Dr. Wise will receive the Lewis S. Pilcher, M.D., Award, in recognition of his leadership and service to NYM. The award is named after the Hospital’s first medical director. Dr. Wise received his medical degree from the University of Sydney. He then went on to complete his residency in surgery at the Royal Newcastle Hospital in Australia and the Hammersmith and St. Mark’s Hospitals in London.

In 1993, Dr. Wise came to NYM to serve as chairman of surgery and led the Department for more than a decade. He retired as the chairman of the Department in 2007, but has continued on as program director. A professor of surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College, Dr. Wise has received numerous honors during his career, including the Hunterian Professorship at the Royal College of Surgeons of England, and has co-authored seven books and more than 300 articles. Dr. Wise resides in Manhattan with his wife, Amal. He has three children and four grandchildren, all residing in New York.

Joan DePrizio will receive the James Monroe Buckley Award for Distinguished Trustee in recognition of her dedication as a member of the Hospital’s board of trustees. This award memorializes the Methodist minister who conceived the idea of founding the first Methodist Hospital, 128 years ago.

A member of the NYM family for over 40 years, Ms. DePrizio has devoted her time and efforts to countless fund raising activities at the Hospital.  She began her career at New York Methodist Hospital in 1968 in the Department of Admissions. In 1973, she became the director of the department where, in addition to her job duties; she took part in many fund raising activities for NYM until 1994 when she retired.

In 1978, she became one of the founding members of the NYM Auxiliary. Since then, she has served as secretary, treasurer and currently as president of the organization. In 1981, Ms. DePrizio and her fellow Auxilians founded the Hospital’s Gift Shop. Last year through their tireless efforts, the Auxiliary donated $75,000 to New York Methodist from Gift Shop proceeds.

Ms. DePrizio, a mother to six children and grandmother to 19 grandchildren, lives in Park Slope where she is able to continue her volunteer efforts at the Hospital.

The “Candlelight Gala” will begin with a cocktail hour at 7 p.m., followed by dinner and awards at 8 p.m. After the award ceremony, guests will be treated to a special performance by singer Jeff Scott, an Elton John look-a-like and sound-a-like.

For tickets, or to place an advertisement in the souvenir journal, please call the Hospital’s Department of Development at 718 780-5342.

New York Methodist Hospital

New York Methodist Hospital, a voluntary, acute-care teaching facility located in Brooklyn’s Park Slope, houses 651 inpatient beds (including bassinets) and provides services to over 34,000 inpatients each year.  An additional 350,000 outpatient visits and services are logged annually.  The Hospital offers Institutes in the following areas: Advanced and Minimally Invasive Surgery, Asthma and Lung Disease; Cancer Care; Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery; Digestive and Liver Disorders; Diabetes and Other Endocrine Disorders; Vascular Medicine and Surgery; Family Care; Neurosciences; Orthopedic Medicine and Surgery and Women’s Health. The Hospital, founded in 1881, has undergone extensive renovation and modernization over the years.  New York Methodist is affiliated with the Weill Cornell Medical College and it is a member of NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare System.