A lifetime at MSH
From first breaths to final days, four generations of the Crupi family have received care at the hospital.
Kathy Crupi's first visit to MSH was, quite literally, an accident. It was the winter of 1996 and she was lending a hand at a local youth theatre when she slipped on a patch of ice outside. “I went feet first in the air and came down on the back of my head,” she says. “I was out cold. I had to be taken to the hospital by ambulance.”
While she fondly recalls the excellent care she received at MSH, what sticks with Kathy the most happened a month later, and symbolizes the special connection the Crupi family has forged with the hospital. “The two nurses who took care of me and the two paramedics who brought me there came to the performance at Markham Theatre,” she says. “It was incredible.”
A family affair
Since Kathy’s first visit, more than 30 members of her immediate and extended family have received care at MSH for some reason or another. Aside from the usual assortment of childhood ailments, the list includes the birth of four of her 10 grandchildren; Achilles tendon surgery for husband Cosimo; Achilles tendon treatment for son-in-law Shane; treatment for daughter Luciana’s blood disorder; surgery for Kathy’s own thyroid cancer; and, more recently, end-of-life care for Cosimo’s mother, Maria.
MSH staff were particularly accommodating during Maria’s final days, arranging the palliative care that allowed the 103-year-old to rest at home instead of in the hospital. When she had to be at MSH overnight for tests, staff placed a cot beside the bed so her family could be close. “The attention and care they provided was amazing,” Cosimo says. “You quickly realize how dedicated the medical team is.”
Answering the call
The Crupi family’s commitment to MSH goes back decades. They started donating to the hospital’s original build fund in 1983 — seven years before the facility opened its doors — and still have the plaque commemorating their initial contribution. They’ve also been generous with their time: Kathy is a committee member for the MSH Foundation Golf Tournament and previously, the Foundation’s Gala and Celebration of Hope luncheon, while son Dominic and daughter Maria are longtime sponsors and supporters of these events.
In addition to being an advocate for women’s mental health, daughter Carina was also a Foundation Gala committee member. In fact, that’s how she met her husband — he was at the gala, selling raffle tickets with his fellow firefighters. “I remember the night they met,” Kathy says with a smile. “Carina noticed a loose button on his uniform and fixed it for him. The rest is history. They’re now married with two beautiful daughters.”
A healthier tomorrow
It’s not surprising the Crupi children are eager to help support MSH after watching Kathy lead the way. “They’re following their mother,” Cosimo says. “I’m proud of her for all the giving she does and that the kids are carrying that forward.”
Some family members have even found careers within the walls of MSH. Kathy’s daughter-in-law Allison was a nurse in the hospital’s Emergency Department for 13 years, and her oldest granddaughter recently participated in a co-op program there.
MSH has come a long way since Kathy made that first unexpected visit back in 1996, and the staff, services, and community the hospital provides continue to play a prominent role in the Crupis’ lives. Says Kathy: “How do you even begin to say thank you for everything they’ve done?”
“We’re so busy in our daily lives that we don’t always think of all the benefits available to us through the hospital,” Cosimo adds. “When you need them, though, they’re there.”