Carole Greene Increasing knowledge, advancing care

When Carole Greene established the Carole and Warren Greene Endowment for Medical Innovation at Huntington Hospital, she knew she was doing something her late husband, Warren, would be pleased about. “He did a lot for other people, and all his life he was interested in medicine,” she says. “I know he would be especially happy about supporting medical research and innovation at the hospital.”

The generous endowment Carole has created will support the research activities of physicians and medical residents working here. As a result, it will help to advance medical knowledge and strengthen care — now and into the future.

“Huntington Hospital is doing research that can save lives and change the face of health care,” Carole notes. “New technologies and new medications are regularly being developed. It takes dedicated individuals to undertake the kind of research that creates solutions and advances the field,” she adds, “and it takes money to fund it.”

The Carole and Warren Greene Endowment for Medical Innovation is a fitting tribute to the late Warren Greene, who was known for his generous spirit and love of learning.

Carole served as a professor of American history and political science at Pasadena Community College for many years, as well as at California State University, Northridge, prior to her retirement. Warren was an optometrist, practicing in Monterey Park. He was also very involved in the work of Lions Clubs International, serving on the organization’s board of directors.

Lions Clubs service took the Greenes to locations around the globe. “Warren wanted to do everything he could to help people in other parts of the world,” Carole says. By way of example, she mentions his role in establishing vision clinics in Sri Lanka and other countries and his work in conducting vision screenings for more than 60,000 children in the San Gabriel Valley. “My niece described Warren as ‘a man of vision,’ and it was true,” Carole says.

Along with Warren, Carole shared a love of learning and research. While she was still teaching, she decided to pursue a law degree. “I thought it would be interesting to study and I just wanted to learn more,” she explains.

The Greenes’ love of learning is reflected in Carole’s choice of philanthropic focus at the hospital. “I’m excited that the endowment fund will make a difference that has the potential to help not only people being served right now, but hundreds, thousands, maybe even millions of people in the future,” she says.

“My grandmother had cataract surgery,” she adds, by way of example, “and at that time you had to keep your head immobilized for a long time afterwards. Now, it’s an outpatient surgery with a much easier recovery.” Such progress, she notes, is made possible thanks to medical research.

Carole and Warren have been long-term donors, making predominantly unrestricted gifts, which give us the flexibility to use funds where they are needed most. Over the years, the Greenes increased the level of their support. “The more we learned, the more we wanted to give,” Carole says.

While Carole has not been an inpatient at the hospital, she notes that Warren was treated here. He also participated in our cardiac rehabilitation program. “People truly trust Huntington Hospital,” she says, “and I’m proud it’s part of my community. This is a premier medical institution, and I’m glad it’s here.”