Gratitude Adjustment

Friends of the Leesburg Regional Medical Center Foundation pay their gratitude forward

Ted Williams spends almost every hour of every day dedicated to his work as President of the Leesburg Regional Medical Center Foundation: bringing a meal to a sick friend over the weekend, checking on another before surgery at 7 a.m., reaching out to a colleague who lost a loved one late in the night.

He doesn’t do these things because of his job description. He does these things because of his heart. A heart which quickly turns strangers into lifelong friends who quickly catch his contagious enthusiasm for the hospital he serves and for its mission to provide excellence in healthcare to the community he loves.

“I just wake up every day grateful for everything that day brings. Today, I’m grateful for this beautiful fall weather, for family and friends, for loved ones nearing the end of their journey here on earth and for new life soon to come.”

Grateful Patients

“People tell me all the time how thankful they are that LRMC provides the sophisticated level of care we do in areas such as open heart, joint replacement, neurosurgery and cancer care. Many are grateful for the knowledge and medical expertise of their doctor, for the care of a special nurse, for the outstanding kindness of a volunteer and for the personal attention they received from every person on their medical team.

A Capital Idea

By some measures, 2013 was the best year ever for the LRMC Foundation which raised $3 million in support of the hospital: a 50% increase from the prior year.

and pledges toward our goal,” said Ted. “Everything we’re hearing tells us we have the enthusiastic support of our friends, neighbors and patients to take LRMC to this next level.”

Spirit of Caring

The LRMC Foundation also launched a new program called the “Ladies in Philanthropy” Society in 2013, a leadership network of community minded women who want to provide an additional layer of excellence in the care of women and their families. LiPs continues to elevate the spirit of philanthropy within LRMC and in the community at large.

“Sharing appreciation can be very rewarding for everyone involved. Our staff feels great when they are acknowledged for a job well done. And patients like that they can do more than just say thanks. In fact, our Center for Excellence in Nursing was created so patients could ensure the nurses who have been so important in providing their care are recognized in a way that is particularly meaningful.

The Center for Excellence in Nursing

Donations to the Center are used for the education and development of the nursing staff, to reward outstanding nurses for their contributions to the profession, to send students through nursing school and to improve patient care with nurse-approved equipment and programs.

Each year, nurses’ are recognized at a celebration on Nurses’ Day and scholarships are awarded at that time.

This success was accomplished by friend-raising which resulted in the donation of a number of major gifts, pledges and donations to the hospital’s capital campaigns and planned giving.

Last fall, the LRMC Foundation launched a capital campaign to raise $5 million of the $10 million needed to add 24 private rooms on the hospital’s first floor.

“With impassioned teamwork and the generosity of our donors, we have quietly raised about $3 million in cash

Paying it Forward

“Whether someone gives a little, or gives a lot, just the act of giving something provides enormous benefits not just to the quality of healthcare in our community, but to the physical, emotional and spiritual well-being of the giver,” said Ted.

“With your contribution to the Leesburg Regional Medical Center Foundation, you make it possible to add an additional margin of excellence to the exceptional care patients receive at LRMC. When you give, It’s almost as if you were right here with us as we meet the needs of others.“

If you’d like to learn more about your legacy, call Ted Williams at 352.323.5501 or email twilliams@cfhalliance.org.