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Charlie and Gerry Ruibal with neonatal staff at Cleveland Clinic Tradition Hospital, where their support is helping babies and families.
When Charles A. "Charlie" and Geraldine C. "Gerry" Ruibal watched a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) team respond to a simulated emergency at Cleveland Clinic Tradition Hospital in Port St. Lucie, Florida, they were witnessing the impact of their philanthropy up close and in real time. And they were awestruck.
Using "Nicole," an advanced preterm infant simulator, the interdisciplinary medical team calmly practiced caring for a baby in distress. The lifelike mannequin replicates a baby born at just 25 weeks gestation, complete with an umbilical cord, realistic heart rate, pulse and blood pressure, allowing caregivers to rehearse high-stakes procedures without placing a fragile newborn at risk.
Tradition Hospital is part of Cleveland Clinic Martin Health, which serves Florida’s Treasure Coast. Its NICU cares for babies in St. Lucie, Martin, Okeechobee and Indian River counties. The simulator helps healthcare professionals manage the unique challenges presented by premature newborns, ultimately aiming to improve survival rates and health outcomes for these vulnerable patients.
"We were blown away," Charlie said. "The realism was incredible. The staff handled the simulator exactly as they would a real premature baby."
For Gerry, too, the demonstration was deeply gratifying—evidence that their investment was making a tangible difference. "It was amazing—not only seeing this lifelike baby but witnessing the professionalism and expertise of the staff."
When given the opportunity, the couple named the simulator after a neighbor's daughter, the only girl among triplets born prematurely 26 years ago. Together, the three babies weighed just over 6 pounds at birth. Last year, all three graduated from Syracuse University College of Law and passed their bar exams.
"That's what these tiny babies can grow up to become," Charlie said, marveling, as well, that one of the boys was now more than 6 feet tall. “Seeing the impact firsthand made the gift so much more meaningful. It’s a great example of good stewardship.”
Married nearly 60 years and grandparents to six, the Ruibals have called Sailfish Point in Stuart home since 1997 and have been longtime supporters of Martin Health. They are donors at both the Cleveland Clinic Martin Health Barstow-Reed Society level and Cleveland Clinic Cornerstone Society level.
When Cleveland Clinic assumed leadership of Martin Health in 2019, Charlie recalled that he and Gerry, along with neighbors throughout the community, were optimistic. They anticipated that Cleveland Clinic would introduce resources far exceeding the capabilities of a standalone community hospital—and that vision, Charlie said, has materialized and is transforming healthcare in the region.
The gift to expand Cleveland Clinic Martin Health's Simulation Center reflects the values that have guided the couple’s philanthropy for decades. Charlie, who emigrated from Cuba as a teenager and attended Villanova University with the help of financial aid from donors he never met, believes in giving others opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach.
“I was the beneficiary of someone else’s generosity,” Charlie said. “That really is what has driven our philanthropy.”
In a thank you letter to Charlie and Gerry, the NICU interprofessional and simulation teams conveyed how grateful they were for the “truly inspiring” gift that will help caregivers more realistically train and enhance critical thinking, communication and procedural skills in a safe learning environment. The Ruibals’ investment, they added, will “directly benefit the premature babies entrusted to (the team’s) care and the families who rely on us.”
In addition to their generous support of Cleveland Clinic, the Ruibals have continuously invested in Villanova University and its students through scholarships. Charlie and Gerry are especially proud of the Villanova RUIBAL program, which was created to provide mentoring and after-school enrichment for children in underserved communities. Charlie and Gerry make a point of personally meeting each scholar and, to the extent possible, everyone impacted by their giving.
The couple also supports other organizations and initiatives that advance their philanthropic goals. They are inspired by a philosophy that the most meaningful giving comes from seeing philanthropy “in action” and witnessing the impact firsthand.
