In July 2022, Eliza Miller took to Instagram with a post that brought huge relief to family and friends. After four terrifying days, her four-year-old daughter, Emme, was home from Nantucket Cottage Hospital.

Eliza wrote: “Emme was having a hard time breathing suddenly. She had gone limp in Pat’s arms. We rushed her to the Nantucket Cottage Hospital ER and they immediately took action to get her oxygen, tests galore, hydration, and so much more. The excellent team at the hospital tried to Med Flight her via helicopter to Boston Children’s but with bad weather on the horizon, they told us it just wasn’t possible. They even attempted to send a Coast Guard plane and even that wasn’t possible. The downside to this beautiful island.

Over the course of three days, Emme improved, thanks to the team of amazing doctors, nurses, aids and more at the @ackhospital. I’ve never been so impressed.

They were on top of my little Emme, and we were able to stay together as a family during such a scary time. We feel so lucky for everyone on-island who helped us get through those four days.”

In a follow up email, Eliza continued to praise the NCH staff: “Our nurse for the first day, Jamie, I still remember was SO positive. She was a mom too and I could tell that she understood what I was going through, she did everything in her power to not only keep Emme comfortable and explain things that could be tough for a four-year-old to understand. She also kept me comfortable by explaining what she was doing the entire time. When we found out it was impossible for Emme to be transported off the island, the entire staff assured us they could keep her stable so that she would be OK until the weather passed. Ultimately, from the care she received at NCH, Emme was discharged and was able to finish her summer on Nantucket. It was a lot of emotion and stress, but the hospital staff was SO kind, so patient, so reassuring. Nantucket Cottage Hospital really saved Emme’s life with compassion and love and kindness. I will forever hold NCH in my heart. Emme’s too!”

“Please support the critical work of Nantucket Cottage Hospital with a donation to The NCH Fund.”
– Eliza and Pat Miller

(November 8, 2022) Capping off its 93rd year in business, the Hospital Thrift Shop set a new record by making its largest ever annual gift to NCH after the close of the 2022 season. The Shop presented a check totaling $600,000 to NCH, which is earmarked to fund the purchase of a new MRI machine.

“Our new MRI will enhance patient care at NCH by providing shorter scan times, a bigger entry to help with claustrophobia, and a much more quiet, relaxed scan experience. New procedures will also be added, including MRI breast imaging to aid in the early detection of breast cancer,” said Dr. C. Rumph, the Director of Imaging at NCH.

The Thrift Shop has now donated over $6.9 million to Nantucket Cottage Hospital since 1929. Thank you to everyone involved in the Thrift Shop’s success this season!

The Hospital Thrift Shop sells merchandise donated by island residents and visitors – anything from used books to furniture to artwork and everything in between – from mid-May through mid-October and operates as a separate non-profit organization. Thanks to a small staff, a dedicated team of volunteers and its Board of Directors, The Thrift Shop remains a favorite for island residents and visitors both in terms of donations toward a worthy cause and as a shopping destination.

Nantucket Cottage Hospital is pleased to publish our annual Philanthropy Impact report to highlight our generous community of volunteers and donors.

In a manicured garden tucked away off main street, half a dozen volunteers from Palliative & Supportive Care of Nantucket (PASCON) came together to share the colors of spring with those most in need, by preparing bouquets of daffodils for over 40 patients living with serious illnesses throughout Nantucket.

While far from the bedside of patients, the gathering was a moment for these dedicated volunteers to support patients on Nantucket with the level of personal connection and charm that Nantucketers have come to recognize as a key feature of PASCON and the Palliative and Supportive Care Department at Nantucket Cottage Hospital.

“Palliative care is specialized medical care for people impacted by serious illness with the goal of improving quality of life for both the patient and the family,” said Debbie Dolan, Nurse Practitioner and Manager of the Palliative and Supportive Care Department at Nantucket Cottage Hospital. “These volunteers are truly the backbone of the program and are the members providing much of the support to the patients, families caregivers and community, this gesture is just another example of that support.”

The special occasion marked the first time in over two years that the PASCON volunteers had come together, after being limited to video calls and emails since the early days of the pandemic.

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At Nantucket Cottage Hospital, over 100 nurses provide high-quality, compassionate care to keep our island healthy. Their skills and expertise are here for you and your family when you need them.