Vassar Brothers Medical Center Honors Doctors and Life Trustees

From Health Quest:

The Foundation for Vassar Brothers Medical Center will honor Dr. Mohan Sarabu and Dr. Frank Pedevillano at its 27th Diamond Gala. Retired life trustees Richard Chazen, Bernard Handel, Matthew Lampell, Ethelyn Mund, John O’Shea and Francis Wise will also receive special recognition.

The annual event is Saturday, Sept. 17, at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum in Hyde Park with a cocktail reception at 6 p.m. followed by dinner and a formal program. The event co-chairs are Elizabeth and Dr. Ethan Gundeck and Rita and Barry Rothfeld.

“This is a special year as we salute our retired life trustees while also honoring two excellent physicians who have truly made their mark through compassionate and expert care of our patients,” said Ann Armater, senior vice president of development for Health Quest and executive director of the foundation. “Our annual gala draws hundreds of supporters from throughout the region and raises important financial support for Vassar Brothers Medical Center. Plus, it’s a great party!”

The retired life trustees, each a former board chair, played an integral role in Vassar Brothers’ evolution from a small community hospital to a medical center serving the mid-Hudson region. Together, they have contributed a combined 213 years of service to the medical center.

Sarabu is a cardiothoracic surgeon at Vassar Brothers Medical Center. Born in South India, Sarabu came to the United States in 1975 to start his training in surgery at Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore, Md. He continued his surgical training at New Rochelle Medical Center in New Rochelle and went on to complete a fellowship at SUNY Upstate Medical Center. Sarabu, named a “Top Physician” by New York Magazine in 2005, came to Vassar Brothers in 2006 to head the cardiac surgery program as the director of cardiothoracic surgery. He and his wife, Lalitha, have two grown children.

Pedevillano is a family practice physician on the medical staff of Vassar Brothers Medical Center. A native of Paramus, N.J., Pedevillano graduated from the New Jersey School of Osteopathic Medicine and completed a family practice residency at The Grandview Medical Center in Dayton, Ohio. After his residency, Pedevillano moved to Poughkeepsie to work in a family practice as well as the Emergency Department at Vassar Brothers. Pedevillano and his wife, Diane, have five kids.

For information on making a gift of support, call the Foundation for Vassar Brothers Medical Center at 845-790-9360 (TTY 1-800-421-1220).

Photos courtesy of Health Quest