JoAnn DeCesaris Named 2015 Philanthropist of the Year

Left to right: Angela DeCesaris Duffy, Elizabeth DeCesaris, JoAnn DeCesaris, Maria DeCesaris Capurro, JoAnn DeCesaris Wellington and Kristen DeCesaris Messineo.

Congratulations to Anne Arundel Medical Center Foundation Board Member and Past Chair JoAnn DeCesaris, who has been named the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County 2015 Philanthropist of the Year. This prestigious award is presented annually to an individual known for exceptional generosity who has demonstrated outstanding civic and charitable responsibility and whose generosity encourages others to become philanthropic leaders.

Through the Geaton & JoAnn DeCesaris Family Foundation, JoAnn DeCesaris and her five daughters make giving a family affair. They inspire others to give by participating in and hosting many community events and fundraisers, inviting new potential donors to fundraising events and referring potential donors to AAMC. Their gifts have made an incredible impact on the well-being of our community.

The DeCesaris family provided the financial support to create the region’s only combined, state-of-the-art pediatric emergency and pediatric inpatient unit, named in the family’s honor. It is a comforting, innovative and medically-appropriate space for our youngest patients to be cared for in the hospital. The DeCesaris Pediatric Unit expands our capabilities, ensuring that children who come through our doors receive seamless care with the same pediatric specialists, nurses and physician teams, all in one location.

Additionally, the family provided the funds to build and expand the Geaton & JoAnn DeCesaris Cancer Institute, which continues to provide leading-edge care for oncology patients in our region with the best facilities, programs and equipment. Most recently, they established a fund to help give direct financial assistance to patients undergoing cancer treatment who cannot afford their care and/or family living expenses due to the cost of their illnesses.

“AAMC is proud of the trust JoAnn and her family have put in us to advance healthcare in our community,” says AAMC Foundation President Jan Wood. “We congratulate JoAnn on this well-deserved award.”

Leave a Reply