this life-saving antidote and applauded the officers on the street administering it. “For police, today, having naloxone on their belt or... Read more →

(CAMDEN CITY, NJ)(JULY 11, 2018)-- Today, Cooper University Health Care opened a new 5,500 square-foot addition to its Emergency Department (ED) featuring 10 state-of-the-art exam rooms that will improve the patient experience and reduce wait times. “Cooper has one of the busiest emergency departments in the region as the only Level 1 Trauma Center in South Jersey, this addition will help us better serve our community and improve the patient experience in the ED,” said Kevin O’Dowd, JD, co-president of Cooper University Health Care. Nationally, there has been a growing increase in emergency department volume, leading to extended wait times. Over... Read more →

(Camden City, NJ(July 11, 2018)-- A South Jersey group of knitters is teaming up with Cooper University Health Care to help women diagnosed with breast cancer. As affiliates of Knitted Knockers, a nationwide non-profit, the volunteers are creating hand-knitted prosthetic breasts for women who have undergone mastectomies or other breast procedures. In the past year, the group has provided more than 50 sets, which come in a variety of sizes and colors, to patients at MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper. “We understand that dealing with breast cancer can be difficult emotionally as well as physically,” said Kristin L. Brill, MD,... Read more →

Fredric L. Ginsberg, MD, FACC, FACCP (Camden City, NJ) (July 6, 2018)– Fredric L. Ginsberg, MD, FACC, FACCP, a clinical cardiologist and co-medical director of the Cooper Heart Institute, has been named medical director of cardiac services at Premier Cadbury of Cherry Hill. Premier Cadbury is a continuing care retirement community that offers independent living, assisted living, memory care, and sub-acute rehabilitation, as well as long-term care. In his new role, Dr. Ginsberg will oversee Cadbury’s cardiac program for individuals undergoing treatment and rehabilitation for heart failure and other cardiac conditions. Dr. Ginsberg will work collaboratively with Premier Cadbury’s team of... Read more →

(Camden City, NJ)(July 6, 2018)- - The American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) recently awarded Cooper University Health Care employee Priscilla J. Peters, BA, RDCS, FASE, with the Cardiovascular Sonographer Distinguished Teacher Award. This prestigious national recognition is awarded to a sonographer instructor who is attentive to cardiovascular sonography professional values and who exhibits values of leadership and dedication to the field of echocardiography. Peters, an educator and specialist in Cooper’s Echocardiology Department, and a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University (CMSRU), has been with Cooper since 2004. She is extensively published in a wide range... Read more →

Cooper University Health Care Receives Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Silver Plus Quality Achievement Award With Target: Stroke Honor Roll Cooper University Health Care received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Silver Plus Quality Achievement Award with Target: StrokeSM Honor Roll. The award recognizes the hospital’s commitment to providing the most appropriate stroke treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence. Cooper University Health Care earned the award by meeting specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients at a set level for a designated period. These measures include... Read more →

(Camden, NJ) - Five members of the Cooper University Hospital EMS team were honored by the Camden County Metro Police Department for heroic work during an incident that occurred in March. The quarterly award presentation took place at Rowan University’s Camden campus and was presided over by NBC 10’s news anchor Vai Sikahema. The event was dedicated to recognizing first responders and other organizations that performed in cooperation with Camden County Police. “EMS workers are always prepared for the unknown,” said police officials at the event. “Being able to remain calm and getting the job done in these high stress situations... Read more →

(Camden, NJ) -- MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper has joined a Lung Cancer Early Detection study aimed at improving lung cancer screening methods for those at risk. The study is part of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Moon Shots ProgramTM, a collaborative effort to accelerate advances that save patients’ lives. “Lung cancer remains the leading cause of death from cancer in both men and women, and cigarette smoking is the single biggest risk factor,” said Robert A. Somer, MD, Medical Director of Clinical Trials at MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper, a partner in the MD Anderson... Read more →

Camden City, NJ) On May 22, 2018, Cooper University Health Care presented the 2018 Cooper Military Employee of the Year Award to trauma surgeon John Chovanes, DO, FACS, LTC, USAR MC, at a pre-Memorial Day celebration for Cooper employees who are veterans and/or active military. The Cooper Military Employee of the Year Award – which will be presented annually – was established to formally recognize the outstanding contributions a Cooper staff member has made to the health system, the community, and the nation, as well as in support of Cooper’s mission to serve, to heal, to educate. “Today we are proud... Read more →

(Camden City NJ) - Shenelle Alexander, an undergraduate nursing student at Rutgers University-Camden, was named as the first winner of the $1,000 Cooper Civic Leadership Award at the Seventh Annual Chancellor’s Awards for Civic Engagement held April 26, 2018. Cooper University Health Care established the Civic Leadership Award earlier this year to honor a Rutgers University-Camden student who exemplifies outstanding service to the Camden community. “We are proud to honor Shenelle Alexander with the inaugural Cooper Civic Leadership Award,” said Anthony Welch, Cooper University Health Care’s vice president of government and community relations, who presented the award at the ceremony held... Read more →