INSPIRING PHILANTHROPY IN THE COMMUNITY
GIFT FROM BATTAGLIAS SUPPORTS NEWLY OPENED TROY NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT
In our first few months as part of the BHSH System, we have many things to celebrate, including the introduction of our new Beaumont president, Dr. Ben Schwartz, and the establishment of our new mission, vision and values, both of which you’ll read about in this issue’s Leadership Update. Our new goals are indicative of BHSH System’s ongoing efforts to ensure access to exceptional care for all of the patients we serve, in southeastern Michigan and across the state. This issue highlights how our philanthropic partners are helping us do just that by investing in patient programs, capital projects and so much more.
Our cover story is dedicated to one of those important projects and donors who gave to bring it to completion. Our new neonatal intensive care unit at Beaumont Hospital, Troy was made possible thanks to an exceptional leadership gift from Anthony and Marcia Battaglia, along with significant community support. This expansion will make a world of difference for our smallest and most fragile patients, ensuring they receive the leading-edge care they need and deserve in a state-of-the-art facility.
You’ll also read about several programs that have been significantly expanded and impacted by philanthropic support, including the pediatric neurology program, Alzheimer’s research and the Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine scholarship program. And you will read about an important expansion of the emergency room opioid use disorder program to our Grosse Pointe, Taylor, Trenton and Wayne campuses, made possible through grants from the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan in collaboration with the Michigan Opioid Partnership.
We are grateful for the support of so many philanthropic partners and for the difference they are making for so many patients, families and caregivers. Together and with your support, we will continue to expand and enhance the health and wellness of the communities we serve.
With warmest regar a
With warmest regards,
Ma Margrgaret C Chief Development
Margaret Cooney Casey Chief Development Officer, BHSH Beaumont Health President, Beaumont Health Foundation
Together and with your support, we will continue to expand and enhance the health and wellness of the communities we serve.
After a nationwide search, Benjamin Schwartz, MD, MHCM, FACOG, FACS, was recently announced as the new president of BHSH Beaumont Health. Dr. Schwartz joined the BHSH Beaumont team on July 5 after an extensive search process that included the BHSH Beaumont Health Board, search committee members, physicians, executives and many others.
“It was clear when I first met Ben that he is enthusiastic about BHSH Beaumont Health and our vision,” said Tina Freese Decker, president and CEO of BHSH System, in a statement. “He is an energetic, visionary health care leader with a passion for making health care exceptional, equitable and affordable.”
Prior to joining Beaumont, Dr. Schwartz served as a senior vice president and physician executive for the eastern region of Northwell Health, a 23-hospital health system based in New York. In this role, Dr. Schwartz was responsible for hundreds of practices, six acute care hospitals and a behavioral health hospital.
In addition to his prior leadership and administrative roles, Dr. Schwartz has had an impressive career as a board-certified physician in gynecologic oncology as well as obstetrics and gynecology. He has been named a New York “Top Doctor” in gynecologic oncology for
the past six years. He also has served as an associate professor at several institutions and administered oral exams for the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Dallas.
Dr. Schwartz received a bachelor of arts degree from Dartmouth College, a medical degree from George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Services, and a master’s degree in Healthcare Management from Harvard University.
Said Dr. Schwartz in a statement, “Beaumont Health has a reputation for excellence in clinical care, quality, education and research, with admired physicians, nurses and other team members. I am honored to have been selected for this role and look forward to collaborating to achieve the vision of health made simple, affordable, equitable and exceptional.”
I look forward to meeting with and thanking the extraordinary donors and friends of Beaumont who help this organization be the best it can be. Like all no nprofit organizations, Beaumont relies upon philanthropy to provide exceptional care to our patients. As a physician, I know the generosity of donors allows us to invest in state-of-the-art facilities, leading-edge technology, nationally recognized educational programs and groundbreaking research. I look forward to celebrating community supporters during my first months at Beaumont.
— Benjamin Schwartz, MD
In the months since Beaumont Health and Spectrum Health joined to form BHSH System, leaders, clinicians and staff have expressed optimism about what the two health systems can do together to improve health, along with a shared aspiration for the future.
The new BHSH System truly is a system designed for Michigan, by Michigan to meet the unique health care needs of our state.
After consulting with team members across Michigan and reviewing more than 33,000 employee surveys, BHSH System leadership developed three foundational tenets that communicate our common purpose and core principles:
• Our mission is our purpose. It tells who we are and why we exist. Our mission is to improve health, instill humanity and inspire hope.
• Our vision states where we are going and what we aspire to achieve: a future where health care is simple, affordable, equitable and exceptional.
• And our values tell how we will get there. Our values are compassion, collaboration, clarity, curiosity and courage. They are the frame of mind we bring to work, what we say and what we do.
These ideals go hand in hand with and support BHSH System goals to:
• Improve health and health equity
• Enhance the consumer experience
• Improve health care quality, value and outcomes
• Make health care more affordable for the communities we serve
• Ensure the voices of team members and physicians are heard
As an integrated health system, we are better positioned than ever before to improve health care for the people of Michigan. That transformation involves all of us — caregivers, staff and the communities we serve, working together toward better health and wellness for all.
Christopher Carpenter, MD
Mark Davidoff
Doug DeVos
Julie Fream, Chair
Tina Freese Decker, President & CEO
Marija Grahovac, MD
Ronald Hall
Angel Hernandez, MD
Philomena Mantella, PhD
Timothy O’Brien
William Payne
Robert Roth
Thomas Saeli
Michael Todman
Sean Welsh, Vice Chair
Christopher Blake, Chair
Abedelrahim Asfour, MD, Co-Vice Chair
Robert Welsh, MD, Co-Vice Chair
Tina Freese Decker
Ashok B. Jain, MD
Linda Little, RN
Harris Mainster, DO
Faye Nelson
John Nemes
Warren Rose
Benjamin Schwartz, MD
Anthony Stallion, MD
Praveen Thadani
Robert Williams, MD
Thomas Lanni, Jr. was recently appointed as the new president of the Beaumont, Troy and Beaumont, Grosse Pointe hospitals. Lanni has been a valued member of the Beaumont Health team since joining the organization as business manager for the Radiation Oncology department in 2007.
He also served as chief operating officer of Beaumont, Dearborn, and as administrative director and vice president of Oncology, Medicine, Imaging, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and Respiratory Therapy at Beaumont, Royal Oak.
Terese Farhat has been promoted to senior vice president, general counsel for Beaumont Health. Farhat, who brings 30 years of experience to her new role, has worked at Beaumont for 17 years as an in-house attorney and previously spent 13 years in private practice. She previously served as chief counsel of operations for Beaumont, overseeing legal services in key operational areas and providing business strategy and legal advice. Farhat has cultivated strong relationships with leaders and team members across the system and is known as a responsive and knowledgeable legal advisor.
Christopher Flores has been named senior vice president, finance, for Beaumont Health. Flores most recently served as market chief financial officer for Beaumont, Royal Oak, where he oversaw all financial operations at the hospital. He brings more than 15 years of experience in hospital and health system leadership and more than 25 years of experience in health care finance. Before joining Beaumont, Flores worked as market chief financial officer for Carondelet Health and Abrazo Scottsdale, as hospital chief financial officer for numerous health care organizationsandasanauditor for Ernst & Young, LLP. He currently serves on the boardofthreeBeaumontjoint ventures:BeaumontBehavioral Health, Beaumont Urgent Care and Beaumont ACO.
Kristine Donahue, RN, is the new president of Beaumont Hospitals, Taylor, Trenton and Wayne. Since 2019, Donahue has served as chief operating officer for the three hospitals, and earlier this year, she became administrative co-lead for the Trauma Clinical Care program for Beaumont Health. Prior to these roles, she served as chief nursing officer and helped oversee the Magnet journey and application at Beaumont, Taylor as well as inpatient nursing productivity at Beaumont, Wayne. She initially joined Beaumont more than a decade ago as a staff nurse at Beaumont, Dearborn.
Since the official launch of the BHSH System in February, there have been a number of new appointments and changes in leadership we would like to share with you.
When Anthony and Marcia Battaglia toured the Beaumont, Troy NICU several years ago, they were overcome with emotion. Their hearts went out to the tiny, fragile babies and their families, some of whom had been there for weeks or months.
They knew firsthand the importance of exceptional care in an NICU — Anthony’s oldest daughter, Annette, spent time in one when she was born — and they could see that these babies were being treated by highly trained, incredibly compassionate staff.
However, they also saw that the space had become too small to accommodate the growing number of newborns requiring care at Beaumont, Troy, and they decided to do something about it.
In 2019, the Battaglias made a leadership gift to help support the relocation and expansion of Beaumont, Troy’s NICU. This project was completed earlier this summer.
“Children have always had a soft spot in our hearts. Whether they were our children, grandchildren or complete strangers,” the Battaglias said in an email interview. “We have alwaysfelttheneedtohelp them be the best they can be. And what better place to start than right at the beginning?”
The expanded Troy NICU — which is now 15,000 square feet, triple the size of the old unit — provides patients and their families with leading-edge technology and care in an area that allows for great privacy and comfort. The Battaglias hope the new unit will provide more peace of mind to expectant parents in the community, who will know that if any complications arise, they and their newborn will have access to the latest medical innovations in an updated, welcoming facility.
Beaumont, Troy’s NICU treats an average of 250 high-risk, premature newborns — some as young as 28 weeks gestation — each year, with an average of 10 to 12 babies being cared for in the NICU each day. High-risk and premature babies are more likely to face a wide range of health conditions, some of which are life-threatening. They may experience bleeding in the brain, difficulty breathing, feeding problems or even heart failure. Because their immune systems are not entirely formed, they are also more susceptible to infection, which could lead to serious complications like pneumonia or meningitis. Even without additional
complications or health concerns, premature babies often have a low birth weight and difficulty gaining weight outside of the womb.
All of the infants in the NICU require 24-hour attention, and the highly talented NICU care team will be able to provide this aroundthe-clock care in an updated facility with new features such as:
• Latest monitoring technology, which sends significant patient updates directly to a patient’s nurse
• Added security measures including GPS/wristband tracking for patients
• Milk prep room in which staff can prepare/stock 24 hours’ worth of infant feedings
• Observation room for newborns who might benefit from a shorter-term stay
Studies have shown that parents with an infant in the NICU can experience feelings of depression, anxiety, stress and loss of control. In many cases, these parents are placed in the position where they may not be able to bring their baby home for days or weeks — or in some cases, even months. These parents often
struggle with being separated from their baby or feeling like their entire life has been placed on hold.
The renovated Troy NICU takes important steps to address these feelings and provide a warm, comfortable environment that also empowers parents during this challenging time. These updates to the NICU include:
• 25 private and semiprivate rooms with windows, refrigerators and warmers
• Stocked pantry featuring beverages, light snacks and a station where parents can pick up meal trays from the dining room
• Conveniently located parent and staff lounges to keep everybody close and comfortable
• Training and overnight stay rooms
“Any new parent has a lot to learn about the care of their brand-new baby, but when parents have to learn the basic care needs of their baby during an NICU stay, it becomes much more difficult, with even more added worry and concern” said Tedra Boedigheimer,
director of nursing at Beaumont, Troy. “The new space provides the opportunity for parents to work one-on-one with staff to learn in a quiet environment that is individualized to what each baby and family needs.”
The expanded NICU officially opened to patients on June 7, and the expanded, brightened, comforting space is already making a lifechanging difference for infants and their families — and the impact will only continue to grow. Approximately 3 ,600 infants are born each year at Beaumont, Troy, and the expanded and renovated NICU will be an important resource available for any of these families should the need arise.
Additionally, the NICU will also support the entire community well beyond Troy — if nearby hospitals are over capacity or have a particularly complex case, they can refer their patients to be treated at Beaumont, Troy’s NICU, according to Dr. David De Witte, chief of pediatric services at Beaumont, Troy.
In addition to the Battaglias’ meaningful leadership gift, many other individuals, families and groups rallied behind this life-changing project, some inspired directly by the Battaglias’ giving.
“We are grateful that our donation has already inspired additional support. Our hope is it will continue to be the catalyst for good things to
Additionally, several donors to the project had direct connections with Beaumont, Troy. Lisa and Kevin Houle gave in honor of the exceptional care their son received at Beaumont, Troy, where he was born more than 20 years ago. Francis Higgins, Jr., gave a generous gift in memory of his late wife and in honor of their four grandchildren, who were all born at Beaumont, Troy. Stephen Toth, his daughter Peggy and the Toth family provided a gift in honor of Stephen’s late wife, Peggy’s mother, Margaret Ann Toth.
Many donors to this project we r e also participants in the annual Beaumont Bocce Classic event, hosted at Palazzo di Bocce, that helped raise funds for the NICU project. At this event, at tendees had the opportunity to meet with Troy NICU children who had experienced their own stays in the unit when they were born. They, along with their siblings and parents, were able to share their families’ stories and thank donors for supporting children just like them.
continue,” the Battaglias said.Francis Higgins Dominic Moceri, Anthony and Marcia Battaglia, Maria and Mario Moceri
“The hearts of those children were just so pure, and it was so meaningful to have them come speak to the community,” said Mario Moceri, chair of the Beaumont, Troy Development Committee. “They inspired so many to give, including my wife, Maria, and I — overall, it’s just been incredible to see the community support behind this project grow and grow since we began raising funds in 2019.”
A celebration in honor of the Battaglia family’s leadership gift and the other committed donors to this project was held in early June, days before the NICU opened to patients and families.
“Having had the opportunity to meet many of the donors was an honor,” Boedigheimer said. “Saying thank you to each of them didn’t feel like it expressed my gratitude enough. I’m honored to be able to work in a community that cares so much about our most fragile patient population, our NICU babies.”
• Anthony and Marcia Battaglia
• William and Sally Wildner
• Toth Family Foundation
• Maria and Mario Moceri
• Lisa and Kevin Houle and Family
• Francis W. Higgins, Jr.
• Drs. Prem and Urmilla Khilanani
• Liz and Tim Manganello
• Cynthia and Thomas A. Fabbri
• Stefan Wanczyk
Dr. De Witte echoed Boedigheimer’s gratitude for all who contributed to the NICU project.
“I’m extremely grateful for the altruism and generosity of all our donors to this project, both big and small,” Dr. De Witte said. “Doing something for a population that cannot speak for itself is truly the greatest thing you can do.”
As a labor and delivery nurse at Beaumont, Troy, Ashley Halsted knows that every infant she cares for in the NICU is a miracle, and that the physicians and nurses she works with provide an extraordinary level of care.
She also knows how important a welcoming, comforting space is to these infants and their families, and so as soon as she learned about the Troy NICU renovation project, she was eager to share the information with her grandparents, William and Sally Wildner.
Ashley was thrilled when they made a leadership gift through their family foundation to the support the project and is so proud of the difference they are making for so many.
“I witness firsthand the looks of fear, concern and sometimes panic in parents’ eyes when they hear they will be looking at an NICU admission,” Ashley said. “To be able to see their fears eased, knowing we have a new state-of-the-art NICU with private and semi-private rooms to promote bonding along with growth and development is priceless.”
Ashley said that in addition to her work in the Troy NICU, Beaumont’s NICUs have always had a special place in her family’s heart. Her two cousins spent over two months in the Beaumont, Royal Oak NICU when she was 13, and she remembers going to visit them and how meaningful their care was for the entire family. When she
spoke with her grandmother about the renovation project, her grandmother fondly remembered the nurses who cared for her cousins years ago — and from there, everything fell into place.
“Seeing my grandparents’ name [on a plaque] outside the grower/feeder pod, which is the last step before a baby goes home, fills me with such a sense of pride,” Ashley said. “It’s a great reminder of my grandparents’ legacy.”
Earlier this summer, a small gathering was held to thank Anthony and Marcia Battaglia for their lead gift in support of Beaumont, Troy’s neonatal intensive care unit. The event also honored other key donors and all supporters of the campaign. Attendees were able to hear from key clinicians about the importance and impact of the updated NICU, and were able to tour the new facility before it officially opened to patients several days later.
Nationwide, new physicians graduate medical school with an average debt of nearly $200,000. This means that many talented students from disadvantaged backgrounds do not think they can afford to become physicians, and that those who go on to become doctors face significant debt challenges that influence their personal and professional choices, including in what area of medicine they will specialize and which populations of patients they will eventually serve.
With these factors in mind, scholarships play a crucial role in easing the financial burdens of attending medical school. That is certainly the case at the Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine (OUWB School of Medicine). This past year, donors to the Beaumont Health Foundation supported more than a dozen OUWB School of Medicine students through scholarships.
“These scholarships play an important role in helping ensure our students — our future physicians — have the resources they need to enhance their studies with access
to leading-edge technologies and research opportunities,” said Dr. Duane Mezwa, Stephan Sharf Dean of OUWB School of Medicine. “We are so grateful to the donors of the Beaumont Health Foundation who support these scholarships.”
Scholarships are awarded to current students in recognition of their ongoing commitment to fulfilling various aspects of the Dr.
“ I promise to always strive to be a person willing to go the extramileformypatients and my community. As a hopeful/soon-to-befamilymedicinephysician,mycareer goalsincludepracticingfull-spectrum family medicine in an underserved community or city in Michigan while also being a force for change and improvement, andworking with some of our most vulnerable populations.
I hope that I can one day continue the legacy of your kindness and generosity by providing a scholarship to a medical student in need. Thank you so much. ”
—Victoria Drzyzga, OUWB School of Medicine class of 2021 and current resident
“ The impact your support has on my ability to not only continue pursuing degrees but also be financially stable with minimized debt after graduating is significant. I have plans in the future to focus medical care toward my community and those that do not have the ability to afford care or knowledge to obtain necessary medical attention.
Your support will allow me to focus on creating community programs and volunteering my time to help the less fortunate without the burden of accumulated de bt. … All in all, I have big dreams for the future and hope to support the underserved in my community as a physician with my training. The path to this has been and will be tough, and I am grateful for your help as I continue furthering my education in medicine. ”
— Nicholas Ang, OUWB School of Medicine class of 2024OUWB mission, which is to develop compassionate physicians who are dedicated to improving the health of their communities, collaboration, and lifelong learning.
In recent years, scholarships have been awarded for academic excellence, commitment to serving the community and providing leadership in medical education.
Donors have helped support students through a number of scholarships including the Dean’s Annual Scholarship, the Marvin and Betty Danto Family Foundation Scholarship, Beaumont Health Scholarships, Schostak Family Scholarship, Matzick Community Health Capstone, Tobin Endowed Scholarship, Ran Family Scholarship and Beaumont Fund Capstone Scholarship.
Gifts to the Beaumont Health Foundation have been s u pporting OUWB students since the school began in 2007. Beaumont Health (then known as Beaumont Hospitals) partnered with Oakland University to develop the OUWB School of Medicine with a vision of transforming medical education and preparing a new kind of physician with a focus on both clinical and people skills.
Today, OUWB is a collaborative, diverse, inclusive and technologically advanced learning community, dedicated to enabling students to become skillful, ethical and compassionate physicians, inquisitive scientists who are invested in the scholarship of discovery, and dynamic and effective medical educators.
Gifts for scholarships are investments in lives — not just those of the students, but for the many people
these students will impact during their medical careers. Scholarships allow students to be free from financial worry about tuition. They also are an opportunity to attract and retain students who become invested with the community.
This past year, more donors contributed to scholarships at the OUWB than ever before, giving over $250,000 in total to be distributed to students, according to OUWB Financial Services.
With additional philanthropic support, OUWB could potentially create an endowment for the scholarship program, which would provide a steady source of funding and allow administrators to fully maximize the distribution of scholarship funds to as many students in need as possible.
“ As a first-generation student from a singleparent household, your contribution means more to me than you know. One of my biggest fears pursuing medicine is the financial burden associated with the arduous journey — a fear that only adds pressure to an already stressful environment. Your contribution helps alleviate this burden on both myself and my family. ”
— Ahmed Ali, OUWB School of Medicine class of 2024In 2014, Beaumont Children’s pediatric neurology program saw 1,003 patients. In 2021, that number increased to17,478 patients. It’s been nearly a decade of transformative and exponential growth for this life-changing program that has become one of the very best in the region.
One of the reasons for this growth has been the incredible support from our philanthropic partners. Over the past ten years, philanthropy supported the pediatric neurology program in the following ways:
• Creation of the Florence & Richard McBrien Pediatric Neuroscience Center, providing a central, welcoming environment for pediatric neurology patients to receive care.
• Acquisition of state-of-the-art EEG and epilepsy monitoring technology.
• Acquisition of a Robotized Surgical Assistant, or ROSA, the most advanced robotic tool of its kind used to facilitate complex neurological surgical procedures.
• The establishment of the only pediatric neurogenetics program in southeast Michigan, with two experienced pediatric neurogenetics counselors.
• Investment in the largest epilepsy dietary program in southeast Michigan, with our own full-time pediatric dietitian.
• Support for the largest pediatric neuromuscular program in southeast Michigan, with a multidisciplinary clinic meeting once weekly.
• Creation of the only pediatric neurofibromatosis monthly multidisciplinary clinic in southeast Michigan.
• Support for the largest/only neonatal neurology multidisciplinary clinic in southeast Michigan, led by the only two-year-fellowship-trained neonatal neurology specialist in Michigan.
“We have had several donors — such as the McBrien family, Carls Foundation, Philip and Lauren Fisher, the Karp family, David and Kappy Trott, and Children’s Miracle Network — who have been so committed to this program and played a major role in making it what it is today,” said Margaret Cooney Casey, president of the Beaumont Health Foundation. “It has been incredible to see the passion for this program and to see the impact of their support.”
The pediatric neurology team treats a wide range of conditions — from epilepsy, seizure disorder and migraine headaches to tic disorders, brain tumors and more. The team offers specialized and leadingedge treatment options for these complex pediatric
neurological diagnoses, and has been dedicated to establishing new patient care programs that have made more services available to more families than ever before.
While the program’s growth over the past decade has be en tremendous, Section Chief of Pediatric Neurology Dr. Daniel Arndt still is looking toward the future, as there remains high patient demand and wait times for patients to be seen.
With additional philanthropic support, Dr. Arndt hopes to fulfill his vision to expand the pediatric epilepsy monitoring unit from five to six beds and remodel the control room for the neurophysiologists interpreting the studies and the 24/7 pediatric-specific EEG technologists who monitor the patients. In addition, Dr. Arndt hopes to secure additional funding to support recruitment of pediatric psychology and psychiatry specialists to Beaumont Children’s.
“As patient volume grows, we are hoping to further expand the program to treat more patients and offer a broader spectrum of care for children and families throughout southeast Michigan,” Dr. Arndt said.
“We will be better poised to offer our patients and their families all the services they need in one location, allowing for a stronger continuum of care. We are so grateful for all that philanthropy has allowed us to do thus far and look forward to what we will be able to do in the future.”
Pre- and post-operative patient education is crucial to the recovery of patients who undergo orthopedic and spinal surgery.
Alexander and Sally Lynch and their daughter Sally Bedell recently made a $100,000 gift — in honor of Beaumont orthopedic surgeon Dr. Richard Easton — to support pre-surgical education at Beaumont Hospital, Troy.
The Lynch family was inspired to give this gift by their friend Martha Quay, a Troy Development Committee member. Quay referred the family to Dr. Easton after learning that Bedell, having been diagnosed with a rare disease that attacked her thoracic discs, had endured years of postsurgical pain without relief. Quay had an extraordinary experience herself with Dr. Easton, and Bedell has been incredibly pleased with the care she has received during and since her surgery in the fall of 2020.
Their gift will allow implementation of STREAMD, an innovative text messaging program that guides and supports patients through their pre- and post-surgical experiences.
Powered by artificial intelligence and natural language understanding technology, STREAMD provides
patients with a customized digital health assistant to coach them through their entire surgical episode.
STREAMD technology enables 24-hour access to a variety of resources, providing useful tips, timely reminders, and most importantly, peace of mind. In addition to an improved patient experience, the implementation of STREAMD aims to reduce readmissions and avoidable ER visits, helping orthopedic and spine patients receive answers to common questions without having to wait for physician or nurse callbacks.
Patient surveys reflect just how beneficial this gift from the Lynches will be for orthopedic and spine patients in Troy. Nearly 100 percent of STREAMD users reported a positive effect on their recovery and indicated they would recommend the service to a friend undergoing a similar procedure. Ninety-six percent said they did not have to call their physician’s office because STREAMD answered their questions and nearly 90 percent said it made
them feel a more personal connection to their physician.
Research has confirmed that patients who take an active role in their own care often experience a faster and smoother recovery and, most importantly, have better long-term outcomes. Specifically, they have shorter lengths of stay, decreased morbidity, fewer surgical site infections, fewer post-surgical emergency visits and fewer readmissions.
“We are thrilled that the Lynches and Ms. Bedell have chosen to support Troy Orthopedic Education with such a wonderful gift,” said Dr. Easton. “Surgery can be stressful, but the right support before and after the procedure can really help reduce patient anxiety while improving health outcomes. STREAMD helps us do just that and we’re very grateful for this support.”
Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia and currently affects more than six million people in America, having a devastating impact on these individuals and their families.
And as the number of older Americans continues to grow, it is projected that 12.7 million people will be living with AD by 2050. However, with the dedication and support of our philanthropic partners, Beaumont Health is making important strides in Alzheimer’s research to help detect and one day treat this life-shattering disease.
brain plaques, which are widely believed to cause cognitive impairment leading to AD.
• The development of non-invasive diagnostic biomarkers, suchassalivaandurine, to help detect AD earlier.
• Using artificial intelligence to identify metabolic biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease. From their findings, the team suggests that damages in lipid metabolism may be integral to the evolution of AD neuropathology and onset of the disease.
• Research on the detection of late-onset AD that incorporates Deep Learning — a new branch of artificial intelligence.
• Marilyn Bishop
• Robert Kurnick
• James Rodney
• Pew Charitable Trusts
• Cynthia George
With this support, the Beaumont Research Institute is continuing to expand AD research and is working toward the types of breakthroughs that will make Beaumont a leading site for clinical trials and research in the field — directly impacting patient care here at Beaumont. This work is being led by Stewart Graham, Ph.D., director of metabolomics research (a growing field of study that investigates the products of metabolism within cells, tissues, organisms and biological fluids), the John and Marilyn Bishop Foundation Endowed Chair and director of Alzheimer’s Disease research.
Recent AD studies at Beaumont that have been supported by philanthropy include:
• Research to determine whether low-dose radiation might be a promising treatment for AD, as pre-clinical studies found radiation to be effective in reducing
• Research to help doctors differentiate AD-related dementia from dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB). The team were able to develop models capable of accurately discriminating DLB from AD and healthy individuals.
“The work we do is imperative not only for the patient but for the community of support the patient may have, and having philanthropic support is imperative to accomplishing the research we’re trying to do,” Dr. Graham said. “This is a disease that devastates millions of people each year and we want to mitigate that as much as possible. We are so thankful to our donors who are helping us to do just that.”
In the last 20 years, opioid overdose deaths have increased ten-fold in Michigan. In 2018 alone, there were 2,599 deaths from drug overdoses — more deaths than from car crashes. Nationwide, more than 130 people die from opioid-related drug overdoses each day.
It’s an unprecedented epidemic, but recent grants awarded by the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan (CFSEM) in collaboration with the Michigan Opioid Partnership (MOP) are helping Beaumont expand its efforts to fight back and provide the highest level of treatment and care for individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD).
These grants build upon previous support to Beaumont, which allowed the Royal Oak and Troy campuses to create multidisciplinary addiction medicine teams to treat patients seen in the emergency centers and in the inpatient setting who are diagnosed with OUD. The teams consist of social workers, peer recovery coaches and RN care coordinators. Now, this grant will expand the programming to Beaumont, Grosse Pointe, Taylor, Trenton and Wayne campuses.
“The overall goal of the project is to wean people off their dependency on opioids,” said Julie Jordan, director of nursingemergency services, infection prevention and epidemiology at Beaumont, Grosse Pointe. “We all know this is out there and it’s prevalent, and this program will provide us with a mechanism to offer the best treatment and ensure the best patient outcomes.”
Upon admission to the emergency center, every patient will be screened for OUD. If during this screening — or at any time during the patient’s stay — a patient is
found to be at risk for OUD, the Streamlining Treatment for Addiction Recovery (STAR) team at the hospital campus will be contacted. The team is able to initiate treatment during the patient’s stay, and upon discharge, the patient will be directly connected with treatment maintenance programs in the community, leading to healthier outcomes. The team also will increase education about addiction and promote safer opioid prescribing methods and harm-reduction efforts.
Because Beaumont, Royal Oak and Troy have had this program in place for over a year, Beaumont, Grosse Pointe, Taylor, Trenton and Wayne will be able to utilize their techniques and data to best reach patients — and they envision reaching many individuals. In 2021, over 400 patients who came through Beaumont, Royal Oak received treatment because of this program.
“The impact to our community is immense,” said Dr. Rebecca Clemans, director of the Beaumont
Center for Pain Medicine. “Not only are these patients receiving the treatment they need, but when we treat OUD as any other chronic illness, there’s an opportunity to educate and show it’s a condition that’s treatable.”
Clemans said she is excited about the expansion of the program to the additional campuses, as this helps meet one of the main goals of the initiative: providing opportunities to meet patients where they’re at. “This issue impacts thousands of individuals and families in our community, and the results can be devastating,” said Beaumont Health Foundation President Margaret Cooney Casey. “We are all so deeply grateful for the continued support of the Michigan Opioid Partnership in helping us expand our programming to help these individuals receive the treatment they need and deserve.”
Many donors want to make a significant impact with their philanthropy but are faced with several questions:
• How do I accomplish my philanthropic goals but also provide financially for myself, my spouse and my children?
• Some of the gift planning ideas are complex. What is best for my circumstances?
Keeping it simple can reduce the stress of your charitable gift planning.
If you want to preserve your assets during your lifetime, a bequest from your estate or a beneficiary designation of life insurance proceeds or retirement assets are simple ways to make a deferred gift.
There are benefits of a gift through a will or trust (i.e., a bequest) to Beaumont.
• There are no lifetime implications because your assets remain available, if needed.
• The gift is flexible because it can be changed.
• The documentation of the charitable bequest can be made at the same time you document the disposition of your estate to your family.
Designating Beaumont as a beneficiary of a life insurance policy or of a retirement asset (e.g., an IRA) is also a simple process.
• Generally, the process only requires the execution of a beneficiary designation form.
• The beneficiary designation is revocable.
• Retirement assets have not, generally, been subject to income taxes. In the case of the designation of retirement assets to a charity, you can achieve income tax savings.
Please consider taking advantage of the Beaumont Legacy Challenge. Beaumont will match an amount equal to 20 percent of the amount of any documented bequest or beneficiary designation that can be used immediately for the same purpose as the planned gift. A few details:
• For any one gift, the matching funds are subject to a cap of $200,000.
• The planned gift must have a minimal value of $100,000.
• The gift can be revocable.
• Documentation and valuation requirements will be in accordance with Beaumont’s policies.
• Subject to your consent, you will be recognized for your gift.
More information about the Beaumont Legacy Challenge is included in the sidebar.
You might also consider a blended gift that will enhance your legacy of giving to Beaumont. A blended gift includes a current and a deferred component. As time passes and you become more comfortable with your financial situation, you may want to accelerate the deferred portion of your giving by making additional current gifts. The current gift component of a blended gift can be made with cash or appreciated securities.
A current gift may provide you a tax benefit from a charitable contribution tax deduction.
If you are over age 72 (over age 70 ½ before January 1, 2020), you are required to take annual minimum distributions (RMDs) from your retirement accounts. You may be able to offset the tax impact of the RMDs with a charitable contribution to Beaumont.
If you are over age 70 ½, you and your spouse can each make qualified charitable distributions (QCDs) from your IRAs up to $100,000 annually. The distributions will offset RMDs.
To learn how your planned gift can make an immediate impact today, visit www.beaumont.org/giving or call or email Terry O. Lang, vice president of Planned Giving* at Beaumont Health Foundation at 947-522-0085 or terry.lang@beaumont.org.
*Terry will direct your inquiry to an appropriate gift officer who will respond to your inquiry.
Planned gifts are an important source of funding for Beaumont and are wonderful ways to give. However, the impact of these gifts is not immediate. The matching opportunity of the Beaumont Legacy Challenge can have an impact now on Beaumont for a program area or project that you are interested in supporting.
If you document a new gift to Beaumont in your will or other planned gift arrangement, you can direct matching funds, provided by Beaumont, to be used currently for the same purpose you have designated for your planned gift. It is a way for you to experience an immediate beneficial impact on the program area or project that you are interested in supporting. Beaumont will NOW match an amount equal to 20 percent (an increase from 10 percent) of the amount of your planned gift.
• The planned gift must be new and have a minimum value of $100,000.
• For any one gift, the matching funds are subject to a cap of $200,000.
• Documentation requirements will be in accordance with Beaumont’s policies.
• Subject to your consent, you will be recognized for your gift.
Doubling the match to 20 percent of the planned gif t value means that, for example, a $100,000 planned gift will create matching funds of $20,000 or a $1 million gift will create matching funds of $200,000.
Twice a year, nurses, physicians and clinical leaders from pediatric departments across BeaumontHealth have the opportunity to request grants from Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) to support new or existing initiatives.
Earlier this year, CMN announced more than $2 million in new grants to support Beaumont Children’s for spring/summer 2022.
The success of Beaumont Children’s longstanding partnership with CMN depends on the generosity of corporate sponsors, community donors and Beaumont Health team members. Each year, these individuals support crucial fundraising events and campaigns, such as the Feldman Automotive Children’s Miracle Celebrity Invitational and the Spirit of Giving program, all in the interest of helping children and families across Southeast Michigan.
The newly awarded CMN grants will support the following departments:
• Pediatric Emergency Center at Royal Oak with IV administration equipment and bili lights for infant phototherapy
• Neonatal Intensive Care Unit with a cardiorespirator, infant CPAP monitors, retinal camera and portable cardiac ultrasound equipment
• Pediatric Surgery with gastronomy tube supplies for pediatric patients with emergent needs
• Mother Baby Unit with an infant transporter, pulse-ox monitors and an infant ophthalmoscope
• Pediatric Radiology with CinemaVision goggles for pediatric patients undergoing MRI procedures
• Pediatric Intensive Care Unit with specialized sleep chairs and a GlideScope machine
• Pediatric Rehabilitation with patient positioning equipment, funding for customized adaptive bikes and a MyndMove muscle stimulator device
On Monday, August 29, Beaumont will host the second annual Feldman Automotive Children’s Miracle Celebrity Invitational, welcoming actor Mark Wahlberg and other notable celebrities to raise funds for Beaumont Children’s during a day on the golf course.
During this unique fundraising tournament, every foursome will enjoy an up-close and personal pairing with a well-known celebrity from the world of sports and entertainment. In addition to a full day of golf and hospitality, the event will include a live auction of unique celebrity experiences.
At last year’s event, more than 250 golfers and 400 attendees came together to raise more than $1 million to benefit Beaumont Children’s and the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation. If you would like to join us in 2022 as a golfer or a sponsor, please visit beaumont.org/giving/events.
In 2021, a group of dedicated gamers raised more than $105,000 to benefit patients at Beaumont Children’s.
These individuals were participants in the Detroit chapter of the Extra Life program, which empowers the gaming community to make a difference in the lives of local children and families and has raised more than $100 million to benefit Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) hospitals since 2008.
Extra Life gamers participate in fundraising events year-round, including a 24-hour gaming marathon, an annual gaming tournament in early spring and a weekend of tabletop gaming. Proceeds from last year’s events will be used to purchase additional CareScape heart monitors for Beaumont neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) at the Royal Oak, Troy and Dearborn hospitals.
The CareScape system helps NICU caregivers monitor vital signs like heart rate and blood pressure on premature infants. Its accuracy reduces false heart rate alarms and unnecessary transfers, helping to maintain a quieter, calmer atmosphere of care for the newborns. Technology like this is crucial to young patients like twin sisters Lilly and Stella Shullman, who spent 130 days in the NICU.
“There were a lot of ups and downs in those months,” said Graham, Lilly and Stella’s father. “Watching nurses save your child while their oxygen and heart rate goes down is something a parent should never see, and we saw it many times. We couldn’t count the number of times a nurse or doctor saved our girls’ lives. We are so grateful!”
Despite 2021 being another difficult and uncertain year for many businesses in southeast Michigan, multiple Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) partners broke their local fundraising records for Beaumont Children’s.
Last year, our corporate partners achieved the following:
• Speedway, CMN Detroit’s top corporate partner, raised more than $800,000 for Beaumont Children’s—shattering their previous fundraising record by more than $300,000.
• After a record-breaking year in 2020, Ace Hardware set yet another fundraising record in 2021, raising more than $440,000 for CMN.
• Last year Costco raised more than $410,000 for CMN, surpassing their previous record of $362,000.
• RE/MAX Miracle Agents raised nearly $250,000 to benefit CMN in 2021, beating their previous record by more than $75,000.
CMN is incredibly grateful to our corporate partners, their employees and their customers. These funds provide critical support for pediatric initiatives across Beaumont Health, including state-of-the-art equipment, therapies, research and care for the 200,000 kids treated annually at Beaumont Children’s.
This past March, the Beaumont Health Foundation held a series of donor meetings and a donor education and cultivation event in Palm Beach, Florida. The event gave major Beaumont donors the opportunity to hear from new BHSH System leadership including BHSH System President and CEO Tina Freese Decker, BHSH Beaumont Health Interim President and Co-Chief Operating Officer Nancy Susick, RN, and BHSH Beaumont Health Board of Directors Chairperson Christopher Blake.
The Florida event and meetings were the first held in several years due to the pandemic. This year marked the return of these cultivation and education efforts, including a talk by Dr. Julie Zenger Hain and Dr. Robert Green on precision medicine and population health.
Beaumont Health Foundation
Beaumont Service Center, 5D
26901 Beaumont Blvd.
Southfield, MI 48033
Monday, August 29, 2022 Detroit Golf Club Detroit
Monday, September 12, 2022 Country Club of Detroit Grosse Pointe Farms
Friday, November 18, 2022
104.3 WOMC Live Broadcast
Friday, November 18, 2022
104.3 WOMC
At Beaumont Health, your health and safety is our top priority. We have implemented the most up-to-date COVID-19 safety protocols and have planned only outdoor or virtual events as we are continuously looking for new and improved ways to keep you safe. All events are subject to cancellation or change based on current COVID-19 community infection rates.
To reserve your sponsorship, or for more information about participating in 2022 events, visit beaumont.org/giving/events or call (947) 522-0100