Philanthropy News at Bradley Hospital

Bradley Hospital raised over $1 million during its signature annual event, Bravo Bradley, held this year on June 9 at Mount Hope Farm in Bristol.

The evening’s intermittent rain did not dampen the spirits nor the generosity of the many attendees who came out to support Bradley, the nation’s first psychiatric hospital devoted exclusively to children and adolescents.

The evening – designed around the theme “Reaching for the Stars” – included dinner, dancing, a speaking program, and live auction in a tented space on Mount Hope Farm’s beautiful waterfront grounds.

In all, this year’s Bravo Bradley, co-chaired by Brenda and David Turchetta, raised $986,330. Of that, about $420,000 benefited a fund-a-need appeal for The Bradley Center, an acute residential treatment program for teens dealing with a wide range of emotional and behavioral concerns. A post-auction pledge to The Bradley Center of an additional $50,000 from Tricia O’Neil pushed the evening’s total well over the million-dollar mark.

Donors Carol Peterson, Al and Gerrie Verrecchia, and Dr. Henry Sachs kicked off the fund-a-need appeal with pledges of $25,000 each. They were followed by dozens more generous donations, ranging from $10,000 to $250.

As auctioneer Harry Santa-Olalla concluded the appeal, Joe Brito, Jr. made a surprise announcement of his $100,000 donation in honor of his wife, Betty Brito, who was also in attendance and serves on the Bradley Hospital Foundation Board of Trustees.

The event also featured compelling remarks by Bradley Hospital President Dr. Henry Sachs and a 13-year-old patient speaker, Grant, who spoke about how Bradley Hospital’s evidence-based exposure therapy treatment helped him overcome anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Another highlight of the evening was the live auction, with coveted items including a week-long stay in Antigua; a New England sports package that featured tickets to Red Sox, Celtics, and Patriots games; an exciting trip to Napa Valley; and an opportunity to attend a movie premiere in New York City.

Bradley Hospital extends its deepest gratitude to the 2023 Bravo Bradley co-chairs Brenda and David Turchetta and sponsors:

Ocean State Job Lot Charitable Foundation; Susan O. and David A. Brown; Turchetta & Associates; Amica Insurance; Christine and William Carr; Roger and Cynthia Sherman; Betty and Joe Brito, Jr.; Cox Business; Kate Luckett and Steve Pasquariello; NEMD Architects; Carol A. Peterson; Tricia S. O’Neil, CFA, Managing Director, Descendants Wealth Management at Raymond James; and many more.

Bradley Hospital raised a record $1.2 million during its largest annual fundraiser, Bravo Bradley, held on June 24 at the Aquidneck Club in Portsmouth. The hospital’s donor community took its already incredible generosity to a new level at a time when it is needed more than ever – amid the current national pediatric mental health crisis.

“It was amazing to see the community come together like never before in support of our patients and their families,” said Henry Sachs, MD, Bradley Hospital’s president.

Titled “Together Brighter Futures are Possible,” the gala was held in an outdoor tent against a backdrop of colorful décor and sweeping views of Narragansett Bay. It was co-chaired by Kelly and Bernie Lambrese, who warmly welcomed all attendees to “the Bradley family.”

Read more about Bravo Bradley 2022

On October 21, the Bradley Hospital Foundation Board of Trustees forwent the much anticipated in-person gathering for their Annual Meeting for the second year in a row.  With the ongoing COVID-19 safety concerns around in-person events, in the words of Foundation Chair Larry Sadwin, “It was the right thing to do.” The evening—held live via Zoom webinar—was no less celebratory in its review of the Hospital’s and Foundation Board’s accomplishments over the previous year and was punctuated by the very moving remarks of a Bradley patient.

Ely Pelleccione shared their highly personal story, including moments that would give anyone pause. “But I’m okay,” they said. “I'm not perfect by any means, and I know I'll never be "cured" but [since coming to Bradley] I'm able to deal with things in a much healthier way. I can face life knowing that I've got my issues under control, and I don't need to hide away from the world anymore.”  With a smile, they added, “Even if I still do that sometimes, but some things will never change.”

Before presenting the slates for fiscal year 2022, Vice-Chair Carol Peterson was presented with a framed illustration of Bradley Hospital drawn by Francois Luks, MD, pediatric surgeon-in-chief and division chief of pediatric surgery at Hasbro Children’s Hospital, in acknowledgement of her contribution to the now completed Every Child, Every Day Campaign shared with Hasbro. The Officers and Trustees of the Bradley Hospital Foundation were all re-elected to a one-year term, with the exceptions of Jozy Mainelli and Angela Anderson, MD, who both resigned their positions. Ms. Mainelli will continue on as a member of the Lifespan School Solutions (Bradley Schools) board and as a member of the Board of Governors. First time appointees to the Board of Governors are Jennifer (Leigh) Kinder, and Mamie Wakefield. 

See a complete list of Bradley Hospital Foundation Trustees and Governors.

We are deeply grateful to all of our Trustees and Governors for their unwavering commitment to the success of the Bradley Hospital Foundation’s mission to support the work of our beloved hospital and look forward to working with such dedicated community leaders for years to come.

Summer 2021 offered a bright spot in a challenging 20 months at Bradley Hospital, and it was made brighter by the opening of the beautiful new Dowling Courtyard for the inpatient units.  

The transformation of this secure play space has been nothing short of remarkable. A pleasing, colorful, and softer surface has replaced what had previously been referred to as a “dustbowl” or a “mudbowl,” depending on the weather. For years, our facilities team struggled to keep grass growing in this heavily used recreational area. The area was first created when the acuity of our patients wasn’t nearly as high as it is today, and they were more likely able to leave the unit to do their running around in the gym or the lower ballfield area.  

The space is enjoyed by kids from the adolescent, children’s, and Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities inpatient units for games, chalk drawing, Wiffle ball, and kickball. It’s also a great spot for yoga, or a one-on-one lunch with a therapist or family member.  

Said one inpatient unit staff member, “The cushioned new play surface is so much better that what had become mud and dirt – the kids love it. It also means patients can play more times during the year – they love watching the weather in the courtyard. This time of year the patients are all eagerly awaiting the first snow!”

Due to COVID, and a few supply chain delays along the way, we haven’t yet been able to dedicate the space with the Dowling family and others who made the reimagination of this space possible. In the meantime, the space is enjoyed every day, and we expect we’ll soon see a few snow people out there – without muddy faces.