Newswise — NEPTUNE, NJ – March 18, 2014 – Jersey Shore University Medical Center’s 17th Annual Sweetheart Ball, held on Saturday, February 15, 2014 at Ocean Place Resort & Spa in Long Branch, NJ attracted almost 450 attendees and raised over $240,000.

As part of Meridian Cancer Care, Jersey Shore will benefit from funds raised at this year’s Sweetheart Ball. Proceeds from the event will support Jersey Shore’s robust cancer research and navigation services that are helping to bring state-of-the-art drugs, treatment protocols and support services to patients so they can get the best cancer care, close to home.

According to Mark Krasna, M.D., corporate medical director of Oncology, Meridian Cancer Care, “During the past year, the Meridian Cancer Care team has been molding a new approach to treatment through the use of patient-centered, multidisciplinary care conferences and clinics that feature prospective, one-stop treatment planning for all of the major disease sites. By bringing the best minds together, our patients stand a much better chance of getting the best care. We expect to expand this effort with additional nurse navigators and research nurses that will be funded with the proceeds from the 2014 Sweetheart Ball.”

Steve G. Littleson, FACHE, president of Jersey Shore, adds, “This is a very exciting time for Meridian Cancer Care, as additional plans for expansion of the cancer centers on each of our hospital campuses are in the works. We look forward to expanding the legacy of the Sweetheart Ball to support these system initiatives in the future.”

This year’s event was chaired by Ann Nahum & Ken Nahum, M.D., Phil & Marilyn Perricone and John & Dawn Reinhardt. Additionally, Eric & Lori Kirsch received the William C. Black Award of Hope for their generous support of Jersey Shore. The award, named after the late Mr. William Black, is presented annually to individuals or organizations that support Jersey Shore’s commitment to providing the best health care experience. Mr. Black previously served on the Meridian Board of Trustees, as well as Jersey Shore’s Board of Governors.

For more information, please call Jackie Lang at 732-751-5101, or e-mail [email protected].

About Jersey Shore University Medical Center:Jersey Shore University Medical Center, a member of the Meridian Health family, is a not-for-profit teaching hospital and home to K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital – the first children’s hospital in Monmouth and Ocean counties. Jersey Shore is the regional provider of cardiac surgery, a program which has been ranked among the best in the Northeast, and is home to the only trauma center and stroke rescue center in the region. Jersey Shore specializes in cardiovascular care, orthopedics and rehabilitation, cancer care, neuroscience, nerve surgery and women’s specialty services. Through the hospital’s clinical research program, and its affiliation with Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Jersey Shore serves as an academic center dedicated to advancing medical knowledge, training future physicians and providing the community with access to promising medical breakthroughs. For more information about Jersey Shore University Medical Center call 1-800-DOCTORS, or visit www.JerseyShoreUniversityMedicalCenter.com.