Phyllis Gray and Robert Bickel met at Ithaca College in New York, where they both majored in physical therapy. Shortly after graduating, the young couple moved to Baltimore to start their careers. It was 1981. Phyllis landed a position at MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital and Robert was hired by another hospital in the area.
As their careers flourished, so did their desire to give back. “We were doing well. Bob had moved on to work for MedStar Health Home Care and then transferred to MedStar National Rehabilitation Network as an outpatient physical therapist. I had been presented with numerous opportunities to grow at MedStar Good Samaritan and within MedStar Health,” says Phyllis, who now serves as administrative director for Palliative Care Services for MedStar.
“We are both driven by a strong desire to help others and felt that supporting the places where we work was one of the best ways we could do that,” she adds. “We have always spent our money wisely and have been fortunate to be able to give to many worthwhile programs at MedStar Health entities over the years.”
So, when the couple heard about plans for a new Inpatient Rehabilitation Center at MedStar Good Samaritan, a partnership with MedStar National Rehabilitation Network, they stepped up to the plate with a large gift. “With our backgrounds in rehabilitation, we knew what a difference a better physical plant would make for the patients being cared for at MedStar Good Samaritan,” Phyllis notes. “This hospital is my home away from home and I am extremely grateful that we had the means to support the development of this beautiful, state-of-the-art facility.”