Esther S Heart Transplant - Esther's Story

"No one had more confidence in the health care provided at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center than my mother, Esther Shilling."

My two brothers and I were all born at The Beth and for more than 20 years, our mother proudly served as a registered nurse there, assisting in the treatment of heart patients in the Pacemaker Center.

Then in 1990, our mother became the patient. Mom was Newark Beth’s fifth heart transplant recipient that year. When her cardiomyopathy reached the point that a transplant was needed, the Barnabas Health Heart Center at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center Heart Transplant Team successfully implanted the donor heart of a young accident victim into my mother’s chest.

It was hard to comprehend how caring the entire staff at The Beth was. The commitment and compassion was phenomenal – they were her family and they treated all of us like family. That made all the difference.

As an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) volunteer for many years and through my lifelong history with Newark Beth, I have witnessed firsthand how important it is to have the best care right here in New Jersey when you or a loved one experiences a serious illness or injury. The Beth is always here for you.