For My Father

By Marvin Moskowitz

As a young man heading off to college, I watched as my father’s severe asthma took the reins of his life. At first, he struggled with intermittent wheezing and coughing, but after a while, he couldn’t go anywhere without his inhaler. His breathing became so severe he had to leave his job. It was devastating seeing my father, a civilian working for the U.S Navy during WW II, become homebound. He visited multiple doctors where we lived in New York. But, it wasn’t until he found National Jewish Health that he experienced relief.

After a six-week stay at the hospital’s main campus in Denver in the 1970s, my father’s asthma improved, and he returned to New York. We had limited means, and at that time, National Jewish Health did not charge patients for treatment. My father never stopped talking about his time at the hospital. The institution helped him when no one else could. He was so grateful, and I remain appreciative to this day for the care he received.

Providing care to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay, is a cornerstone value at National Jewish Health. I became first a trustee and later a board member, and my wife Neva and I became donors because we never forgot what the organization did for my father. We continue to invest in the institution because National Jewish Health is a trusted leader and visionary in today’s challenging health care environment.

Now, National Jewish Health is on the brink of completing an unprecedented, historic fundraising campaign. The Campaign for National Jewish Health: We Never Say Never^® will enable the institution to continue its mission to provide the most innovative clinical programs and research-approach cures to conquer diseases like asthma, COPD, lung cancer, heart and autoimmune conditions. Being among the first donors to this Campaign, we urge you to join our family and ensure that National Jewish Health remains a beacon of hope for millions of children and adults around the globe.