O P I N I O N
THE SOAPBOX
Stand up. Speak up. It’s your turn.
One year ago, Manchester faced the very real possibility of losing Catholic Medical Center, a place that has cared for our families, welcomed new babies, and supported our loved ones for more than 50 years. For me, that uncertainty struck close to home. I grew up watching my mother, a registered nurse, head to work before sunrise to care for people who needed her. I know what a hospital means to a community. It is stability. It is compassion. It is the quiet reassurance that in moments of fear or crisis, help is close by. Losing that would have reshaped Manchester in ways that are hard to measure.
When HCA Healthcare stepped forward, they did far more than keep a hospital open. They preserved an anchor for the West Side, a part of the city that touches me deeply. And that anchor is not only holding steady, it is gaining strength. Over the next ten years, HCA Healthcare has committed more than $200 million to expanding and modernizing the hospital, ensuring the community has access to high quality care for decades to come. Even stepping into the lobby today, you can see the transformation. And with a new central energy plant under construction, the hospital is preparing for a future built on reliability and resilience.
But CMC has always been more than bricks and mortar. It is woven into the cultural and emotional fabric of the neighborhood, and its presence matters not just for health care, but for the identity and spirit of the community itself. For many, CMC’s Catholic identity is a deeply valued part of that heritage. One year into this new chapter, that identity remains strong. It is evident in the hospital’s mission focused approach, the dignity with which it treats patients, and the compassion that continues to guide its work in alignment with the Diocese.
Over the past year, CMC has also demonstrated that its commitment to Manchester extends well beyond clinical care. The hospital continues to show up for this community in meaningful and tangible ways. Its generous contribution to the City’s efforts on homelessness has strengthened our ability to reach people who need help the most. And as part of this new chapter, HCA Healthcare has committed an additional $2 million over three years to support community health and wellness, including programs that serve our most vulnerable residents. Homelessness is one of the most complex challenges any city can confront. Real progress requires partnership. It requires institutions willing to invest in the wellbeing of people who too often feel unseen. When organizations like CMC step forward, they affirm something I have long believed. Strong community supports are what help people regain stability and rebuild their lives.
That commitment gives me great optimism for the future. The partnership between CMC, the City of Manchester, and the nonprofit organizations that serve our residents is strong. With HCA Healthcare’s ability to invest in high quality care and community programs, the path forward is full of promise. The West Side stands to benefit from renewed vitality, additional investment, and the presence of a hospital that is not only growing but contributing as a tax paying entity to the prosperity of our neighborhoods. Those dollars help support the services residents rely on every day, including public safety, schools, infrastructure, and housing, and they strengthen the foundation on which our city continues to grow.
Most importantly, I hope the great care CMC has always provided continues for generations to come. Families need and deserve high quality care close to home. One year into this new chapter, it is clear that CMC remains not just a hospital, but a dedicated partner in building a stronger, healthier, and more compassionate Manchester.
Manchester is better for it.
Jay Ruais is serving his second term as Mayor of Manchester.
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