Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, along with his wife Carla Sarno, and city and state officials joined with Dr. Robert Roose, Dr. Phil Glynn, Bishop William Byrne, and members of the Yee Family on Thursday for the Andy Yee Palliative Care Unit Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at Mercy Medical Center.
The ceremony celebrated the opening of an important addition to our health care community. The Andy Yee Palliative Care Unit embodies the spirit of compassionate care and the essential support it offers to patients and their families during life’s most challenging moments.
Mayor Sarno states, “Congratulations to the Mercy Medical team and Yee family on the opening of the cutting the edge Andy Yee Memorial Palliative Care Unit. This type of focused care will enhance quality of life for patients and their families. I am grateful to Dr. Roose, Dr. Glynn, always so kind and professional, and the entire team at Mercy for their continued compassion and care for our community.”
“Mercy’s new Palliative Care Unit (PCU) will be the only dedicated, hospital-based palliative care unit in Western Mass”, continued Mayor Sarno. “My administration is proud to support this project with $250,000 in ARPA funding, which has been used to transform the unit with furnishings, including sectionals, lounges, tables, chairs and a built-in nourishment center for the family lounge and sleeper chairs for loved ones to enable them to stay in patients’ rooms, as well as all the glasswork throughout the unit which offers an intimate, supportive and soothing environment. This is a unique setting that is very conducive to families and equipped for modern technology and communication. Not only will the new Andy Yee Memorial PCU offer enhanced quality of life for patients and families, it will support the creation of four, new, full-time medical/surgical nursing positions as well as a chaplain, social worker and a pharmacist as part of the unit’s multi-disciplinary care team. Mercy also contracted with many local businesses to complete all the beautiful work. Just like his late father, Johnny Yee of Hu Ke Lau fame, Andy Yee was so kind hearted, visionary, and always that can do attitude of why not and not only think big, but do big. His daughter Bella and wife Sarah did such a beautiful job honoring him at the ceremony. His legacy of generosity will continue on at Mercy with the Andy Yee Memorial Palliative Care Unit.”
