For Michael Petrecca, making a generous donation to help young patients at Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital at Hackensack University Medical Center is extremely personal.
“I’ve always wanted to be in a position to help kids who are fighting for their lives because I’ve experienced it,” he said. “We finally had an opportunity to raise money and do something positive, and we took that chance.”
Michael Petrecca’s Personal Reason for Rise Alliance’s Donation
Michael, the co-founder and CEO of the New York-based financial restructuring firm Rise Alliance, says he spent much of his childhood in Boston Children’s Hospital due to stomach issues and pre-cancerous conditions. When Michael was in high school, his brother’s best friend also had medical issues, and was treated at Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital by a team of physicians, including Burton Appel, M.D., associate director of the Children’s Cancer Institute at Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital.
“He went through a tough couple of years, but he’s happy and healthy now,” said Michael. “He’s living his best life.”
In the years after creating his successful business, Michael sought a way to help young patients — and he didn’t need to look further than the Children’s Hospital, located fewer than 15 miles from Rise Alliance’s office in midtown Manhattan.
A Donation and Coordination with the Children’s Hospital
On August 13, 2024, Rise Alliance made a $50,000 pledge to Tackle Kids Cancer to build a special area for patients at the Children’s Hospital to enjoy themselves and receive a respite from treatment. In the two years that followed, Rise Alliance actively participated in designing the playroom.
“We wanted to do more than just simply write a check. We wanted to help create something that is lasting and impactful,” said Michael. “It’s been nothing but a blessing and a dream come true for us.”
Employees at Rise Alliance worked with Hackensack Meridian Health team members to help coordinate logistics and remain in the loop with construction updates. The end result, in the opinion of Dr. Appel, is a wonderful place where young patients can forget about being patients for a few minutes at a time.
“We’re really happy that they took a personal interest in this,” he said. “They didn’t just donate money — they came and were really interested.”
A Full Circle Moment for Dr. Appel at the Children’s Hospital
The playroom, which was officially unveiled this summer, is a colorful oasis of toys, games and tables where young patients and their families can make art projects, hang out and enjoy time away from treatment.
“Honestly, the ribbon-cutting was really emotional,” said Michael. “It was always my dream to be in a position to impact kids’ lives like that — just like the doctors and nurses who helped me when I was a kid.”
Between the Moana® and Barbie® toys and the television screen, the playroom has something for everyone in the main part of the hospital’s pediatric unit.
“A lot of kids are going to use it,” said Dr. Appel. “It looks very nice, it’s very functional and that’s what you want.”
Dr. Appel compared the playroom to outdoor playgrounds, saying it would be a fun place for children and somewhere for parents to have a break, too.
“They did this in a very high-quality way. It looks great.”
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