Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page. I’m Pat Mohrhusen, and I'd like to share some of my story with you. If we already know each other, thank you for contributing to my journey at Chesapeake and beyond! 

To start, I'm a Chicago native who moved to Chesapeake, Virginia in 1981. Soon after moving here, I joined Chesapeake General Hospital (as it was known then) as Administrative Assistant to the President. This launched my career in healthcare and set me on track to make many dear, life-long friends along the way.

Throughout my time at Chesapeake Regional, our Hospital staff was a loyal family of healthcare professionals and supporters. We were a really close team that worked together to serve the healthcare needs of our Chesapeake community. I was so privileged to participate in the continuing growth of the hospital, which I would later have to return to as a patient. 

Chesapeake Regional was where I learned the importance of medical record accountability and good patient care. As Chesapeake’s first certified Medical Staff Coordinator, I helped establish the Medical Staff Office. I was given the important role of establishing credentialing functions to protect patients by making sure we recruited qualified physicians and allied health professionals to work in the hospital.

Though we loved Chesapeake Regional, after 12 years of working there, I left Chesapeake with my husband and son and moved to Houston, Texas. There I worked at MD Anderson, a major cancer research center where I experienced a bigger picture of healthcare. Another move took us to Lexington, Kentucky where I worked as the Director of Medical Staff Services with Baptist Healthcare Systems. My career in Texas and Kentucky prospered and continued to reward me with many valued relationships, thanks to my beginnings at Chesapeake Regional.

Working at a hospital is one thing and being admitted as a patient is another. In 2006, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Learning you have cancer is a shock that is hard to accept but learning to deal with it is part of your healing. Having a hospital that knows what a patient needs in distressing times makes all the difference in the world, which is why Chesapeake Regional holds such a special place in my heart.

My cancer journey did not end with breast cancer in 2006. After moving back to Chesapeake in 2017, I was diagnosed with Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia Lymphoma, a rare form of cancer in the blood and bones affecting only five out of every one million people. The treatment— monthly chemotherapy infusions and injection sessions lasting over a year. Unfortunately, this cancer is not
curable. Therefore, the goal is remission and to simply watch and wait. 

This year in 2020 I hit the trifecta and was diagnosed with Large B Cell Lymphoma. This cancer was found in my right leg and had eaten through my right femur. Shortly after, I had to be directly admitted and had a rod placed in my leg. I recently finished my last radiation treatment on Jan 4, 2021— a big moment for me!

I’m telling my story because through it all, you need a solid healthcare team with the best facilities that can meet the needs of its patients. I have had many MRI’s, PET scans, labs, x-rays and other services that a hospital provides. Having the right care and good support is tantamount to the healing process.

Right now, Chesapeake Regional is embarking on a new venture in expanding the hospital and their services. As I write this, a new and expanded Cancer Treatment Center is under way and is set to be completed this spring. The new cancer center will offer a fully renovated, modern space as well as more advanced technology (including its own PET scanner) on the hospital campus so patients no longer need to travel to other places for treatment, 

As a very special Christmas gift, my son Bob and his wife Becky have  pledged to donate $25,000 to the cancer center at Chesapeake Regional in my honor. I recently toured the construction of the new Cancer Center and I’m thrilled with all the services and advancements this new center will offer. As our community grows, so must our hospital.

I would like to ask if you’re willing to join us today and make a donation to this great cause for our community. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, we have really come to remember that any one of us may need healthcare at any moment. Trust me, I know that to be true.

If you’re able, please consider making a gift to this very important part of Chesapeake Regional Hospital. I would like to raise $25,000 to match Bob's gift in order to name a very special part of the new cancer center that will house our cherished physicians. Every gift counts, no matter the size. The success of our community is truly made possible by people like you.

If you would like more information about making a pledge or naming rights to a new area in the hospital, please contact Elisa Wills at the Chesapeake Regional Health Foundation by calling 757-312-6314 or emailing elisa.wills@chesapeakeregional.com.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. 

Thank you so much for your generosity, and for being part of my story at Chesapeake Regional Healthcare. 

Sincerely,

Pat