Staff Writer
CARIBOU — The family of the late Dr. Cesar Siruno, a general surgeon at Cary Medical Center in Caribou, who died in January, has honored the physician with a donation of more than $120,000 that will serve as the foundation for a Stroke Education Center, which will bear the physician’s name. The fund will also benefit from approximately $10,000 that has been contributed in memory of the physician by friends and colleagues.
Aroostook Republican photo/Natalie Bazinet
In memory of Dr. Cesar Siruno, a physician and health education advocate at Cary Medical Center for over 20 years, his wife Florentina, son Jonathan and daughter April presented a $130,000 check for the creation of the Siruno Stroke Education Center.
Dr. Siruno died on January 1, 2009 after waging a courageous effort to recover from a major stroke and lung cancer. The longtime general surgeon at Cary Medical Center served the hospital for more than 20 years and gained the love and respect of many colleagues and patients alike. A strong believer in health education and disease prevention, Siruno was very involved in teaching patients about the importance of early detection and a healthy lifestyle.
In 2008, while at the hospital reviewing X-ray films, the physician suffered a serious stroke from which he never fully recovered. In addition, he was diagnosed with cancer several months later. His death was a major setback for Cary Medical Center and the entire medical community in Aroostook County. During a press conference at Cary Medical Center on June 8, Dr. Carl Flynn, president of the hospital’s medical staff said that Siruno was a dedicated and talented surgeon but was more than a doctor.
“Cesar was a true friend and colleague to all of us on the medical staff,” Flynn said, who spoke at the press conference held in the Chan Center. “He had such an infectious personality and a smile that could light up a room. He has left a huge hole in the medical community here, not to mention what the loss has meant to his family. This generous donation is a fitting tribute and one that will keep his memory alive while helping improve stroke care in this part of the state.”
The family of Dr. Siruno was represented by his widow, Florentina, of Caribou; his son, Jonathan, of Portland, Or. and his daughter, April, who now resides in Washington, D.C. Speaking for the family, April Siruno spoke of her father’s love for Aroostook County, his commitment to patient education and his concern for his patients.
“My father truly loved this area and all of us enjoyed living here in Caribou. He loved the people here, his physician colleagues, and the many close friends that he and my mother came to know during the years in this community,” she said. “He had a special place in his heart for his patients and he was a very dedicated physician. We are so grateful for the many kindnesses that have been expressed to us over these past several months,” April added. “In making this gift, we want to honor our father and we know he would be pleased to think of the benefits this gift will mean to patients and doctors here in Aroostook County. Through this donation, we hope to turn our tragic loss into an opportunity to educate people about the early signs and symptoms of stroke and provide ongoing professional education for physicians and other health professionals here in Aroostook County.”
The Siruno Stroke Education Center will be a “Center without Walls,” according to Kris Doody, chief executive officer at Cary Medical Center. The fund will sponsor ongoing community and professional education.
“We will work through our development office, the Jefferson Cary Foundation and other potential funding sources to leverage this very generous gift from the Siruno family,” Doody said. “It is our hope to build a permanent endowment so that we can continue the work of the Siruno Stroke Education Center indefinitely. We will be working closely with the State of Maine CDC/DHHS cardiovascular health program, community colleges and universities to help create a strong community outreach program engaging as many partners as we can to advance the work of the Stroke Center.”
Dr. Siruno had joined Pines Health Services in Caribou shortly before his death. Jim Davis, chief executive officer at Pines, stated that the organization has felt a deep sense of loss both from a personal and professional perspective.
“Dr. Siruno had many friends throughout our organization,” Davis said. “Over his many years of practice in Caribou, he provided such a valuable service for so many patients. We felt very fortunate to have him as part of our organization and only regret that he had so little time with us. He played a vital role in meeting the health care needs of the communities we serve. He is greatly missed as we move forward in recruiting general surgeons to fill the void his untimely passing created.”
Representing the Maine CDC/DHHS Cardiovascular Health Program, Danielle Louder also made brief remarks at the June 8 press conference. Louder spoke of the ongoing work that Cary Medical Center has been engaged in thanks to a grant provided by her office in 2008 and she spoke of how the Siruno donation will advance this activity.
“Cary Medical Center was one of four hospitals in Maine to receive funding for the advancement of stroke care in our state. The hospital has done outstanding work over the past year and made great progress in both public education and policies relating to clinical practice. This very kind and remarkable gift from the Siruno family will help advance this work even further and is certainly a great and lasting tribute to an outstanding individual in Dr. Cesar Siruno,” she said.
The Siruno Stroke Education Center will establish an advisory committee that will assist in the development of an annual program of community health promotion and professional education. The center will host a Stroke Conference every May during National Stroke Awareness Month. The first conference will be held on May 20, 2010. The funds provided by the Siruno family will be managed by the Jefferson Cary Foundation, a non-profit, private foundation that is the fund-raising arm of Cary Medical Center.
Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States, claiming more than 140,1000 lives each year. Approximately 795,000 people suffer strokes each year with one stroke occurring every 40 seconds in the United States.
