Thursday, October 1, 2026
Community members and business leaders are invited to tee off for a cause as Mount Sinai South Nassau prepares to host its 42nd annual golf outing on May 11, raising funds to expand advanced cardiac care for South Shore residents.
The hospital has named Justin Breslin, vice president of Breslin Realty Development Corporation, as this year’s honoree. Dr. Jay Itzkowitz, chair of emergency medicine, will receive the Lifesaver Award, while Ralph Esposito, director of the Nassau County Veterans Service Agency, will be recognized for community service.
The outing — described as the largest annual hospital golf fundraiser on Long Island — will take place across three courses: The Seawane Club, Rockaway Hunting Club and Rockville Links Club.
Proceeds will support the hospital’s “Bringing Heart Home” campaign, an initiative aimed at enhancing cardiac services at its Oceanside campus, including the introduction of open-heart surgery. The campaign seeks to raise $5 million over three years to fund new equipment and infrastructure.
Hospital leaders say the initiative will allow patients to receive advanced cardiac care closer to home, reducing the need to travel to Manhattan or other parts of Long Island. Specialists from the Manhattan-based Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital — part of The Mount Sinai Hospital, which is ranked among the nation’s top programs for cardiology and heart surgery by U.S. News & World Report — are expected to perform procedures locally.
“We are grateful to the many companies and individuals who have supported our annual golf outing year in and year out,” said Tony Cancellieri, co-chair of the event, noting that past contributions helped fund major projects such as the Fennessy Family Emergency Department and the Feil Family Pavilion.
Breslin, a third-generation real estate developer, has played a key role in expanding his family’s firm to multifamily housing. His projects include redevelopments in Lynbrook and Baldwin, transforming underutilized properties into large-scale residential communities. Since joining the company in 2017, he has taken on increasing responsibility in leading, property management and long-term strategic planning.
Itzkowitz, who lives in West Hempstead, is being recognized for his leadership of the hospital’s emergency department, which handles about 70,000 patient visits annually. He has overseen operations during a $50 million renovation that expanded the department and introduced new patient care areas, including a dedicated behavioral health space.
Under his leadership, the department improved a key patient satisfaction metric — the rate of patients leaving without being seen — from seven percent in 2023 to below two percent in 2024. The department also received the Lantern Award from the Emergency Nurses Association, recognizing excellence in leadership, innovation and patient care. It remains the only Level II trauma center on Nassau County’s South Shore and is designated as a regional stroke center by the state.
Esposito, a longtime advocate for veterans, is being honored for decades of public service. A U.S. Navy veteran who served aboard the U.S.S. Ticonderoga, he has led efforts to connect veterans with essential services through the county agency. His work has earned numerous accolades, including induction into the New York State Senate Veterans Hall of Fame and multiple community service awards.
“Ralph Esposito has dedicated his career to serving our country and helping the veterans who have sacrificed so much,” said Jeff Greenfield, co-chair of the hospital’s golf committee.
Event organizers said sponsorships, journal ads and foursomes are still available, along with a pickleball tournament for non-golfers. Proceeds from all activities will contribute to the hospital’s ongoing efforts to expand life-saving cardiac care on the South Shore.
