Abby Roth Makes Gift in Her Will to Help YNHH Fulfill Its Critical Mission and Save More Lives

“Last fall I was riding my bike in
Massachusetts wearing my Smilow
Closer to Free shirt. A woman stopped
me and said her husband is alive
because of the care Smilow provided,
and she thanked me for helping
Smilow raise funds to provide that
care. I hope my gift will enable
the hospital to save even
more lives.”

If you really want to make a difference, let Abby be your role model. A gift in her will to YNHH is just one way she cares for her community.

“I have a strong need to have an impact on my community,” says Abigail Roth. That’s why it was a lucky day for New Haven when she moved back to town.

After graduating from Yale College and then Yale Law School, Abby lived and worked in Southern California, New York City, Boston, and Washington, D.C.

In 2007 she returned to the Northeast to be closer to her family in Massachusetts because her dad was ill. Back in New Haven, she began working for Yale—first at the Law School, then the School of Management, and, more recently, the Medical School.

It wasn’t long before she began to find ways to support her New Haven community. She signed up to participate in the Closer to Free Ride, a fundraiser for Smilow Cancer Hospital—and has since participated five times, most recently doing the 60-mile ride. She has devoted time to a wide range of community efforts, from serving as board treasurer at the New Haven Free Public Library to making local streets safer for pedestrians as a co-founder of the Yale Traffic Safety Committee.

She is currently serving her third term as a New Haven alder, a demanding and time-consuming “second job,” representing the residents and businesses of Ward 7—which comprises much of Downtown and part of the East Rock neighborhood. She does it all because she loves New Haven, and she feels her efforts make a real difference. “I love the size and scale of New Haven,” she says. “You can actually have an impact here.”

When Abby got married a few years ago, she made a new will. Once again, she thought about the community she loves—and how to have a positive impact. “I wanted to set aside donations for a few of the local organizations whose missions I care deeply about,” she says. “These nonprofits need financial resources to fulfill their important missions.”

Both of Abby’s parents passed away after dealing with serious health issues, which required a lot of hospital care, and so Abby has a first-hand appreciation for the vital role of hospitals—both for patients and their families. She chose to leave a gift in her will to Yale New Haven Hospital because “being healthy is foundational to being able to be fully engaged and enjoy life. That’s why hospitals have such a critical mission.”

Abby hopes her gift will “give more patients access to the very best care and help patients and their families through the toughest challenges of their lives.”

A positive impact on the New Haven community now and in the future—that’s what Abby Roth is all about.