LMH Health Foundation provides record $3.5 million in support to LMH Health
LMH Health Foundation provided a record $3.5 million of philanthropic support to LMH Health patients, programs and initiatives throughout the fiscal year, which ended Dec. 31, 2018.
“This is a truly monumental milestone," said Rebecca Smith, executive director of LMH Health Foundation. "We are fortunate to live in a community that prioritizes healthcare for all, and the exceptional generosity of our donors ensures that our hospital and its clinics remain among the very best in the country. As a result, LMH Health is positioned to deliver the care our families, friends and neighbors need to ensure long and healthy lives.”
This record year was made possible by nearly 1,800 donors who contributed more than $3.4 million to LMH Health in 2018 – one of the highest philanthropic giving totals in hospital history. Among these donors are Rodger and Sheryl Henry of H & S Holdings Company, contributors of a $1 million gift to LMH Health Foundation for the new LMH Health West Campus.
“Our community is at a crossroads, and I think it is important to keep moving to the next level of excellence in medical care,” said Rodger Henry. “If you give to the hospital, you basically reach everyone in the community. It is a really great place to invest your dollars and energy.”
Donors provided support to several major initiatives, including:
- LMH Health East Heights Family Care: In September 2018, LMH Health announced a new medical clinic serving the residents of East Lawrence and beyond. The clinic, which is largely funded through private gifts, will be located in the Independence, Inc., building near 20th Street and Haskell Avenue.
- The new Cardiac Catheterization Lab: Donors contributed $1.2 million to renovate and upgrade this facility, where nearly 500 lifesaving procedures are performed annually.
- LMH Health West Campus. Donors have committed more than $2.2 million in 2018 to this new state-of-the-art outpatient campus, which will have a strong focus on orthopedic and sports medicine, will include surgical capabilities, a full outpatient therapy area for traditional and sports-oriented services, and outstanding primary care from both family practice and internal medicine.
- The Help & Healing Fund: This fund helps patients in need with expenses for medications, medical equipment or other necessities for healing and recovery after a hospital stay. In 2018, LMH Health Foundation provided support for 541 requests from patients for the medications and medical equipment they needed, a nearly 40 percent increase from 2017.
- Oncology support: The foundation transferred $100,000 in donor funds to purchase new SPY Fluorescence Imaging technology for LMH Health Oncology. This technology allows surgeons to better identify patients who are candidates for immediate breast reconstruction.
- Pulmonology support: LMH Health Foundation used donor funds toward the purchase of a bronchoscope for endobronchial ultrasound, the standard of care for lung cancer diagnoses and staging.
Since 2000, the foundation has distributed more than $27 million to support LMH Health programs and care in the community, including direct patient care, education, hospital programs, equipment and services.
Jason Hoover, president of the LMH Health Foundation Board of Directors, said, “The LMH Health Foundation was built by loyal donors over many decades, and private philanthropy has meant so much for healthcare in our community. This record level of support marks an important milestone — one we could not have reached without the considerable support from our donors.”
LMH Health President and CEO Russ Johnson said that as hospitals are becoming more integrated into their communities—and taking a more holistic approach to health—donor support is positioning LMH Health for success now and in the future.
“Our focus on healing patients is balanced with an equal emphasis on wellness and prevention, and keeping our community healthy in a sustainable way,” said Johnson. “Donors are our partners in this important work, and together, we made great strides in 2018. Our vision would not be possible without the remarkable support of our community. We look forward to another year of growth and transformation in 2019.”
The foundation announced the largest single gift in hospital history at the beginning of 2019, a $2 million pledge from the Kansas City-based Sunderland Foundation to support LMH Health West Campus.
“As we celebrate our 50th year of inspiring community and philanthropic support for LMH Health, we are humbled to see the investment our community is making in its hospital,” said Smith. “As healthcare evolves across our country and right here at home, we promise to be an innovative, collaborative partner committed to improving health and healthcare for every single member of our community.”
