Northwell’s Northern Westchester Hospital (NWH) raised $2.2 million at its annual gala, with proceeds supporting the hospital’s efforts to achieve a Level III-N Trauma designation and expand its neurology and neurosurgery programs.
The event, held at the former Reader’s Digest building in Chappaqua, brought together 600 community leaders, clinicians and supporters. Under the theme “Because every second matters,” the gala highlighted the critical importance of immediate, specialized care for neurological events and traumatic injuries.
“In neurosurgery, we live by the saying, ‘time is brain.’ Every minute lost during a stroke can mean millions of brain cells irrevocably lost,” said David Gordon, M.D., chair of neurosurgery at Northwell’s Northern Westchester and Phelps hospitals. “The support from this gala will help us acquire advanced tools that allow us to intervene faster and more effectively. This means more patients can stay within their community for critical care, surrounded by their loved ones and return to their lives whole and healed.”
Building on a transformative $10 million gift made by Lisa and Mark Schwartz in April, the hospital will use funds from the gala to further develop its comprehensive trauma and neurosciences capabilities, which include achieving Level III-N Trauma designation. To do so, NWH will enhance its emergency care infrastructure, expand neurology and epilepsy services, acquire advanced diagnostic and interventional tools – like biplane angiography for rapid stroke treatment – and recruit specialized medical personnel, including a director of trauma. The expansion will allow NWH to treat complex cases locally, reducing critical transfer times and improving outcomes for patients with trauma, stroke and other neurological emergencies.
“We are grateful for the generosity of our community, which continues to propel Northern Westchester Hospital forward,” said Derek Anderson, president of NWH. “This year’s gala, with its focus on trauma and neurosciences, is not just about building new facilities; it’s about making a profound impact on individual lives. Achieving Level III-N Trauma designation will significantly increase access to these critical, specialized services for the region, ensuring that when seconds matter, our patients have access to the best experts and technology right here, close to home.”
Another highlight of the evening was the celebration of Angela Kessel and Gary Cohen, both recognized for their profound contributions to NWH. Kessel, Bedford Hills resident and immediate past chairman of the NWH Community Foundation Board and NWH Foundation Board, was honored for her dedicated leadership in fundraising, including co-chairing the “Our Mission Your Health” capital campaign during her 15 years of service, seven as foundation board chair. Cohen, Bedford Corners resident and immediate past chairman of the NWH Community Board and member of the Northwell Health Board of Trustees, was celebrated for his strategic leadership, including guiding the hospital through its integration with Northwell Health as board chair since 2021. Both helped advance key initiatives at NWH, such as the state-of-the-art cardiac catheterization lab, the modernized emergency department and the launch of Northwell Behavioral Health at Mount Kisco, which offers a full spectrum of child and adolescent behavioral health services.
The gala also included a live paddle raise, generating nearly a quarter of the $2.2 million fundraising total. This collective generosity ensures NWH can continue its mission of providing world-class, life-saving care, solidifying its role as a vital health-care pillar in the community.
Northwell’s Northern Westchester Hospital provides quality, patient-centered care that is close to home through a unique combination of medical expertise, leading-edge technology and a commitment to family and community. NWH is a 245-bed acute care facility, which provides a full range of inpatient and outpatient programs and services. The hospital has been recognized by Healthgrades for its outstanding patient experience and has achieved Magnet Recognition® status from the American Nurses Credentialing Center for its commitment to nursing excellence. For more information, please visit NWH.northwell.edu.
Northwell is the largest not-for-profit health system in the Northeast, serving residents of New York and Connecticut with 28 hospitals, more than 1,000 outpatient facilities, 22,000 nurses and over 20,000 physicians. Northwell cares for more than three million people annually in the New York metro area, including Long Island, the Hudson Valley, western Connecticut and beyond, thanks to philanthropic support from the communities. Northwell is New York state’s largest private employer with over 104,000 employees – including members of Northwell Health Physician Partners and Nuvance Health Medical Practices – who are working to change health care for the better. Northwell, named a TIME100 Most Influential Companies 2025, is making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. Northwell is training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies.
