Facing hernia surgery, Lionel Starr, 70, wanted a procedure that would allow him to quickly return to his job at a service station. He found it at Nantucket Cottage Hospital, where laparoscopic surgeon Richard Koehler, MD, used “keyhole” incisions to repair intestinal protrusions that had developed after a previous major operation. (more…)

For Wendi Murrell, life on Nantucket is about new beginnings. Visiting from London 16 years ago, she decided to stay. “I realized life here would be wonderful,” she says. At age 41, Wendi now has another new beginning—motherhood. But her pregnancy was deemed high risk, so when the baby’s heart showed distress during labor, the Nantucket Cottage Hospital obstetrics team sprang into action to perform an emergency C-section. (more…)

“I’ve been working at Nantucket Cottage Hospital since 1966, first as a volunteer, then as a nurse in the OR and ER, and today as the hospital’s compliance officer. While the level of care we are providing today is much higher than when I started, the building itself is now outdated. A new facility will allow us to grow with the technology while also helping us to be more efficient and effective in delivering quality care to our community.”

– Brenda B. Johnson, RN-BC, Director of Compliance, Patient & Family Centered Care

“Our current pharmacy department is about one-tenth the size required according to current state regulations. Crammed into an 8′ x 8′ pharmacy, my team and I struggle to efficiently manage the increased workload demands of our growing island population. I was born in this hospital in 1961. Today, more than ever, I believe we desperately need a new facility in order to carry out our mission and continue to provide quality care for generations to come.”

– Dave Small, RPh, Manager, NCH Pharmacy Services

“The Nantucket Cottage Hospital bustled in a different way when my grandmother and great-grandmother were nurses here. In the oncology department, we aim to maximize the cancer care and supportive treatments we provide, but we are limited by the size of the infusion room. We may have up to 200 visits a month. Privacy becomes limited. A new facility will improve our ability to care for our patients right here on Nantucket.”

– Gretchen Buchmann, RN-BC, BSB, WCC