The Borgatello family’s history with VNA Health (VNA HEALTH) dates back to 1918 when their grandmother, Marcellana Borgatello, caught the Spanish flu. Just two days after she was admitted to St. Francis Hospital, her husband, Secunda Borgatello, unexpectedly died from a cough and fever.

Marcellana, now a widow with five children under the age of eight, returned home from the hospital extremely weak. Thankfully, she was restored to health and able to support her family after receiving daily, compassionate care at home from the nurses of VNA HEALTH.

Ever since that time, the following generations of the Borgatello family have continued to receive care at home from VNA HEALTH during periods of recovery from health challenges. In turn, they have generously provided financial support to sustain the care that has helped their family live well for more than 100 years.

One very important service to the community provided by VNA HEALTH that the Borgatello family deeply appreciates is the Loan Closet. They especially appreciate that the Loan Closet supports healthcare and recovery at home by providing basic medical equipment, free of charge, to help everyone in the community live safely and independently at home.

In addition to annual cash gifts to support the Loan Closet, Marborg Industries, the Borgatello family business for nearly a century, recognized the very limited space available to store equipment at the old VNA HEALTH location on Canon Perdido and donated a Marborg storage pod for the duration of the Loan Closet’s tenancy there.
“We have always been grateful for the help my grandparents received. Whenever we have needed help from VNA HEALTH, they have been there for us. We are also grateful for the equipment we have needed from the Loan Closet,” states David Borgatello.

David’s mother, Peggy Borgatello, used equipment from the Loan Closet while on VNA HEALTH’s hospice care at home, and his great-niece, Bella, recently utilized Loan Closet equipment to help recover from a serious knee injury and subsequent surgery.

Bella’s mother, Theresa, shares “When the doctor recommended some equipment to help Bella recover at home, the first place that came to mind was the Loan Closet. And Bob in the Loan Closet, not only had the two items we requested, he also had a wheelchair for us ‘just in case.’”

Theresa recently became a member of the Board of Directors of VNA Health. As a representative of her family’s investment in the organization’s mission, she is gratified to see firsthand how services like VNA HEALTH’s Loan Closet does make such a difference in helping over 3,000 individuals and families live well each year even during challenging health situations.

The Loan Closet is funded solely by the generosity of donors like the Borgatello Family. Please consider joining them by making a gift today to support the Loan Closet and helping others recover and live independently at home with free medical equipment.

You can also make a gift for future generations to benefit from the Loan Closet by including VNA HEALTH in your estate plans. For more information, please check the box in the enclosed envelope or contact Brittany Avila Wazny at 805.690.6290 or brittany.avila@vna.health