LMH Health Foundation Receives $10 Million Gift Commitment
Dana and Sue Anderson
Lawrence resident Dana Anderson has made a $10 million gift commitment to the LMH Health Foundation. The commitment is the largest in both the foundation’s 52-year history and the hospital’s 101-year history.
Anderson pledged half of the amount as an outright gift in support of LMH Health’s strategic priorities, to be paid over the next several years. The remaining half will be included in a bequest as part of Anderson’s estate plans, and will create an endowed fund for the same purpose.
Anderson and his late wife Sue have been longtime supporters of LMH Health, a not-for-profit community hospital serving patients in Douglas County and the surrounding area.
Earl Reineman, major & planned gifts manager for the foundation, said the gift is a tremendous honor for the hospital and the community. “The leadership and generosity that Dana and Sue have provided over the years has been nothing short of inspirational,” said Reineman. “In so many different ways, the Andersons have supported the hospital’s commitment to exceptional care for all.”
“The gift will support vital hospital needs,” said Anderson. “And it’s the perfect way for the family to recognize the giving spirit that Sue worked to instill in all of us. We know how proud she would be to see this happen. She always recognized the importance of LMH to the quality of life in Douglas County.”
Russ Johnson, LMH Health President and CEO, said the gift commitment is nothing short of transformational.
“The magnitude of this commitment from the Andersons is significant, and it will have an enduring impact on our mission,” said Johnson. “It was a joy to know Sue, and the way Dana has chosen to honor her through this gift is so consistent with the strength of their relationship. We are humbled and grateful for the Andersons’ leadership and their ongoing support of our physicians, nurses and clinical teams.”
Pending approval by the LMH Health Board of Trustees at their July 20th meeting, LMH Health will rename the Lawrence Health Plaza the Anderson Health Plaza in honor of Sue and Dana’s longtime and generous support. The Health Plaza, which is part of LMH Health’s main campus at 326 Arkansas Street, is home to the LMH Health Cancer Center, as well as programs in surgery, urology, gastroenterology, pain management, cardiac rehab, and obstetrics and gynecology.
“We often say that philanthropy is the difference between the maintenance of a strong institution and the evolution of an extraordinary one,” said Rebecca Smith, executive director of the LMH Health Foundation and the hospital’s vice president of strategic communications. “Over the past decade, Sue and Dana’s support has ensured LMH is not just a great community hospital, it’s an exceptional hospital—period. And now, we are the grateful recipients of a truly transformational gift—one that will ensure continued advancements in healthcare for generations to come.”
The LMH Health Foundation, a board-governed 501 (c) (3) organization, has received five of its seven largest gifts in the past five years. The foundation has transferred more than $15 million in support of LMH Health priorities and programs since 2017.
“The LMH Health Foundation’s purpose is to inspire community and philanthropic support for LMH Health, and the Andersons have played a vital role in that effort, both as donors and as leaders,” said Mark Gonzales, president of the foundation’s board of directors. “We are incredibly grateful for the trust Dana has placed in both the foundation and the hospital, and we look forward to celebrating all it makes possible.”
