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Community Corner

Stamford Hospital Holds Topping Off Ceremony

Stamford Hospital officials, physicians and staff joined donors, area leaders and community representatives to celebrate a major milestone in the construction of the new Stamford Hospital – the “topping off”. The topping off ceremony, a long-practiced recognition of the end of major steel construction, included brief remarks from hospital leaders and local dignitaries as well as the signing of one of the final steel beams by the more than 400 supporters at the event.

 “It has been an exciting journey since the conception of this project and our vision for its impact on the well-being of the communities we serve – seeing the steel visible in the Stamford skyline and our new hospital taking shape is very inspiring,” said Hospital President and CEO Brian G. Grissler. “It is a momentous occasion that wouldn’t have been possible without the tireless dedication of the entire building team or the foresight and ongoing support of our Board, donors, physicians, staff and community partners.”

The topping off ceremony at Stamford Hospital took place against the backdrop of the near-complete steel structure of the new facility. The program included a special new hospital video featuring Brian Williams, Anchor & Managing Editor of NBC Nightly News, along with remarks by Brian Grissler; Michael Parry, MD, Stamford Hospital’s Thomas Jay Bradsell Chair of Infectious Diseases; and Michael Fedele, Chairman of the Board of Directors at Stamford Hospital.

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The Stamford Hospital Foundation also introduced the Cornerstone Society, which will provide a lasting tribute to those donors who support the foundation by contributing $1 million or more to Healing. Reimagined. The Campaign for Stamford Hospital. The names of its members will be displayed on an iconic stone pillar in the new hospital when it opens in 2016, visible to everyone entering the stunning new main concourse.

 “The act of contributing a million dollars to the Stamford Hospital Foundation is a profoundly personal statement that underscores tremendous vision and compassion by a donor,” said Christopher Riendeau, Senior Vice President of Fund Development at Stamford Hospital. “While every gift to the hospital is special, the Cornerstone Society represents individuals and corporations whose gifts are inspirational – and will help change and save lives by ensuring the highest quality of care for generations of children and adults in lower Fairfield County.”

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Members of the Cornerstone Society who were recognized at the topping off ceremony represent the many communities served by Stamford Hospital including Stamford, Darien, Greenwich and New Canaan.

Construction is on track to have the new hospital open in the summer of 2016. The new campus will meet the needs of tomorrow’s patient-centered care, allow for continuously advancing and high-tech medicine and is designed to provide a more calming and welcoming environment for patients and their families. Features of the new facility include: new patient care units with all private rooms and bathrooms; a greatly expanded and modern Emergency Department with separate treatment areas for trauma, cardiac, urgent, behavioral health and pediatric patients, more than doubling the number and size of exam rooms; significantly larger and modern surgical suites to accommodate the latest technology and collaborative procedures; an expanded Intensive Care Unit; a central location for all Heart & Vascular Institute Services; and a new Pediatric Unit in the Whittingham Pavilion to centralize mother-child services.

Additional information and images are available about Stamford Hospital’s new hospital and construction updates page. 

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