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Excitement continues to buzz around the da Vinci S HD®, a
surgical robot enabling open heart surgery without opening the chest
cavity. But as the da Vinci receives such positive attention, Sharon
MacDonald would like to recognize the community behind the
technology as the greater asset.
“Individuals gave generously of their time and money,
sharing the da Vinci story and exciting other people to donate,”
says Sharon, Chief Officer of the Lee Memorial Health System
Foundation, which raised the $1.2 million needed to purchase the da
Vinci. “Even in difficult economic times, the residents of our
community are very charitably-minded and very committed to seeing
our health system has the programs and technology to keep it a
first-rate organization.”
Lee Memorial Health System ranks as the fifth-largest health
system in the U.S. As the largest community-owned health system in
Southwest Florida, the health care system does not receive any tax
dollars. With no tax support, organizations like the Foundation and
Auxiliaries bridge money from the community to health advancements.
“When you shop at the Pink Bazaar thrift shop, your money goes
into the Auxiliary pot, and everything we do, we do to raise funds
for the hospital and patient care,” says Nora Harmon, Lee Memorial
Auxiliary President. “Our drive in life is to raise money to better
care, because we never know, we might be the patient.”
 Lee
Memorial Health System Auxiliaries have recently funded
home-health monitoring systems, patient lifts, bus transportation
to rehabilitation, zone phones, medical carts and new reclining
chairs, among other provisions. The Foundation raised more than $8.3
million in 2009, helping neonatal intensive care, pediatric oncology
programs, child advocacy groups, nutrition programs and music
therapy, to name a few philanthropic efforts. Ever-grateful for
donations designated toward child or cancer care, unrestricted
donations are always needed.
For more information about the Foundation,
click here. To learn more about
the Auxiliaries, call 239-334-5307.
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