Southwestern Vermont Regional Cancer Center Receives Donation from Lundgren Subaru and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

BENNINGTON, VT—November 2, 2022—Southwestern Vermont Regional Cancer Center (SVRCC), a department of Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC), gratefully accepted a donation of dozens of blankets from Lundgren Subaru of Bennington and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Upstate New York/Vermont Chapter on a sunny afternoon last month. Shown, left to right, are Nicholas Gambardella and Gavin MacIntyre from Lundgren Subaru of Bennington; Matthew Vernon, MD,  radiation oncologist; Jennifer Coutu, MSN, RN, OCN, EMT-B, nurse manager; and Marga Pesce, BSN, RN, radiation oncology nurse; from the Cancer Center.

“Blankets are such warm and comforting objects,” said Coutu. “Patients will feel warm and comforted when they receive one of these blankets. They will know that, beyond the medical professionals here at the Cancer Center and their caregivers at home, their community cares.”

Subaru is the largest automotive donor to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). This is the 7th year that Subaru has partnered with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) to bring love and hope to brave patients in the form of warm blankets and hand-written notes of encouragement. By the end of the year, Subaru and retailers will have brought more than 230,000 blankets, 31,000 arts and crafts kits, and thousands of messages of hope, written by Subaru retailers and customers, to patients carrying on their brave fight.

“We hope these blankets and messages will spread warmth, love, and hope where it’s needed most and will let these strong people and their families know we care,” McIntyre said.

About SVHC:
Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC) is a comprehensive, preeminent, healthcare system providing exceptional, convenient, and affordable care to the communities of Bennington and Windham Counties of Vermont, eastern Rensselaer and Washington Counties of New York, and northern Berkshire County in Massachusetts. SVHC includes Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC), Southwestern Vermont Regional Cancer Center, the Centers for Living and Rehabilitation, and the SVHC Foundation. SVMC includes 25 primary and specialty care practices.

Southwestern Vermont Health Care is among the most lauded small rural health systems in the nation. It is the recipient of the American Hospital Association’s 2020 Rural Hospital Leadership Award. In addition, SVMC ranked fourth nationwide for the value of care it provides by the Lown Institute Hospital Index in 2020 and is a five-time recipient of the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet® recognition for nursing excellence. The health system is fortunate to have the support of platinum-level corporate sponsor Mack, a leading supplier of contract manufacturing services and injection molded plastic parts based in Arlington, VT.

Southwestern Vermont Medical Center provides exceptional care without discriminating on the basis of an individual’s age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, language, physical or mental disability, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression. Language assistance services, free of charge, are available at 1-800-367-9559.