Greg and Sharri Rochlin and daughters
Greg Rochlin was born at Sinai Hospital, as were both of his daughters, and Sinai helped him beat cancer—which he has done twice. So it’s no surprise that Greg has volunteered to serve on the boards of both Sinai Hospital and LifeBridge Health—and that he and his wife Sharri are making a significant gift to LifeBridge through their estate.
"At some point in time, for better or worse, everyone will need a health system like LifeBridge," Greg says. "If my daughter broke her arm playing sports, we would go to Sinai. If you need a flu vaccine, you can go to Sinai. God forbid you get cancer, like I did—you want to go to Sinai. There are so many charities out there asking people to give; I believe you get the biggest bang for your buck and make the most impact when you give to LifeBridge Health because you are helping to provide the best health care for your community—and what greater gift is there than life?"
Greg currently serves as chair of the Sinai Hospital Board, and he previously was chair of the LifeBridge strategic planning committee. He said he is thankful that wait time in the ER has been reduced—a big priority for him—and that he is truly excited about the expansion plans at Pimlico and building their comprehensive cancer center.
A health care advocate and philanthropist, Greg currently runs several companies—including an upscale wine and spirits company, an aluminum trading company, and a company that provides medical marijuana. He graduated from the University of Maryland in 1987. Sharri attended Rutgers University and then earned a master’s degree in social work from the University of Michigan; she has worked in development, including for The Associated in Baltimore.
“We have always been philanthropic—we literally met at a conference of Jewish charities,” Greg says. “We like to teach our children to be involved in their community and that it is their responsibility to help make it better for everybody.”
Greg was being treated for cancer in Indiana when he was referred to Dr. Jack Feldman at Sinai, and it was amazing that his treatment could be completed here in Baltimore. "The nurses at Sinai were fantastic and the communication with our family was great," Greg says. "Some nurses went above and beyond to make it as comfortable an experience as it could have been. I am extremely thankful to the entire clinical staff at Sinai Hospital and to LifeBridge President & CEO Neil Meltzer."
He said that having a cancer scare at a relatively young age served as a “wake-up call” to think about long-term philanthropy, including their estate gift.
“It is important to give today, but making a planned gift is like planting seeds for the future,” Greg says. “We are incredibly grateful for the care I received, and we want to give back in a meaningful way. Sinai is so important to the entire Baltimore community, and we want the topnotch care that we have received to be available to anyone who needs it.”