5 minute read
Kimberly and Curt Jacobsen
A testament to exceptional care.
In the tapestry of Kimberly and Curt Jacobsen’s lives, Huntington Hospital emerges as a vital thread — stitching together critical moments of resilience and gratitude. As both donors and patients, the Jacobsens are well versed in our comprehensive range of health care services. “Huntington Hospital is unlike any other hospital we have ever encountered,” Curt shares. “We have witnessed the hospital’s dedication to personalized care firsthand. Because of that, we feel an obligation and responsibility to support it.”
“We need the hospital to be strong and capable so they can have the resources to care for us and others in the community,” Kimberly adds. To help us do so, the couple play an active role in ensuring we can provide others with the same exceptional care that has transformed their own lives.
Adventurers at heart.
Curt and Kimberly, natives of Denver and Los Angeles, respectively, have called the Pasadena area home since 2009. Their paths originally converged in Texas, where they were consultants at the same company. Kimberly has since shifted her focus to raising their two sons, Simon and Henry. As a consultant for most of his career, Curt is now a partner at McKinsey & Company, where he helps businesses use technology to accelerate growth.
The Jacobsens seek adventure and relaxation in equal measure. Scenic bike rides, skiing trips and culinary explorations are just a few of the family’s favorite activities. Passionate about exploring new places and cities, Curt and Kimberly even lived abroad for several years.
Transformative care in action.
While these exciting adventures are now a natural part of their lives, traveling and enjoying all that life has to offer was not always so simple. Curt spent a significant amount of his life battling respiratory issues, including recurring bronchitis and pneumonia infections. In fact, he estimates that 60% of his childhood was spent coughing. In adulthood, Curt’s respiratory issues seemed to only worsen.
In 2017, Curt became so sick that he required a visit to our Nan and Howard Schow Emergency & Trauma Center. There, he was treated by infectious disease specialist Kimberly Shriner, MD, medical director of infection prevention and control. “Dr. Shriner was the first person who really listened to me,” Curt says. “I would tell people I’ve had pneumonia several times, or I cough constantly, and they wouldn’t believe me. But, when I told her, she paused, listened and acted.” Dr. Shriner ordered a CT scan, which ultimately revealed a rare lung abnormality. Curt needed cardiothoracic surgery to treat the condition.
While both Kimberly and Curt recall the stress and anticipation of that day, they also remember Robbin Cohen, MD, director of the Cedars-Sinai Cardiac Surgery Program at Huntington Health, who led the team that removed a portion of Curt’s lung and patched the remaining hole in his aorta. “I’ll always be grateful to Dr. Cohen and his team,” Curt shares. “The surgery was truly life changing for me and my family.”
Beyond Curt’s surgery, Huntington Hospital has often been the go-to haven for their family’s care. “When it was time for me to deliver our children, it was a no-brainer to choose Huntington, and Dr. Melissa Grier took excellent care of us,” Kimberly says. In her second pregnancy, Kimberly was diagnosed with gestational diabetes and participated in our Perinatal Diabetes Program, which offers free classes and one-on-one support for expecting mothers. “They were such cheerleaders for me,” Kimberly says. “I’m so thankful that the program existed to support me through a healthy pregnancy.”
Paying it forward.
Curt and Kimberly support Huntington Hospital as a way to show their gratitude and to ensure the hospital can continue to provide the same quality of care to others in the community. “At first, we made gifts in honor of the nurses and caregivers that helped take care of me after surgery,” Curt says. “Later, it occurred to us that we should do more. We have been annual President’s Circle donors ever since.”
In addition to their personal contributions, the couple also takes advantage of a matching gift program offered by Curt’s employer. “Many companies like mine offer to match charitable gifts to the philanthropic causes that their employees care about,” says Curt, “but often people aren’t aware that it’s an option. I always encourage friends and colleagues to ask their employer if they offer this kind of program.”
As she reflects on their relationship with Huntington, Kimberly shares, “We have underestimated how much Huntington Hospital is woven through the fabric of our lives. Our relationship with the hospital is so special and we truly cherish it.”
Many companies offer matching gift programs. By notifying your employer’s human resources department of your donation, you can effectively double the value of your gift to Huntington Hospital. Check with your employer to initiate the matching gift process.
