LONG BRANCH – Monmouth Medical Center (MMC), an RWJBarnabas Health facility, has received a $4 million transformational leadership gift from the Dawkins family to support its Women’s Services Program. MMC has named this new Women’s Services Program in honor of the late Judith W. Dawkins, a long-time benefactor and MMC Foundation Trustee.
“Everyone who knew Judi knows how much her spirit and her boundless energy impacted MMC,” her husband Pete Dawkins said. “The Women’s Health Program is a fitting and wonderful way for her to be remembered: as a champion, always striving to make things better, and to help those around her.”
The Judith W. Dawkins Women’s Health Program will expand the current array of highly specialized services, providing comprehensive community-based services to women at any age.
“By building on the shared insights and synergies of MMC’s medical staff and administration, the program will look to continually expand the frontier of women’s care,” Pete Dawkins said.
“Our attention, just like Judi’s, is on all of the unique challenges women commonly deal with,” said Bill Arnold, president and CEO of MMC. “Through the Dawkins family’s generous donation, we are honored to bring Judi’s vision for a vital and comprehensive women’s health program to fruition, and we look forward to its continued growth as a pillar of MMC’s commitment to women and the community.”
Services offered through the Judith W. Dawkins Women’s Health Program include primary care and health maintenance for women, obstetrics, breast health, cancer prevention, autoimmune disease care, nutrition and sports medicine, gynecology, cardiovascular health, mental health, radiology, as well as assembling leading researchers, educators and clinicians.
“Judi understood that women’s health care calls for specialized programs and services. She knew MMC was ready to take that lead,” Pete Dawkins said. “This gift celebrates Judi’s quest to empower women to lead stronger, healthier lives.”
This gift also establishes the Judith W. Dawkins Ambassador of Excellence Award. It will be presented to a clinician, MMC trustee or outstanding community leader who exemplifies Judi’s visionary guidance, exceptional leadership and the highest ethical standards.
“In addition, the executive board room will be named the Judith W. Dawkins Executive Board Room,” Pete Dawkins said. “This is only fitting, as Judi spent over two decades making decisions leading the path to success for MMC.”
Judi had a lasting influence on MMC during her 20-plus years of service as a trustee, board chair, nominating chair and leader. Her legacy at MMC extends to almost every area of the institution. Especially noteworthy was her time as chair of the MMC Foundation’s board from 2000-03, where she helped launch the “Redefining Health Care Capital Campaign.” The campaign included oversight of $15 million in upgrades for the Leon Hess Cancer Center and the expansion of the Jacqueline M. Wilentz Comprehensive Breast Center.