For Frank and Judy Mastrocola, it was never a question of whether or not to philanthropically support their community: to them, it was simply an obligation, a repaying of a debt owed. Frank and Judy feel it is simply their duty to give back in support of those in need in greater Boston. And when it comes to healthcare, there was no question about which institution they would support: Massachusetts General Hospital, part of Mass General Brigham (MGB).
The now-retired Medford residents are longtime patients and donors to the MGH Fund, the primary source of unrestricted, flexible funding for the hospital and health system. Recently, the Mastrocolas made the very first gift to name one of the 482 patient rooms in the Phillip and Susan Ragon Building, under construction now, which will serve as MGB’s cornerstone of cancer care as well as heart and vascular care. The Mastrocola Family Patient Room will help caregivers provide others with the same lifesaving care that generations of the Mastrocola family have received for more than a century.
A Family History of Care at Mass General
Frank and Judy started their relationship in Dallas, Texas — Judy’s hometown. But when talk turned to their future, Frank advocated for them to move to Boston — in part, Judy says, because of the stellar healthcare they knew they could rely on at Mass General.
“The care we’ve received here, across every area, from heart, to cancer, to surgery to psychiatry, has been nothing short of exceptional,” Frank says. “When you spend as much time in the hospital as I have, you witness the total commitment to the patient of every single person who works here, from the person who mops the floor, to the lead surgeon.”
Mass General has been there for the Mastrocola family since Frank’s grandfather was treated for typhoid fever in 1919, only a few months after immigrating to the United States. Frank’s father also had his life saved at the hospital several times, Frank recalls, and both Frank, Judy, and their son and daughter have received treatment here that has significantly improved their lives, including the throat, voice and larynx care Frank received from Steve Zeitels, MD, and primary care from Paul Cusick, MD.
But, for Frank, it was the time he spent with his father while he received treatment at Mass General that made the biggest impact. From the time Frank’s father suffered his first heart attack in his 50s to the age-related issues he dealt with into his 90s, Frank says he “saw him on death’s door five times,” and each time, his care team used every resource and creative solution available to save his life.
As a lifelong small business owner, Frank says he has always been impressed by Mass General and Mass General Brigham’s organization-wide dedication to its mission.
“I’ve had trouble keeping just five people pointed in the right direction,” he jokes, “And I’ve often wondered, how do they do it at Mass General Brigham? There’s a real culture of compassion here, a secret sauce.”
A Hospital for Everyone
Having grown up in a working-class community in Everett, Massachusetts, Frank is keenly aware of the challenges faced by those living paycheck to paycheck. One aspect of his experience at Mass General Brigham that stands out to him is the equal and equitable treatment of every patient, regardless of socioeconomic status.
“This isn’t a ‘who you know’ kind of place,” Frank says. “And that’s very important to me. As an immigrant family, my grandfather and father had very few connections in the community. And yet we have always been treated with the same respect as the wealthiest, most well-connected person to walk through the hospital doors.”
For Frank and Judy, being philanthropic is innate, a given, and their way of thanking their clinicians and “being part of the team” at Mass General Brigham.
In addition to naming the Mastrocola Family Patient Room in the Ragon Building, the couple has long made annual gifts to the MGH Fund, which provides the healthcare system, at the direction of David F. M. Brown, MD, president of Mass General Brigham’s academic medical centers, with flexibility to push ahead and take advantage of critical opportunities as they present themselves.
Frank’s motivation for giving to the MGH Fund ties back to his deep sense of commitment to the working and middle class. “This hospital exists for everyone,” he says. “No one is turned away here. I’ve seen folks from every walk of life receiving care here, walking the halls alongside some of the brightest minds in the world. To me, it just makes sense to let those brilliant minds decide where funds are most needed, to help them best care for their patients.”
When he was first starting out in business, Frank’s father gave him a piece of advice that stuck with him throughout his career.
“He always told me to pay my bills first,” Frank says. “It’s nice to finally ‘settle up’ with Mass General after decades of exceptional care. There aren’t many institutions in the world that exist to serve everyone. But this is one of them.”
To learn more about how you can support Mass General Brigham and the Phillip and Susan Ragon Building, contact us.
