For Bruce and Elisabeth Percelay, Nantucket Cottage Hospital is more than just the only medical center on the island, it’s where their children, William and Charlie, were born. The hospital is the safety net for their family and for the community they love.

That relationship and the Percelays’ passion to make a difference on Nantucket were manifested over the summer in the largest family gift in the history of the island: a $10 million contribution to Nantucket Cottage Hospital’s capital campaign.

This transformational challenge gift is intended not only to inspire others to join the campaign and move the hospital closer toward its dynamic new facility, but also to secure the future of the institution by creating an actual hospital campus complete with new housing for medical staff.

“This enormously generous gift is important on many levels, not the least of which is that it is coming from a family that has been so involved with the hospital on a personal level,” said Dr. Margot Hartmann, President and CEO of Nantucket Cottage Hospital. “It is truly a game-changer for our campaign.”

It was at the Percelays’ direction to expand the scope of the campaign which will ultimately result in not only a cutting edge hospital but a unified campus. The expanded campaign will also fulfill the potential of the new building by marshalling the resources necessary to staff it with the best programs and best clinical staff. A key part of that equation is addressing the enormous challenge of affordable housing for the hospital in the midst of an island-wide housing crisis.

“Elisabeth and I consider housing for hospital staff to be almost a medical care delivery issue – if we don’t have the people and the programs to deliver high quality care, the building is nothing more than bricks and mortar,” said Bruce Percelay. “And by addressing the housing needs of our community’s hospital, it will reduce the pressure on the island’s housing supply in general.”

Newswoman Heather Unruh, the co-anchor of Boston’s highest rated newscast, Newscenter 5 at 6pm, will be the host for the 20^th Boston Pops on Nantucket concert on August 13^th to benefit Nantucket Cottage Hospital.

Unruh, a longtime Nantucket summer resident who was married on the island, is a four-time Emmy award winner who has anchored nearly every major news story for WCVB since 2001.

“I am so thrilled to help kick off the 20^th anniversary of the Boston Pops on Nantucket concert,” said Unruh, who has been visiting Nantucket for 40 years and even spent a summer working as a waitress at Topper’s restaurant before her career in journalism. “Listening to the beautiful music and watching the stunning fireworks with toes in the sand has been a special tradition in our family.  This year in particular should be spectacular, and I am honored to serve as Master of Ceremonies.” (more…)

Nantucket Cottage Hospital perioperative staff nurse Sarah Trottier, RN, has been selected to receive the 2016 Jane Bonvini Memorial Fund scholarship. Trottier is currently pursuing her BSN from Chamberlain College of Nursing.

The Jane Bonvini Memorial Fund was established last year in honor of Jane Elizabeth Bonvini who died in September 2014. Jane worked at Nantucket Cottage Hospital for 27 years as an RN, retiring in 2010 as the Vice President of Patient Care Services and Director of Nursing. The fund was created by Jane’s family to support educational opportunities for island nurses.  (more…)

Nantucket Cottage Hospital held its 105^th Annual Meeting today and welcomed new members to its Board of Trustees and Advisory Council, thanked outgoing members for their service, and honored its volunteers and leaders.

Trustee Kevin Hickey was reelected as the Board’s chairman, while vice chair Jack Burke and clerk Judith Belash were both reelected to their posts. New officers include Catherine Ward, who was elected as vice chair, and Bill Camp, who was elected treasurer.

Five new Trustees were appointed to the Board, including Camp, Bruce Chabner, MD, Laura Reynolds, Melanie Sabelhaus, and Elizabeth Winship.

Nantucket Cottage Hospital President and CEO Dr. Margot Hartmann, along with chairman Hickey and Dr. Rocco Monto, president of the hospital medical staff, updated attendees on the state of the organization, the plans for the future hospital, and other major projects on the horizon. (more…)

The plans for the new Nantucket Cottage Hospital received the unanimous approval of the Nantucket Planning Board Monday night, marking another significant milestone in the regulatory process for this historic project. (more…)