Surgical Institute at Latrobe Hospital Frick Golf Classic Ray Rides Again LAHCF Golf Outing Leave a Legacy with Planned Giving
Expert Care. Here.
Upcoming Events In This Issue Upcoming Events Page 3 Latrobe Area Hospital Charitable Foundation Golf Outing Page 4 Frick Golf Classic Page 5
Stay Up-To-Date Have you seen the “new” Excela Health website? Information on our foundations is now even easier to find! Simply click “Giving” from any page to take you to the main Foundations page. Want to read about current news articles, blog posts or event recaps? Visit the Newsroom and select “Excela Health Foundations” in the category drop down menu.
Recent Events From Our Partners Page 6 Ray Rides Again Page 7 Surgical Institute at Latrobe Hospital Page 8 Board Member Spotlights Page 10 Andrew D. Bagby Scholarship Page 11 Support Excela Health Foundations Page 12
To receive digital communications from the Excela Health Foundations, please share your email address with us. Simply email us at foundation@excelahealth.org and we will add you to our digital mailing list. Digital communications help us to communicate information more frequently and can help to reduce costs.
To Our Supporters, It is with a grateful heart that I share with you our successes throughout the past several months in this challenging time. The Foundations of Excela Health continue to move forward with the generous support and enthusiasm from the business community and individual donors. We are proud to announce that each foundation held successful golf outings with a grand total in excess of $170,000. These fundraising efforts will support the patient care and equipment fund at Excela Frick Hospital as well as provide funding for the recently created Excela Health Surgical Institute at Latrobe Hospital. We are thankful for all who help us to make advancements.
Al Novak, Chief Philanthropy Officer 2 | A Foundation of Support
ExcelaHealth.org/Foundations
Upcoming Events Lights of Love The Latrobe Area Hospital Aid Society celebrates the 34th year of Lights of Love tradition. Remember and honor the special people in your life by dedicating a light to them. Each light on the outdoor evergreen tree on the Excela Latrobe Hospital Plaza signifies a family member or friend who holds a special place in someone’s heart. The tree will be illuminated during a virtual Light Up Night program that can be viewed beginning Tuesday, December 7 at 6:30 p.m. and the online Honor Roll Book with names of all donors and the people they remembered and honored will be available until January 8, 2022.
Black Tie for Heart Save the Date! On March 26, 2022, the Westmoreland/Frick Hospital Foundation will host a Black Tie for Heart event at the Greensburg Country Club to support the Excela Health Heart, Lung & Vascular Institute while enjoying an evening of casino games, horse races, prizes, surprise guests and more! Additional information will be available soon. Questions? Please call 724-832-4140 or email foundation@excelahealth.org
Congratulations to the Westmoreland Hospital Auxiliary for celebrating their 125th anniversary.
To download and print the donation form, click here. Questions? Please call 724-537-1733 or email lahas@excelahealth.org
ExcelaHealth.org/Foundations
A Foundation of Support | 3
LAHCF Golf Outing June 18, 2021
On June 18, 2021, the Latrobe Area Hospital Charitable Foundation (LAHCF) hosted its annual golf outing at the Ligonier Country Club. There were 130 golfers in attendance, as well as celebrity guest golfer, Phil Bourque, former Pittsburgh Penguins hockey player who golfed with one of our top sponsors, ArTECH Group, LLC. Through the generous support of our donors and sponsors, more than $84,000 was raised in support of the Excela Health Surgical Institute at Latrobe Hospital. Learn more.
We are grateful to all of our sponsors of the event: Eagle – $5,000
Birdie – $2,500
Silver:
Par – $1,250
• ArTECH Group, LLC • Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC • CAPTRUST • SEI Investments • Western PA Electrical Labor Management Cooperation Committee • UPMC Hillman Cancer Center
• A. Martini & Co. • Consolidated Communications • Crown Castle Fiber • FMRW Engineering • Joseph Gibson • H. L. Thomas, Inc. • Limbach Inc • O.Z. Enterprises • Pittsburgh Interior Systems • PRISM • Saint Vincent College
• Schultheis Electric (T.S.B. Inc.) • Scott Electric Foundation • SSM Industries, Inc • Dr. Michael Szwerc • Dr. Thomas P. Gessner • Trane • Tuscano-Maher Roofing Inc • United Medical Products • Westmoreland/Frick Hospital Foundation
• Flooring Contractors of Pittsburgh • Westmoreland Electric Services, LLC • Westmoreland Landscapes • Butz Masonry & Excavation
4 | A Foundation of Support
ExcelaHealth.org/Foundations
Frick Golf Classic
The Westmoreland/Frick Hospital Foundation of Excela Health hosted its 30th annual Golf Classic at Greensburg Country Club on Friday, September 17, 2021, with 152 golfers in attendance. On behalf of the golf committee, we thank those who were able to join us in raising more than $87,000 in support of the Patient Care Fund at Excela Frick Hospital. Learn more.
Special thanks to our Gold, Silver and Bronze event sponsors: Gold – $5,000
Silver – $2,500
Silver:
Bronze – $1,250
• Cerner • Handyman Joe • Penn Line Enterprises • SEI Investments • UPMC Health Plan
• A. Martini & Co. • AmCom Office Systems • Aon • ArTECH Group LLC • Capital Strategies Investment Group • Excela Health Medical Group • Elliott Group • Joseph Gibson • H. L. Thomas, Inc.
• Latrobe Area Hospital Charitable Foundation • Leonida Family Practice • Limbach • Modal Inc. • Optum • PNC Health Care • Prism Response • SSM Industries • Trane • Tribune Review
• Blue Sky Sign Co. • Eastern Door Controls, Inc. • McKamish, Inc. • Western PA Electrical Labor Management Cooperation Committee
ExcelaHealth.org/Foundations
A Foundation of Support | 5
Recent Events From Our Partners Auxiliary Dîner En Blanc
Aid Society Golf Outing
On August 28, 2021, the Westmoreland Hospital Auxiliary hosted a French-themed dinner, “Dîner en Blanc”. At these pop-up dinner events, guests typically bring their own food, drink, tables, chairs and décor. The Westmoreland Hospital Auxiliary made it a little easier for their attendees by supplying a tent, tables, chairs, meal and bottled water. Learn more.
The Latrobe Area Hospital Aid Society celebrated the success of their first golf outing with a profit of more than $16,000! The outing was held at Glengarry Golf course in August with 104 golfers in attendance.
This special evening raised $7,700 toward the auxiliary’s scholarship fund. The auxiliary awards scholarships to Westmoreland County high school students who intend to pursue higher education in a healthcare field. This year, they also awarded a scholarship to an Excela Health employee to further their education.
The sponsorship amount was $17,940. Every donation counted to the success of the event and every donor is appreciated. Golf teaches you to keep swinging and allow yourself a few mulligans every day!
Thank You to Our Donors View Donors at ExcelaHealth.org/Foundations 6 | A Foundation of Support
ExcelaHealth.org/Foundations
Ray Rides Again
ExcelaHealth.org/RayRidesAgain Ray Charley is not only the chair of the Westmoreland/Frick Foundation, he considers himself a very grateful patient. As a bike enthusiast, during a practice training ride in January 2020, he dodged a distracted driver which resulted in a fall, shattering his pelvis. He was unable to walk due to the accident but was determined to make a comeback. Recovery was long and difficult with very little assurance that he would ever bike again.
In early October Ray embarked on a cycling journey over rugged, difficult terrain across the Hayduke Trail MTB in Utah.He peddled more than 40 miles per day on this “ride to the sky” and documented his journey. This quest was planned to celebrate how far he had come and to ask the community at large to support him – and the world class orthopedics care that he received at Excela Health. As of November 10, Ray’s Ride had collected more than $30,000 and Ray has generously offered to match contributions up to $50,000. Read more.
After a successful surgery, he underwent many months of physical therapy at Excela Square at Latrobe as well as with a private therapist. Ray credits his successful surgery and recovery to the physicians and clinicians at the Excela Health Orthopedics Institute as he prepared to ride again!
ExcelaHealth.org/Foundations
A Foundation of Support | 7
Surgical Institute at Latrobe Hospital
Redefining Surgical and Cancer Care in Westmoreland County Excela Health continues to raise the bar for quality patient care, with the creation of the Excela Health Surgical Institute, based at Excela Latrobe Hospital, with a focus on cancer care. “This announcement represents yet another major commitment by the System to continue its evolution from a capable, community-based confederation of hospitals to a true System of care,” said John Sphon, Excela Health Chief Executive Officer, “one that can provide tertiary and quaternary care in virtually all specialties of medicine and whose quality and outcomes are on par or exceed those of the finest like programs in the nation.”
8 | A Foundation of Support
The entire Surgical Institute project represents a $10 million investment by the health system in both technology and facility upgrades. To support the build-out of the program, the Latrobe Area Hospital Charitable Foundation (LAHCF) has committed $2 million in support. “While still faced with the challenges of COVID-19, the Foundation continues to move forward in its fundraising efforts to help launch Latrobe Hospital, in partnership with UPMC Hillman Cancer, as the premier surgical cancer center in the area,” said Foundation board chair Thomas P. Gessner, MD.
ExcelaHealth.org/Foundations
Through the gift of an anonymous estate donor, LAHCF facilitated the purchase a new DaVinci robot, enhanced high dose radiation equipment needed for prostate procedures, and funded the critical renovations and upgrades needed to modernize the Excela Latrobe Hospital Pharmacy, all necessary to the creation of the Surgical Institute. Housed on the second floor of Excela Latrobe Hospital, the Surgical Institute features a state-of-the-art Operating Room. The centerpiece of that OR is the daVinci Xi, the latest iteration of the surgical robot which was acquired in 2019. Other instrumentation including a navigational bronchoscopy system and operating room equipment also were included in the upgrade. Additionally, patient rooms and staff work areas have been remodeled in keeping with the continuing modernization of the entire hospital. Excela Health thoracic surgeon Michael Szwerc, MD, who focuses his practice on the care of the lung cancer patient, is taking a leading role in the development of the Surgical Institute.
“As a surgeon, I am always looking for ways to improve quality of life, and the key to helping patients navigate a cancer diagnosis is seamless coordinated care from the first inkling of a problem to the last follow-up after treatment,” said Dr. Szwerc, program champion. “We are so fortunate in Westmoreland County to have such resources right here. The creation of the Surgical Institute allows us to bring greater focus to these resources and the entire patient experience within a center of excellence,” added Dr. Szwerc, who is also Medical Director of Robotic Surgery and Director of the Center for Lung and Thoracic Disease at Excela Health. Carol Fox, MD, Excela Health Chief Medical Officer, emphasized the significance of this announcement to system recruitment efforts. “A health system that has an expansive slate of physician specialists is attractive to other medical professionals. This allows the talent cycle to continue. It allows our community continuous access to the best providers. Our commitment to service enhancements such as the Surgical Institute make it easier to recruit other experts, and demonstrate our commitment to our community to bring the very best here.” Read more.
ExcelaHealth.org/Foundations
A Foundation of Support | 9
Board Member Spotlights Ron Eberhardt
Wylie Overly, MD
No matter the assignment, Ron Eberhardt always has the end goal in focus. Whether he’s leading fellow Marines as a military sergeant, managing finances for various businesses as a CPA, or raising funds for community not-for-profits as a volunteer board member, Eberhardt knows success requires both a commitment to the cause and to the bottom line. For nearly a decade, Eberhardt has been a member of the Westmoreland/Frick Hospital Foundation Board, currently serving as Vice Chair. Over that time, he has championed several successful fundraising events from golf outings to formal dinners, including Black Tie galas that supported maternity services, cancer care, and in 2022, cardiac care.
With the opening of Excela Health’s Surgical Institute at Excela Latrobe Hospital, life has come full circle for Wylie Overly, MD, (pictured above in the center) who built the framework for community-based cancer care in Westmoreland County more than 60 years ago.
“I have the privilege to serve the area where I live and have worked by sharing my experience and financial knowledge,” says Eberhardt, who in his role as Vice Chair of the Westmoreland County Food Bank board is working to pair the two organizations in a project that ties medical care to food insecurity. “When you fight hunger, you also fight health disparities. The connection is undeniable.”
Based on his training at the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Overly saw a future in cancer care, and sought board certification in oncology and hematology in the early ‘70s when both were emerging specialties Over the past 20 years, Excela’s joint venture with UPMC has deepened, and now, through the creation of the Surgical Institute at Latrobe Hospital, surgical remedies for cancer have a focal point in Westmoreland County, too. In retirement, Dr. Overly remains attentive to the latest advances in oncology, and through his membership on the LAHCF board, he is a strong advocate for funding projects that allow physicians to find and treat cancer sooner. “I am a big believer in creating, equipping and maintaining facilities that allow us to provide the best care we possibly can at the local level,” affirms Dr. Overly.
Read more.
Read more.
10 | A Foundation of Support
ExcelaHealth.org/Foundations
Andrew D. Bagby Scholarship Three aspiring family physicians are the recipients of this year’s Andrew D. Bagby Family Medicine Scholarship. Each participated in a month-long program this summer through the Excela Health Latrobe Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program in which they gained inpatient and outpatient experience, in addition to exploring career options in primary care. The Bagby Scholarship was established by family and friends in memory of first-year resident Dr. Andrew Bagby, who died tragically in November 2001. This year’s winners include Joseph Collier, Kanan Patel, and Kelsie Sirak. Kelsie is following in the footsteps of her sister and brother-in-law, Drs. Courtney and Ryan Floyd, both attending physicians with Excela Health as well as graduates of Excela’s residency program. Read more.
WESTMORELAND/FRICK HOSPITAL FOUNDATION Officers and Trustees
Officers and Trustees
• Thomas P. Gessner, MD, Chair • Barbara K. Wang, MD, Vice Chair • Joseph A. Scarpo, Treasurer • Douglas A. Clark, Secretary • David S. DeRose, Esq. • Phil A. Dymond • Richard Okonak • Wylie L. Overly, MD • Sam Reiman • Phyllis Ruffner • Douglas L. Sisson • William Stavisky, EdD. • Reverend Paul Taylor, OSB, PhD. • Ruth Tolbert • John M. Sphon, CEO
• Ray Charley, Chair • Ronald E. Eberhardt, Vice Chair • Dave Delisi, CPA, Treasurer • Carol Williams, Secretary • Ed Miedel, Distribution Chair • Charles W. Anderson • Karl Eisaman • Richard D. Harrer Jr. • Jacqueline Horrall, PhD • William A. Jenkins, MD • John P. Kline • Honorable Charles Loughran • Gerald Lucia • David W. Lynn • Don Scott • Jess M. Stairs • John Sphon, CEO
ExcelaHealth.org/Foundations
A Foundation of Support | 11
Support Excela Health Foundations Creating a Philanthropic Legacy There are many ways to support Excela Health. Gifts of cash are always appreciated and have an immediate impact; however, there are other creative and flexible giving options that can benefit both you and Excela Health for the future. You can arrange many of these gifts now without affecting your current circumstances. For example, you can name either the Latrobe Area Hospital Charitable Foundation or Westmoreland/Frick Hospital Foundation as a beneficiary of a retirement plan, an IRA, or of a life insurance policy. You can provide for a gift to the Foundation(s) in your will or living trust. There are other types of planned gifts that enable you to give stocks, real estate or other assets now, in return for annual payments for your lifetime and an eventual gift to be used by the Foundation(s). You might also enjoy tax benefits now and/or in the future. As a planned/estate gift donor, you will be inducted into Excela’s new Legacy Society, created specifically for the legacy donor. Members of the Legacy Society will be invited to attend a special event hosted by Excela Health leadership to formally honor and acknowledge your generous support. In addition, Legacy Society members will be acknowledged on the Excela Health website and honored on a permanent engraved display. Or, your gift may remain anonymous, if you prefer. If you have already named the Latrobe Area Hospital Charitable Foundation or Westmoreland/Frick Hospital Foundation in your will, trust or other estate plans, we are deeply grateful. And if so, please notify our office as it is important for us to plan accordingly and to properly thank you.
Time of Giving Every year, your generous gift supports essential projects across the health system. We depend on your contributions to improve the quality and availability of services of the highest caliber for our patients. Please consider making your tax-deductible gift by December 31, 2021, click here to donate online. Your contribution helps to fulfill our mission to improve the health and well-being of every life we touch. Thank you for your loyal support. We wish you and your family the very best in health.
For more information or questions, please contact Al Novak, Chief Philanthropy Officer at anovak@excelahealth.org or 724-832-4146 or click here.
12 | A Foundation of Support
ExcelaHealth.org/Foundations