THE BEST LAID PLAN

PEARSONS FOCUS ON HEALTH FOR ESTATE GIVING

When Sharon and Ken Pearson face challenging health issues, they turn to Houston Methodist. Their recent estate gift to their favorite hospital allows them to envision a world where medical advances will occur for future generations. “I had prostate cancer, and I started seeing Dr. Tim Boone for follow-ups and testing. I received wonderful care,” says Ken Pearson. “It piqued my interest in research, and I had lots of questions. Dr. Boone said at the time more research money would make an impact in creating major breakthroughs.” It was that conversation that sparked the couple’s idea to make a planned gift to Houston Methodist. When updating their financial planning and their wills, they focused on aspects that have shaped their lives: family health. “As you get older, you realize there are many health conditions needing further research,” says Ken Pearson. “That usually means a shortage of money to fully address ongoing research. Sharon and I talked for several weeks about what is important to us. It comes down to quality of life, and health plays a huge role in that.” Sharon Pearson’s dad died of complications of prostate cancer. Ken Pearson’s dad braved Alzheimer’s disease, and it was difficult to endure. Sharon Pearson faces her own health battles with pre-breast cancer. So, the couple decided to make generous estate gifts to Houston Methodist for three endowments: The Sharon and Kenneth Pearson Prostate Cancer Research Endowment in the Department of Urology, The Sharon and Kenneth Pearson Alzheimer’s and Dementia Research Endowment in the Nantz National Alzheimer Center, and The Sharon and Kenneth Pearson Breast Cancer Research Endowment in the Dr. Mary and Ron Neal Cancer Center. “Diseases like Alzheimer’s impact the whole family, and we don’t seem to have made progress in preventing or curing this disease,” Sharon Pearson says. “We’d like to help our generation and future generations so diseases such as Alzheimer’s, prostate cancer and breast cancer are not a burden for them. Houston Methodist has a history of steady, strong leadership, and we know our investment is in good hands.”