MDI Hospital

08/19/2025

Mount Desert Island Hospital is proud to celebrate a generous gift of $25,000 from Machias Savings Bank to its Building Our Future Campaign in support of the Campus Improvement Project.

“Machias Savings Bank is proud to support the continued growth of our local hospital,” said Matt Horton, Vice President and Branch Manager, “We are truly fortunate to have an independent hospital here on MDI, thank you to the entire team at MDI Hospital for all that you do for this community.”

Horton celebrated this donation to MDI Hospital’s Building Our Future campaign not only as a representative of Machias Savings Bank, but as a local. “Having served with the Fire Department for many years, I’ve had countless professional interactions with the Emergency Department, and I am always impressed by the care they provided. As a resident, I’ve also turned to the hospital personally and I can’t imagine going anywhere else. We are incredibly lucky to have this hospital on MDI.”

Read more on our website: https://www.mdihospital.org/featured/strengthening-community-care-machias-savings-bank-supports-mdi-hospital-with-donation-of-25000/

08/18/2025

Congratulations to our 2025 Employees of the Year! From MDIH, Caleb Cough and Lynne Assaf and from Birch Bay, Stephen Lewis.

With over 15 years of dedicated service, Lynne Assaf has been the heart of MDI Hospital’s care management team. Known for her warmth, wisdom, and fierce advocacy. This past year, she stepped into a counseling role at our Behavioral Health Center because that’s where her community needed her most.

If you’ve ever needed help with technology at MDI Hospital, chances are you’ve called Caleb Cough, and he’s answered with a calm, kind, and can-do attitude. Known as the go-to IT expert across the hospital, health centers, and Birch Bay Retirement Village, Caleb is always ready to problem-solve, innovate, and step up for his colleagues.

Stephen Lewis is the steady, compassionate heartbeat of Birch Bay Retirement Village’s Safe Harbor unit. As a CRMA, he brings professionalism, empathy, and leadership to every shift. Whether helping a resident through grief or lending a hand to his coworkers, Stephen goes above and beyond in ways both big and small.

We will be celebrating our Employees and Volunteers of the Year at our Community Celebration and Campaign Launch on August 27th at the Bar Harbor Club from 5-7PM. All are welcome but space is limited, so reserve your seat by registering at mdihospital.org/communitycelebration

Read more about our Employees of the Year on our website: https://www.mdihospital.org/featured/2025-employees-of-the-year/

08/18/2025

Island Kind: Honoring the Helpers Who Keep MDI Healthy

Every day, people across Mount Desert Island show up with kindness, compassion, and quiet strength. They’re the nurses offering comfort, the doctors and care practitioners listening deeply, the lab techs behind the scenes, cleaners who offer conversation and a smile when they are in your room, and clinical assistants keeping care moving forward. They’re the volunteers who give their time and the donors who make it all possible.

This is for them—the helpers, the healers, the heart of MDI Health. They are Island Kind.

Nominate someone today who shows us what it means to be Island Kind!
https://forms.office.com/r/xScpmxWddm

08/15/2025

For more than 30 years, Dr. Charles “Charlie” Hendricks has been a cornerstone of care at Mount Desert Island Hospital, known for his surgical skill, deep compassion, and unwavering dedication to patients. Now, he and his family are extending that care in a new way, by supporting the next generation of nurses by launching a scholarship to support non-traditional nursing students on Mount Desert Island.

The Hendricks Family Nursing Advancement Scholarship will provide up to $10,000 annually to non-traditional students and adult learners pursuing nursing careers. Funds can be used for tuition or living expenses, helping to remove the financial barriers that often stand between students and their career goals.

Speaking about the impact he hopes the scholarship will have, Dr. Hendricks explained, “Time and again, over the many years of my practice here in Bar Harbor, I’ve worked with good, motivated people aspiring to transition into a nursing career at later points in their lives. It’s much harder to accomplish once you’ve taken on life’s responsibilities, but I feel when able to make that transition, these folks bring such a breadth of life experience to the profession. So much so, that they make some of the most compassionate and skilled nurses! It has been a long-term goal of mine to help smooth that path in some way. My family is deeply connected to this initiative and community. With the need for nursing staff so acute, the time seemed right to begin this process for the island and hospital we cherish.”

Read more about the scholarship and how to apply on our website:

For more than 30 years, Dr. Charles “Charlie” Hendricks has been a cornerstone of care at Mount Desert Island Hospital, known for his surgical skill, deep compassion, and unwavering dedication to patients. Now, he and his family are extending that care in a new way, by supporting the next genera...

08/15/2025

Happy Business Friends Friday! 🤝🏻 Shoutout to My Darling Maine Island Boutique for showing some serious 💙 island love! We're so grateful for their generous support as a Circle of Care member of MDI Hospital’s Business Friends Society. 🙌

From cozy apparel to handcrafted jewelry, every item in their shop is inspired by the magic of Mount Desert Island. 🏞️✨

📍 Visit this local gem at 19 Cottage Street, Bar Harbor
🛍️ Explore the charm: www.mydarlingmaine.com

08/12/2025

Mount Desert Island (MDI) Hospital is honored to celebrate a generous $100,000 gift from The Bangor Savings Bank Foundation in support of its Campus Improvement Project. This significant investment will help fund critical improvements to MDI Hospital’s main campus, ensuring that high-quality, compassionate care remains accessible to the people of the MDI region for generations to come.

“Strong, healthy communities require access to high-quality, compassionate care. The Bangor Savings Bank Foundation is proud to support Mount Desert Island Hospital in its work to provide exceptional healthcare and enhance the well-being of the community,” said Gavin Robinson, SVP, Community Relations Manager and Public Finance Officer at Bangor Savings Bank. “As a Foundation, we are committed to investing in the health of our region to help ensure a resilient, vibrant future.”

Read more on our website: https://www.mdihospital.org/featured/investing-in-the-future-of-local-healthcare-the-bangor-savings-bank-foundation-gives-100000-to-mdi-hospitals-campus-improvement-project/

08/12/2025

🚨 Heart Saver & CPR Classes at MDI Hospital! 🚨
Join us for Heart Saver & CPR classes at Lisa Stewart Women's Health Center and gain the confidence to respond in an emergency. Whether you're a parent, caregiver, boat captain or just someone who wants to be prepared—you can make a difference. ❤️
🗓️ Saturday, August 23 | 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
🗓️ Saturday, September 13 | 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
🗓️ Thursday, September 18 | 5:00 PM – 8:30 PM
🗓️ Saturday, October 11 | 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
🗓️ Thursday, October 16 | 5:00 PM – 8:30 PM
🗓️ Saturday, November 8 | 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
💵 $60 per person
📍 Lisa Stewart Women’s Health Center
📢 Classes are filling fast—sign up now!
📞 For more information, visit mdihospital.org or call Karen Vanzura at (207) 288-5082 ext. 1444

08/11/2025

Mount Desert Island Hospital & Health Centers, for the second consecutive year, has been named among the Best Places to Work in Maine.

“This recognition is a direct reflection of the dedication and leadership that each of our team members help foster every day across our organization. This honor not only acknowledges the positive environment we strive to create but also reinforces the connection between a supportive workplace and exceptional care for our patients and their families"

Read more on our website:
https://www.mdihospital.org/featured/mdi-hospital-health-centers-named-among-best-places-to-work-in-maine-for-second-year-in-a-row/

08/08/2025

Happy Business Friends Friday! 🤝🏻 Huge thanks to Sew & Save Inc. for joining MDI Hospital’s Business Friends Society as a proud Circle of Care member! 🎉

This family-run gem has been keeping Downeast Maine running smoothly (and cleanly!) since 1971 — offering top-notch vacuums, sewing machines, and expert service. 🧵✨💨

Looking for Miele, Titan, or just the right vacuum bag? They've got you covered — plus filters, accessories, and that friendly local touch.

🧡 Visit them at 69 Foster Street in Ellsworth and support a business that gives back to the community (and maybe have a visit with sweet Mac!)

Mac says , don’t go anywhere else. We have the vacuum you need!!!

08/07/2025

✨ Island Kind - Honoring the Helpers who Keep MDI Healthy ✨

If something good is happening at our health centers, chances are Tricia Thurlow has a hand in it. As our health center nurse manager, Tricia is the kind of person who quietly makes everything better, for patients, coworkers, and the community.

She leads with heart and hustle: making sure every child leaves their appointments with a book to spark their imagination, finding new and innovative ways to stock the “help yourself” shelves with food for those in need, and organizing produce pop-ups so no one goes without healthy food. She helps plan and staff clinics and health fairs that bring free or low-cost care to those who need it most. Tricia sees a problem and she works to solve it. She sees people in our community in need, and she looks for ways to help them.

Dr. Tanya Hanke describes Tricia’s impact perfectly:
"She is always willing to take on a task, is never too busy to answer a question, and is always tackling a problem from outside the box. She is a fabulous person, coworker, and leader."

If you know someone at MDI Hospital, Health Centers, or Birch Bay Retirement Village who should be recognized as Island Kind, email mariah.cormier@mdihospital.org.

08/06/2025

You are invited to join us for our Community Celebration & Campaign Launch on Wednesday, August 27th from 5-7PM at the Bar Harbor Club.

Thanks to you, MDI Hospital is becoming a more modern, resilient, and patient-centered health system, ready to serve our island community for generations to come. The launch of this campaign is made possible by your generosity and belief in our mission.

This event is free to attend, but space is limited. To reserve your spot, contact Patrianna at 207.801.5082 ext. 1432 or visit our website mdihospital.org/CommunityCelebration to RSVP using our online form.

We hope to see you there!

08/05/2025

Mount Desert Island Hospital is honored to celebrate a generous $250,000 gift from First National Bank to the hospital’s Campus Improvement Project. This significant investment in the health and well-being of the MDI region will help fund critical improvements to MDI Hospital’s main campus, including a new modernized, climate-resilient Emergency Department designed to deliver lifesaving care when it matters most.

“The bond created over 100 years ago between MDI Hospital and First National Bank is as solid as it has ever been,” said Tony McKim, President and CEO of The First. “As medicine and treatment have evolved, so has MDI Hospital as a delivery channel for health and wellness. We are proud to support our local hospital and look forward to the next 100 years.”

Read more on our website: https://www.mdihospital.org/featured/rooted-in-community-first-national-bank-invests-in-mdi-hospitals-campus-improvement-project/