our community’s
Your dreams, future
We are thrilled to share how your generosity is making a big impact at INTEGRIS Health. In these pages, we hope to inspire you to dream even bigger about what philanthropy can achieve. Together, we can turn those dreams into reality, transforming health care and making a lasting difference in many lives.
As a philanthropic investor, you have the unique opportunity to shape the future of health care. Imagine a world where every patient has access to the care they need, regardless of their financial situation. Picture a health care system that prioritizes innovation, compassion and inclusivity. This is the vision we can achieve together through the power of philanthropy.
One shining example of this vision is the Samara Family Transplant Patient Assistance Fund. This remarkable initiative was founded by Dr. Scott Samara, one of our dedicated transplant physicians. Driven by his dream to help patients facing financial needs keeping them from receiving a transplant, Dr. Samara established the fund to fill that gap. Today, hundreds of donors have joined Dr. Samara’s vision by generously giving to the fund.
We are honored to share the story of one such patient who benefited from Dr. Samara’s vision and your generosity. Check out the story on page 6.
This story is just one of many you’ll read about in the following pages. Each story is a testament to the transformative power of philanthropy and the profound impact it can have on real lives.
As you read through this magazine, we invite you to dream with us. What does the future of health care look like to you? How can we, as a community of donors, help to realize that vision? Whether it’s funding cutting-edge equipment, supporting patient care programs or addressing social determinants of health, there are countless ways to make a difference.
We believe that every act of giving, no matter the size, contributes to a larger movement toward a healthier world. Thank you for your continued support and dedication. Your generosity fuels our mission and brings us closer to a future where everyone has access to the care they need. Let’s dream together!
Warmest regards,
Skip Leonard Vice President INTEGRIS Health Foundation
event
updates
Over 100 participants, spectators and sponsors joined us for our 2nd Annual Pickleball Tournament on April 6th, benefiting INTEGRIS Mental Health Spencer. With a record-breaking total of $27,690 raised, funds from this event will benefit every child and adolescent receiving treatment, helping them on their journey to emotional, physical, educational and social well-being.
The 37th Annual Golf Classic on June 17th raised $215,733 and welcomed 220 golfers at Oak Tree Country Club. Proceeds from this year’s tournament will be used for new equipment at INTEGRIS Health Children’s at Baptist Medical Center. For our caregivers in pediatrics, the goal is to offer compassionate health care that supports our smallest patients and their families at every step of their journey.
Updates will ensure pediatric patients and their families are comfortable during their stay and receive the best treatment available.
Last September, more than 700 guests attended the 24th Annual INTEGRIS Health Gala, raising $768,478 to benefit mental health initiatives. Since then, telepsychiatry carts have been set up at INTEGRIS Health Baptist Medical Center and INTEGRIS Health Southwest Medical Center. These carts help patients in a mental health crisis quickly check in with a specialist and receive a treatment plan. Because of the generosity of our donors, over 500 patients have received telepsychiatry care since January 2024.
The next step in improving access to mental health care is launching the Digital Care Continuum. This new program—coming this fall—will provide patients with online coaching, self-guided care and 24/7 resources for emergencies.
Want to learn more about our 25th Annual Gala on September 20th benefiting the future of cancer care? Visit integrisgiving.org/gala to register!
Special thanks to the Volunteer Auxiliary at INTEGRIS Health Baptist Medical Center for purchasing four telepsych carts, providing an interactive way for patients to communicate virtually with a psychiatrist!
Join us and follow along with our events all year at integrisgiving.org/events or scan the QR code.
When you give to the INTEGRIS Health Foundation, your gift unites with others to provide a collective impact that makes a difference in the lives of thousands of Oklahomans each year.
Total number of Foundation donors in 2024 $3,271,958 $9,211,207 by the numbers
4,099
Amount raised in 2024 across INTEGRIS Health Foundation projects/funds
Dollars invested back into the INTEGRIS Health System in 2024
racing against clock the
Meet Stephanie Simpson, a community stroke educator at INTEGRIS Health Southwest Medical Center. She’s out in the community saving lives and preventing strokes, all thanks to your support as a donor.
“80% of strokes can be prevented through education and lifestyle changes,” Stephanie shared. “Yet, many people in our community don’t know the signs of a stroke or what they can do to prevent one.”
Your support of the INTEGRIS Health Foundation this past year has provided Stephanie with the equipment and supplies she needs to reach our most at-risk groups in Oklahoma.
Each month, Stephanie travels around the metro, visiting senior centers, veteran groups and highrisk communities like the African American and Latino populations. She teaches them about the warning signs and symptoms of strokes, plus simple changes they can make to reduce their risk.
As a donor, not only are you supporting her presentations, but you are also helping her create stroke response guidelines for EMS, firefighters and police. Plus, she’s able to translate her educational material into Spanish to reach even more people, filling a previous gap in stroke educational awareness.
“I really want to emphasize how time-sensitive strokes are,” Stephanie shared.
“Over half of people experiencing a stroke get to the hospital too late to receive medication and end up living with this debilitating disease.”
To help people even further, Jim Thorpe Rehabilitation Center (JTR) at IHSMC recently created a monthly stroke survivor support group. Stephanie, alongside therapists from JTR, meet with stroke survivors and their caregivers, offering emotional support and ways to overcome the challenges these patients now face.
Once a month, Stephanie, alongside therapists from JTR, facilitate a stroke survivor support group, aimed at providing a space for stroke survivors and their caregivers.
Because of donors like you, since August over 1,000 Oklahomans have learned about the signs of a stroke and their risk factors. As a supporter of the INTEGRIS Health Foundation, you’re a crucial part of Stephanie’s work, helping her reach and educate vulnerable Oklahomans each month.
Because of your generosity, Stephanie has blood pressure equipment to offer free readings after her presentations.
going the distance
Last April, something amazing happened that changed Virginia Ruffin’s life forever.
The 44-year-old mom of four got a phone call that would start a new chapter in her life. Within a day of that call, she had a new kidney.
Virginia first knew something was wrong during her fourth pregnancy. That’s when doctors found out one of her kidneys was much smaller than the other, and her kidneys were only working at 60%.
“It felt like my kidneys just gave up on me,” she shared. Medication was not helping and, despite many tests, doctors couldn’t figure out why her kidneys were failing.
She continued treatment and hoped for better news, but things only got worse.
“Doctors told me I’d be on dialysis by 50. But by the time I was 41, my kidney function had plummeted to 17%, and I was on dialysis,” Virginia said.
Even though she was living in Broken Arrow — more than 100 miles from Oklahoma City — Virginia’s doctors referred her to the renowned INTEGRIS Health Nazih Zuhdi Transplant Institute for treatment. She began treatment right away, driving back and forth for lab work, check-ups and tests. The constant trips were tough on her and her family, but she knew it was her best shot.
Then, after a routine 200-mile round trip visit for treatment, everything turned upside down. Virginia was shopping with her kids when her doctor called.
“They said my kidney function was at 3% and I needed to come in right away.” Suddenly, dialysis wasn’t just a distant possibility – it was her reality, and much sooner than she expected.
During these tough times, Virginia found strength in her faith. “I didn’t want to live on dialysis forever, but I was trusting in God’s plan,” she reflected.
As she started dialysis, doctors began talking about a kidney transplant — which became urgent when they suspected cancer in her other kidney. Fortunately, her sister was a matching donor. They planned the surgery for June, but an unexpected late-night call in April rushed everything.
“Another kidney was available and I had to be ready,” Virginia explained. By some miracle, she was the best match and needed to be in surgery by dawn.
Virginia raced to Oklahoma City and made it to INTEGRIS Health Baptist Medical Center with just
enough time to prep for surgery and pray with her husband.
After a successful surgery, Virginia woke up with a new kidney and a profound sense of gratitude. “To the donor’s family — part of your loved one lives on in me, and I am forever grateful.”
Virginia stayed near the hospital for two weeks so her doctors could watch for complications. This added to her financial strain, but, thanks to the kindhearted donors to the Samara Family Transplant Patient Assistance Fund, she received the lodging assistance she needed for her stay.
Since the Samara Fund was established in 2019, $118,272 has been used to assist patients in need.
As a supporter of the INTEGRIS Health Foundation, you are part of stories like Virginia’s. Your generosity helps provide vital resources such as medication, transportation and lodging for those undergoing life-saving transplants.
Because of you, Virginia received a new beginning. Thank you for being a part of this journey of hope and healing.
Virginia is grateful to her transplant surgeon, Dr. Scott Samara, not only for performing her transplant, but also for establishing the fund that enabled her travel to receive the care she needed.
Virginia and her family are forever grateful for the life-changing care she received.
by the projects
Community Clinics
Every month, INTEGRIS Health Community Benefit hosts free medical clinics for folks in underserved areas of Oklahoma. Thanks to your support, they have two clinic sites to provide health care. Some of the services offered include diabetes classes, physical therapy, vision care, vaccines and more. Hundreds of adults benefit from this program each month.
Neurology
People with neurological diseases like ALS sometimes deal with muscle weakness, which can make it hard to breathe. Our neuroscience department at INTEGRIS Health Southwest Medical Center helps by lending out noninvasive ventilators. This means patients can get help quickly at home instead of having to stay in the hospital while waiting for insurance approvals.
Burn
Each year, our INTEGRIS Health Paul Silverstein Burn Center sends its nurses, providers, therapists and dietitians to the Annual American Burn Association Conference. This gives them the opportunity to connect with professionals from other burn centers and stay informed about the latest developments in patient care for burn victims. They return with valuable insights and experiences that directly impact those receiving care at INTEGRIS Health.
Research shows that virtual reality headsets can effectively distract from pain during long hospital stays. At the burn center, patients can use these headsets alongside pain medication to ease anxiety while making procedures and dressing changes more comfortable. Patients have options like games, sports and different landscapes to explore.
“Burn has been my passion for decades. My heart aches for burn patients as their injury is excruciating, the treatment is painful and they are left with physical and emotional scars. I knew the burn center could greatly utilize VR headsets to reduce patients’ pain and anxiety.”
Medication Assistance
In 2024, the INTEGRIS Health Foundation provided $24,751 in medication assistance to patients who could not otherwise afford it. Indigent and financially strained patients from our cancer, cardiac, transplant and other departments across our hospitals benefit from this program thanks to your generosity.
Heart
Grateful for the exceptional heart care he received at INTEGRIS Health, Brent LaGere and his wife, Marilyn, created a scholarship in honor of his physicians, Dr. Steven Reiter and Dr. John Chaffin. These scholarships support INTEGRIS Health caregivers who want to learn more in clinical fields related to heart care. The first scholarships were awarded in 2023, with many more available in future years. As a result, cardiac caregivers will have greater access to continuing education for years to come.
“Because I have the drive and ability to help people through their pain and suffering, to help them come out on the other side healthy and happy — this is why I continue to work in the medical field.”
– SARA CROSS, 2023 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT
Cancer
Last September, INTEGRIS Health Cancer Institute (IHCI) started using a new software called Elsevier ClinicalPath to help standardize cancer care. This software lets doctors input different factors like cancer type and patient details to figure out the best treatment steps. Since it launched, it has been used over 500 times.
“This equipment isn’t just a robot that spits out one option. It’s a tool our physicians can use to bounce off their own knowledge to make treatment plans.”
– DR. THOMAS SHOWALTER, IHCI ONCOLOGIST
changing lives gifts your are
Thanks to generous donors like you, INTEGRIS Health Arcadia Trails Center for Addiction Recovery is giving second chances every day. We believe that everyone should have access to care and addiction resources, not just those with financial means.
When our treatment center opened its doors nearly five years ago, donors like you helped establish a patient assistance fund. This fund supports our mission of partnering with people to live healthier lives by paying for treatment and medications needed to stay free from addiction. Last year, dozens of our patients received some form of assistance. Because of your support, these individuals are getting a second chance at life. On behalf of these patients, their families and friends, thank you.
$376,490 patient assistance funds spent this year for addiction recovery
“Over the past several years, patient assistance funds have allowed Oklahomans to access life-saving care when they otherwise would have been unable to receive treatment. Donating to patient aid is an investment in our community — thank you.”
– DR. BRIAN COUEY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ARCADIA TRAILS
continuing
a Legacy
For 49 years, the Paul Silverstein Burn Center at INTEGRIS Health Baptist Medical Center has been one of the leading adult burn centers in the United States, treating thousands of patients since 1975. Named after Dr. Paul Silverstein, a dedicated burn physician and innovator at INTEGRIS Health, the burn center aims to save lives and improve each patient’s quality of living following a debilitating burn injury. Your support through the INTEGRIS Health Foundation continues his legacy by providing essential renovations and equipment, ensuring Dr. Silverstein’s vision is honored for every patient.
Read on to learn about the transformative equipment you helped purchase in 2024.
As one of the largest burn centers in the United States, our burn center will offer the only support group available for adult burn victims in Oklahoma.
Phoenix SOAR Program
Burn victims have a long road to recovery, facing mental, physical and social challenges. Because of your generosity, the INTEGRIS Health Paul Silverstein Burn Center will now offer support groups for recovering adult burn patients and their families. Our caregivers will also receive the opportunity to be trained under the Phoenix SOAR (Survivors Offering Assistance in Recovery) program where they will help patients return to life outside the hospital through online and inperson sessions.
As a result of your support, INTEGRIS Health caregivers have the latest technology to treat burn patients. PixaMed is a burn and wound care management system that helps map a patient’s total body surface area, which indicates the size of someone’s burn. This software will help caregivers measure a burn patient’s level of injury and severity, which is important for making treatment decisions.
Nitrous Oxide
Every day, burn patients face dressing changes, staple removals and wound cleanings which cause immense pain, distress and anxiety. Nitrous oxide machines, purchased with funds from internal caregiver donations to the YOU&I campaign, are now available as additional pain relief. Nitrous oxide is a safe, noninvasive pain relief option that can be self-administered by the patient and used with regular medication.
Want to learn more about the impact of our caregivers through YOU&I?
Go to page 14!
“You don’t always know what procedures they are going to do that day, or how bad it will hurt, but I know having nitrous oxide available for our patients will help take their anxiety and fear levels down.”
The INTEGRIS Health Paul Silverstein Burn Center will celebrate its 50th Anniversary in 2025. Stay tuned for more information!
PixaMed
heart of the matter
This June marked a huge milestone for cardiac care in Oklahoma with the opening of the new INTEGRIS Health Heart Hospital. As heart disease is the leading cause of death in Oklahoma, INTEGRIS Health is committed to providing the best heart care available. This impressive six-story, state-of-the-art facility will centralize heart care at INTEGRIS Health and serve as a hub for the 60+ clinics our physicians serve statewide.
On June 4th, community members, health care leaders, caregivers and donors came together for a ribboncutting ceremony to celebrate this historic occasion. Thanks to the generosity of donors like you, this hospital is now a reality and will help countless patients for generations to come.
project
spotlight
Dr. Mel Clark Patient Access Fund
This year, a patient access fund was created by caregivers and community members in honor of Dr. Mel Clark, ensuring more cardiac patients across the state have access to treatment. Dr. Clark, an interventional cardiologist and former president of INTEGRIS Health Cardiovascular Physicians, dedicated over 40 years to serving heart patients. He became passionate about providing top-notch medical care to rural communities and those in financial need. With your support of the INTEGRIS Health Foundation, this fund will benefit our cardiac patients for years to come. Stay tuned to see the impact unfold!
JediOKC is Oklahoma’s largest Star Wars fan club.
ANNUAL GIVING CAMPAIGN
Since 2012, thousands of INTEGRIS Health caregivers have been inspired by their own experiences to give back through meaningful philanthropy. YOU&I is proof of the collective difference a group can make — impacting more than 400,000 lives across Oklahoma.
$8,893,243
raised from caregivers since 2012
CAMPAIGN IMPACT UPDATE
$737,830
raised from caregivers in 2024
2,649
322 passion projects funded donors in 2024 unique projects funded
27
Scan to see the full 2023 impact report and watch inspiring stories of why our employees give back. Scan the code to watch the video! 2024
“By giving to YOU&I, not only does it help someone, but it makes me feel good. It makes me feel like I’m making a difference.”
– BERTINA RICHARDSON, INTEGRIS HEALTH CAREGIVER
CAMPAIGN IMPACT UPDATE
CHILD LIFE
Compassionate Creations
When a patient with minor children enters comfort care measures, a Certified Child Life Specialist collaborates with the child and parent to make meaningful creations like hand print art, fostering positive and lasting memories during difficult times. Thanks to generous donations to this YOU&I project, more than 200 children of adult patients have been touched by this project since July 2023.
Education & Aftercare
Thanks to generous donations to the YOU&I Stroke project, stroke patients now receive educational materials on self-care and prevention conveniently packaged into tote bags. Inside these bags, they can also find blood pressure cuffs for monitoring -- a crucial step in stroke prevention. Additionally, YOU&I funds enable stroke community educators to conduct outreach presentations in diverse community settings, spreading awareness and knowledge about stroke prevention to hundreds of people annually.
Want to learn more about our community stroke educator making an impact? Go to page 5.
Kangaroo Chairs
The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is now home to eight brand new kangaroo chairs for use during important skin-to-skin time. This practice, sometimes referred to as “kangaroo time,” contributes to the bonding experience between parents and their newborn, promoting physical well-being and emotional connection during a critical period of an infant’s development.
PASTORAL CARE
Bereavement Baskets
With their latest YOU&I project, the Pastoral Care team has been busy making a positive impact on families navigating difficult moments. Bereavement baskets consist of essentials like water bottles and snacks, and serve as a tangible expression of empathy as a family spends final moments with a loved one. Baskets like these provide chaplains an opportunity to reach out to families to offer support and other services they might need.
STROKE
story share your
We all have a story and we would love to hear yours! Our greatest joy is hearing the “why” behind your gifts and connecting you with meaningful ways to experience your philanthropy at work.
Steps to Share
Open the camera app
Focus the camera on the QR code by gently tapping the QR code
Follow the link that will pop up on your screen or visit integrisgiving.org/grateful-patients
