MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital held its annual Midnight Garden Gala on November 21, 2025, raising funds to equip a dedicated interventional radiology suite with advanced technology. The event, attended by community members and supporters, advanced the hospital’s efforts to reduce wait times for minimally invasive procedures in St. Mary’s County.
The gala took place at an evening gathering described by hospital officials as a blend of elegance and purpose. Proceeds will outfit the suite to improve diagnostic accuracy and expand access to treatments that previously required patients to travel to urban centers like Washington, D.C. Interventional radiology involves image-guided procedures, such as angioplasties and embolizations, performed through small incisions to treat conditions including vascular blockages and tumors with lower risks than open surgery.
All photos courtesy of MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital
Moutasem Aljundi, MD, an interventional radiologist at the hospital, noted the local impact. “Our hospital is now offering procedures that were once only available to patients able to make a long drive into the city. These have a major impact on the quality of life for many.”
The suite renovation addresses growing demand in a county with about 115,000 residents, where the hospital serves as the sole acute care facility. Current interventional radiology services at MedStar St. Mary’s operate Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., handling cases like fluid drainages and stent placements. The upgrades will incorporate tools for faster imaging, such as enhanced fluoroscopy and ultrasound systems, allowing the team to manage more cases on-site.
Hospital records show that wait times for such procedures can extend weeks, particularly for non-emergencies like venous treatments or biopsies. The new setup aims to cut these delays by increasing capacity, with the suite expected to handle an additional 20 percent of procedures annually once complete. This aligns with broader MedStar Health initiatives, where interventional radiology teams across the system perform thousands of minimally invasive interventions each year, often reducing hospital stays from days to hours.
St. Mary’s County residents, many commuting to naval bases in Lexington Park or along Route 5, stand to benefit directly. The hospital, located at 25500 Point Lookout Road in Leonardtown, integrates these services with its emergency department, which logs over 30,000 visits yearly. By localizing advanced care, the project eases burdens on families who might otherwise navigate traffic on the Route 4 bridge or longer drives to facilities in Prince George’s County.
Interventional radiology emerged in the mid-20th century as a bridge between diagnostic imaging and surgery, evolving with technologies like catheter-based delivery systems. At MedStar St. Mary’s, the department already offers treatments for abdominal conditions, including abscess drainages and targeted therapies for cancers, using accreditation from the American College of Radiology for quality assurance. The gala-supported enhancements will include equipment for women’s health procedures, such as uterine fibroid embolizations, which address heavy bleeding without hysterectomy.
Philanthropy plays a key role in these developments. Past galas have funded projects like emergency room updates, raising more than $350,000 in 2024 for Parisian-themed events at the Hollywood Social Hall. This year’s Midnight Garden theme continued the tradition, with sponsorships covering publicity on signage and social media. Hospital officials encourage ongoing donations to complete the suite, noting that contributions sustain operations in a region where public funding covers only portions of capital improvements.
The hospital’s integration into MedStar Health since 2009 has bolstered its capabilities, connecting Leonardtown patients to a network spanning 10 hospitals and over 30,000 associates. This includes access to clinical trials at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, where research on procedures like Y-90 radioembolization for liver tumors advances regional standards. In St. Mary’s, such collaborations ensure that innovations reach rural edges, where median drive times to specialty care average 45 minutes.
Local health data underscores the need. St. Mary’s County reports higher rates of chronic vascular issues tied to its aging population, with over 18 percent of residents above age 65. Minimally invasive options like those in the IR suite can prevent complications from conditions such as peripheral artery disease, which affects one in 20 Americans over 50. By embedding these services, MedStar St. Mary’s supports preventive care, aligning with state goals under the Maryland Total Cost of Care Model to lower readmission rates through efficient interventions.
The radiology department at the hospital operates extended hours for other imaging, with CT and ultrasound available until 9 p.m. weekdays. Nuclear medicine and breast imaging round out services, all interpreted by subspecialty-trained radiologists. The IR focus complements these, emphasizing outpatient recovery—patients often leave the same day after procedures like port placements for chemotherapy.
Community ties extend the hospital’s reach. Partnerships with the College of Southern Maryland provide training pathways, graduating about 80 nurses annually, many joining local teams. Recent recognitions, including a 2025 Becker’s Great Community Hospital listing and Magnet status for nursing excellence, highlight the facility’s standards. Eight “A” grades from the Leapfrog Group for patient safety further affirm its role.
As construction advances, expected to wrap by mid-2026, the suite will incorporate patient-centered designs like private recovery bays. This reflects MedStar’s SPIRIT values—service, patient first, integrity, respect, innovation and teamwork—upheld since the hospital’s founding in 1912. For residents in areas like Callaway or Mechanicsville, the changes mean fewer disruptions to daily life, from work at the Patuxent River Naval Air Station to family routines along the Potomac.
The gala’s success builds on a decade of growth, including electronic health record integration via MedConnect in 2021, which streamlines data sharing across the system. Ongoing efforts, like the 2025 wellness recognition from the Maryland Department of Health, reinforce preventive strategies that pair with IR advancements to foster healthier outcomes countywide.
