Change Leaders

Mark Twain wrote, “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” I realized many years ago that the lessons I learn may be for me alone in the moment, but they are not mine to hoard—they are to be shared with others.

Patty’s love for Palm Health Foundation’s innovative approach led her and Peter to open The Cooke Family Fund, a donor advised fund dedicated to brain health, mental health, and the neuroarts.

A Conversation with Palm Health Foundation Trustee Nathan E. Nason

When Ruth Schwarzkopf completed her nine-year term as a Palm Health Foundation (PHF) trustee in December 2023, she left a legacy that began not in the boardroom, but a ballroom. About a decade before she joined the board, Ruth attended the foundation’s inaugural Nursing Celebration at The Breakers Palm Beach. She was a hospital nursing director at the time and had never seen any significant acknowledgement of nurses anywhere. “To have somebody say nursing is a special and unique profession and recognize the dedication and the hard work we do every day was amazing to me,” Ruth said. She was hooked. Ruth advanced as a nursing leader within Tenet Health while at the same time becoming one of the foundation’s most dedicated volunteers. In the years prior to joining the board, she took on numerous committee and advocacy roles to support the foundation’s work to strengthen the nursing profession and improve the quality of healthcare in Palm Beach County. 

A conversation with Mark Elhilow, Palm Health Foundation Trustee

Palm Health Foundation Philanthropy Committee member and former board chair Denise Bober established The Sutton Kailey Nursing Advancement Fund to support quality nursing care in our community. This year, Denise and her family selected two passionate nurses to receive scholarships that will support their further education and skill development, ultimately leading to excellent care for local patients. Denise’s fund is named in honor of her twin granddaughters, Sutton and Kailey. The girls were born at 24 weeks, weighing only 1.2 lbs and 1.1 lbs. Kailey shined her presence on this earth for 24 hours. Baby Sutton remained brave and strong, surviving heart surgery and spending 111 days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

There was a little extra sunshine radiating from Palm Beach Gardens on March 19 th as 18 women gathered to celebrate the birthday of Palm Health Foundation trustee Ilene Solomon Silber. Rather than a party honoring her milestone birthday, Ilene’s wish was to celebrate the spirit of gratitude among her special group of friends, some whom have known each other for over five decades. The invitation read, “Ilene’s Birthday Brunch—A Celebration of Friendship and Gratitude,” a theme that carried through the event. All contributed quotes, colorfully displayed as centerpieces, blooming with thoughts on what it means to give thanks. One by Amy Collette, author of The Gratitude Connection, perfectly captured the celebration’s atmosphere: “Gratitude is a powerful catalyst for happiness; it's the spark that lights a fire of joy in your soul.” Barbara Pariente, one of the five birthday brunch hosts, noted that Ilene has always been a catalyst for gratitude, spreading her appreciation in a most meaningful way: by giving back. “I have known Ilene in so many capacities, from when she was head of Communities in Schools of Palm Beach County to launching Take Stock in Children,” Barbara said. “She was always a professional working in jobs that were about giving back. She wants to make our community better by making the most impact.”

A Palm Health Foundation/FAU Fellow travels an unpaved road on a journey alongside community to find solutions for complex needs. Written by Amanda Kopacz

As a certified nursing assistant at Delray Medical Center, Dalissa is practicing while she studies, providing the same level of care to her patients that she did to her grandmother. “Being passionate, understanding, and empathetic is a must when it comes to being a nurse,” she said, recounting the story of a deeply depressed double amputee patient she prayed with and listened to when no one else had the time. Dalissa is exactly the kind of scholar Debra Coffman Howe envisioned supporting through her scholarship fund: A nurse who aspires to bedside patient care and who believes as Dalissa does that “being a nurse is like having a superpower and enough knowledge to heal people and send them home to their families.” Dalissa sees Debra as having her own superpower. “You have to have a big heart to do this for other people and allow students like me to have an opportunity,” she said. “Her scholarship saved me. It was a miracle.”