Beebe Healthcare Unveils Abessinio Health Campus after Transformational Gift
Beebe Healthcare and the Beebe Medical Foundation unveiled the Abessinio Health Campus with new signage Monday, recognizing the second largest philanthropic gift in the healthcare system’s 108-year history.
The special ceremony honored Rocco A. and Mary Abessinio and their family, who donated a transformational gift of $6 million in February. In recognition of the gift, Beebe named its Rehoboth Health Campus the “Abessinio Health Campus” located on John J. Williams Highway and Warrington Road.
“It’s wonderful to be here on the Abessinio Health Campus,” said Rocco Abessinio. “It makes our family very proud to support Beebe as it continues to grow to care for the communities in Sussex County. We believe that all families deserve access to the excellent and quality care that Beebe provides.”
The Abessinio Health Campus features the Specialty Surgical Hospital, Tunnell Cancer Center, Medical Arts Building, Center for Breast Health, Beebe Walk-In Care Rehoboth, and Beebe Outpatient Surgery Center.
“I am so grateful for the Abessinio family’s strong support and investment in Beebe Healthcare,” said Tom Protack, President, Beebe Medical Foundation. “They have joined a legacy of philanthropic visionaries who have supported Beebe since Drs. James and Richard Beebe opened the first hospital in Sussex County back in 1916. The Abessinio name will stand as a beacon of hope and health, a constant reminder of the family’s altruism and the transformative power of philanthropy.”
The funds from this transformational gift have supported the Foundation’s Sussex Supports Beebe Healthcare campaign, which has already surpassed its second benchmark goal of $30 million. The comprehensive fundraising campaign launched in July of 2021. The initial goals were to help support Beebe Healthcare establish a new residency program for Family Medicine, purchase a Mobile Health Clinic for community outreach, establish Beebe’s Center for Breast Health, upgrade a Catheterization Lab at the Margaret H. Rollins Lewes Campus, and initiate renovations at Tunnell Cancer Center. All of these generous donations allow Beebe to continue to grow and be a strong community health system for Sussex County – a population that is expected to double the national average growth rate by 2027.
“Every plan that Beebe puts into action has Sussex County in mind. We could not do that without the generous support of people like Rocco and Mary,” said David A. Tam, MD, MBA, CPHE, FACHE, President & CEO, Beebe Healthcare. “We continue to strategically grow services to serve our communities with healthcare that is focused on access, safety, quality, equity, and empathy.”
The Rocco A. and Mary Abessinio Foundation Inc. was established in 2001. Through Rocco and Mary’s leadership, the foundation has funded scholarships, capital campaigns, and social programs for deserving people principally in education, religious, and health initiatives for local communities and throughout the US.
Rocco, the son of Italian immigrants, began his career in banking and held multiple management positions before starting his own companies, namely Applied Card Systems Inc. and Applied Bank (formerly Cross Country Bank). Rocco’s companies grew to become a top 10 issuer of Visa and MasterCard credit cards nationwide. Additionally, Applied Bank offers consumer and commercial products from its branches located in Wilmington and Rehoboth Beach.
Outside of banking, Rocco’s business success continued in several international food product businesses, commercial and residential real estate, and private equity investing. A native of Wilmington, Rocco is a proud graduate of Salesianum High School and attended the University of Delaware. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business and an honorary degree from Neumann University. Rocco and Mary currently reside in Boca Raton, Florida. They spend their summers in Rehoboth Beach with their four children, their spouses, and 12 grandchildren.