Monmouth Medical Center Foundation’s Crystal Ball Gala Benefits Hospital Programs, Honors Awardees

Monmouth Medical Center Foundation will host its 42nd Annual Crystal Ball Gala on Saturday, May 10, 2014 at 6:30 p.m. at The Robert J. Collins Arena at Brookdale Community College, located at 765 Newman Springs Road in Lincroft, N.J.

The Gala, which benefits hospital programs and services, honors leaders in medicine and the community and celebrates Monmouth Medical Center’s achievements and continued growth.

“The Gala is an opportunity to share our gratitude and recognize those making a difference both in medicine and within the community. Through their dedicated service, these inspiring individuals carry forth the mission of the Monmouth Medical Center Foundation – to deliver quality-driven, efficient and responsive healthcare services to the community,” said Tara F. Kelly, Vice President, Monmouth Medical Center Foundation.

This year the Monmouth Medical Center Foundation will present the Physician Leadership Award to Michael A. Goldfarb M.D., F.A.C.S., immediate Past Chairman and Program Director of the Department of Surgery at Monmouth Medical Center for the last 14 years. He is a Professor of Surgery at Drexel University College of Medicine and immediate Past President of the New Jersey Chapter of the American College of Surgeons.

Before coming to Monmouth, Dr. Goldfarb was Surgical Director of Wound Ballistics for the United States Army, where he developed Kevlar body armor and wrote the current standard for bullet proof.

Throughout his 40 year career at Monmouth, Dr. Goldfarb has pioneered numerous groundbreaking initiatives, contributing to the hospital's success – including performing the first laparoscopic cholecystectomy in New Jersey in 1990. Since 1997, he has implemented an original database to track all surgical complications and outcomes, resulting in process and protocol changes. These remedies have helped Monmouth achieve the highest surgical survival rate in New Jersey for the past eight years. The research has been published and presented nationally and internationally.

Dr. Goldfarb has served as Medical Director of the Cranmer Ambulatory Surgery Center. He is founder of the Jacqueline M. Wilentz Comprehensive Breast Center and served as its Surgical Coordinator for many years. He also served on the Board of Trustees for 10 years.

Dr. Goldfarb earned his medical degree from New York University School of Medicine and completed a general surgery residency at Beth Israel Medical Center. He has been recognized by Best Doctors in America, Guide to America's Top Surgeons and Best Doctors in the New York Metro Area. Dr. Goldfarb is an editor for several peer reviewed journals.

The Community Leadership Award will be presented to Judi Dawkins, a member of the Monmouth Medical Center Board of Trustees, and her husband, Brig. Gen. (Ret'd.) Pete Dawkins, Ph.D., of Rumson, for their continuing support of the hospital and other charitable activities in the Two Rivers area. 

Judi has a long history of supporting Monmouth Medical Center and the surrounding community. As Chair of the Foundation's Board of Trustees from 2000-2003, Judi helped launch the Redefining Health Care Capital Campaign, including overseeing $15 million in upgrades benefiting the Leon Hess Cancer Center and expansion of the Jacqueline M. Wilentz Comprehensive Breast Center. She is also a founding board member of the Women's Council for The Cancer Center at Monmouth, where she serves on the Advisory Board.

The 1958 Heisman Trophy winner, Pete had a highly decorated 24-year career in the U.S. Army. He then entered the financial industry, where he held a number of leadership positions and was named among TIME’s “Top 50 Leaders in the U.S.” Among his many awards for public service are the National Institute of Social Sciences Gold Medal Award for Distinguished Service to Humanity, the BENS Eisenhower Award for Distinguished National Service, and The National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame Gold Medal Award. He currently serves as senior advisor to New York City-based electronic trading firm Virtu Financial, LLC and is founder and principal of ShiningStar Capital, LLC.

The Monmouth Medical Center Foundation was created to support Monmouth Medical Center, and its accomplishments are funded through contributions from individuals, corporations and other donors for state-of-the-art equipment, facility improvement and programs.

To purchase a ticket or reserve a table for the Crystal Ball or for more information, please call the Monmouth Medical Center Foundation at (732) 923-6886 or visit www.monmouthcrystalball.org.