The small gathering at Healthy Aging Martha’s Vineyard’s Vineyard Haven headquarters felt more like a family celebration than an awards ceremony. A cluster of older adults, hospital colleagues, and longtime community advocates filled the room on Tuesday evening as Denise Schepici, President of Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, accepted the organization’s first-ever Healthy Aging Champion Award.

The honor recognized her “outstanding leadership and lasting contributions to the health and well-being of older adults on Martha’s Vineyard.” But the mood in the room suggested something deeper – gratitude for a leader who has shepherded the Island through challenge and change with a steady hand.

Calling her work on behalf of Island seniors “transformational,” HAMV board chairman Dr. Robert Laskowski spoke about her lasting impact. “Your leadership at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital and in our community has been outstanding,” he said. “From your first day, you led with communication, collaboration, and creativity. The achievements under your leadership have been remarkable.”

He pointed to her role in guiding the hospital and community through the COVID-19 pandemic – an era that, for older adults especially, brought fear and uncertainty. “The pandemic required confident leadership and rapid action,” Laskowski said. “Denise excelled when the Island was most challenged and her leadership was most needed.”

Under her tenure, the hospital expanded access to specialty care – cancer services, neurology, dermatology – and strengthened its connection to Mass General Brigham, bringing world-class medicine closer to home. She pushed forward solutions to the Island’s pressing housing needs for healthcare workers and supported the transformation of Windemere Nursing & Rehabilitation Center into the new Navigator Homes of Martha’s Vineyard. “She made bold ideas real,” Laskowski said.

Schepici accepted the award with characteristic humor. “I have a vested interest because now I’m an older person – soon to be retired,” she said, smiling. “You haven’t lived until you’ve signed up for Medicare.”

But she quickly shifted to gratitude, pointing to the many people who shaped elder care on the Island. She singled out Paddy Moore, a founder of HAMV, calling her a “force of nature” and a relentless advocate for older adults.

“I’ve been blessed to meet so many people I might never have known if I hadn’t taken this job – some well into their 80s and 90s, and this summer I even went to someone’s 100th birthday party,” she said. “Life isn’t always easy for older adults living on Martha’s Vineyard. But this community has such a deep instinct for caring – ensuring no one goes unfed, unhoused, or uncared for. It’s extraordinary.”

She acknowledged the scale of the Island’s challenges but encouraged the group to keep pushing toward better alternatives for aging with dignity. The opening of Navigator Homes in January, she said, is a testament to what can happen when the Island works together. Many members of the Windemere staff will bring their “spirit, spunk, professionalism, compassion, and love” to the new facility.

Schepici closed by offering one last note of appreciation to Healthy Aging MV. “Thank you for everything you do for this community,” she said. “You remind us that our lives still have purpose as we age together.”