Sisters Honor Their Parents and Pay It Forward With Donation to McGlinn Cancer Institute

Two sisters, Elizabeth "Robin" B. Gaul and Emmy Lou Prescott, made a generous donation that has enabled Reading Hospital's McGlinn Cancer Institute to purchase 36 state-of-the-art infusion chairs. The sisters made the donation in honor of their parents, George B. Gaul and Emmy Lou Worrilow Gaul.

Infusions for cancer patients can last up to six or seven hours, and patients already are reporting that the new chairs, which can recline and are heated, are comfortable and improving their experience during the infusion.

The sisters' parents were devoted to Reading Hospital. Emmy Lou served as an active volunteer in the 1960s, even serving as president of the Auxiliary. George served on the Reading Hospital Board of Directors. Their mother was treated for breast cancer at Reading Hospital in the 1970s, and they say they are "greatly indebted" to the hospital for extending their mother's life and for easing their father's discomfort in his later years.

A pergola has been placed in the hospital's Healing Garden, which is enjoyed by patients, their families and guests. Signage in appreciation of the family and the sisters' donation will be installed this summer.

Donations like the one from Robin Gaul and Emmy Lou Prescott enable the Reading Hospital Foundation to fund projects that enhance healthcare in Berks County. With the gift of new infusion chairs at the McGlinn Cancer Institute, the sisters have recognized their parents and enhanced the hospital's quality of care.

Reading Hospital

Reading Hospital is the flagship, Magnet Recognized, acute care hospital of Tower Health. Located in West Reading, Pa., Reading Hospital is a 714-bed hospital that is home to many top-tier specialty care centers, including Reading HealthPlex, McGlinn Cancer Institute, Miller Regional Heart Center, Emergency Department, Level I Trauma Center and Beginnings Maternity Center, which houses the region's only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). With more than 1,000 physicians, specialists, and advanced practice providers across 49 locations, Reading Hospital has been recognized for its quality outcomes and clinical expertise across services lines. It is listed as one of America's 100 Best Hospitals for four consecutive years and received a 5-Star Rating from CMS two years in a row. For more information, visit towerhealth.org.