Giving Newsletter | Winter 2020

A NEWSLETTER

FOR DONORS

& F R I E N D S O F P R E S B Y T E R I A N H E A LT H C A R E F O U N D AT I O N

Winter 2020

REFLECTIONS on

2020

Despite the pandemic, many Presbyterian initiatives came to fruition in 2020. All have been made possible through philanthropy, even in the face of challenging times.

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rounding with rick

Rick Scott, CFRE President, Presbyterian Healthcare Foundation

Transitions More than perhaps any other year in the history of the Foundation, 2020 has been one of transition. Like every other organization around the globe, we made drastic changes in response to COVID-19. And you have adapted right along with us, offering your generosity, compassion and support every step of the way.

Our annual Laughter is the Best Medicine event is a great example. The Foundation’s first-ever virtual event raised $455,000. Laughter is part of our larger Heroes Campaign, which has raised an additional $910,000 to support Presbyterian’s COVID-19 response efforts, matched by a $1 million investment from the Foundation’s unrestricted funds.

This year also marked exciting new beginnings. Charitable gifts mean that construction of the new Presbyterian Robert Wertheim Hospice House can begin next year, addressing a long-standing need in our community.

Presbyterian Healthcare Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

Contributions are used in their entirety with nothing directed to administrative expenses.

None of these successful transitions would be possible without the involvement and support of our Foundation board members. We welcome new leadership as Molly Bachechi, Trevor Hatchell, Renee Holland, John Rochester and Chad Worthen begin their terms of service with us. We also honor long-serving board members whose terms expire this year: Elizabeth Allbright, Dr. Jenny Culver, Jeannine Daniels, Mike Dexter, Jane Gulley, Cynthia Reinhart, Barbara Trythall and Jeff Vinyard.

To the many people who have walked alongside us and will continue to stand by us in the future, thank you for your support.

BE A

!

O R E H Y A D I HOL

Join forces with our healthcare heroes to protect our community.

Though mighty and resilient, our healthcare heroes need your help. In a trying time, they strive to stay strong and keep their spirits high. Each day, they rescue, defend, fight, protect and heal.

This holiday season, we invite you to join forces with our healthcare heroes and support them by putting your own superpower to use. The power to give!

Put your power to use and Give Today at www.phs.org/give.

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Giving | Presbyterian Healthcare Foundation

Year-End Appeal Ad.indd 1

The Hero for Hope Secret Identity: YOU!

POWERS: APPRECIATION GRATITUDE GIVING GENEROSITY Feel that? Your giving sense is tingling.

By supporting Presbyterian Healthcare Foundation’s Heroes Campaign… you’re a hero, too!

10/28/20 4:12 PM

who’s on board

Michael

Presbyterian Healthcare Foundation Board Member

FRECCIA

As a member of the Presbyterian Healthcare Foundation (PHF) board of directors since 2003, Michael Freccia has enjoyed his front-row seat, witnessing the growth of Presbyterian Healthcare Services and the Foundation’s role in it.

Michael, a New York City native, moved to Albuquerque in 1973 to join Alan’s Apparel for Men. After eight years, he sold his share of the company and became an insurance broker, representing Presbyterian and many other companies. Now officially retired, Michael continues to work as a broker for Presbyterian.

He has always been involved in the Albuquerque community, serving on variety of non-profit boards and, most recently, helping small businesses and arts organizations hurt by the pandemic. But his commitment to Presbyterian is clear.

“We do everything we can for the staff, the patients, for everybody who comes into the facilities. I’m excited about all the projects going on now,” he says.

As part of this year’s response to COVID-19, the PHF board of directors approved a special $1 million allocation from the Foundation’s unrestricted funds.

Michael emphasizes the importance of those types of decisions and believes they reflect Presbyterian’s consistently strong leadership and the organization’s ability to prioritize which projects will have the greatest impact on patients and employees.

As Michael’s term comes to a close next year, he fondly recalls his early years on the board, which he chaired from 2008-2009. In addition to serving on nearly every committee, he and other members would visit different Presbyterian facilities and see Foundation-supported programs at work.

“It was especially gratifying because we would see how the money we had raised and donated was being used,” Michael says. “In addition to the capital campaigns, there were programs like the $5,000 we allocated for coloring books in the emergency room. When I visited, I could see that the kids were happy and keeping busy.”

He also looks to the future. “We just have to continue to focus on what needs to be done when it comes to treating people and caring for people. It’s our responsibility to the community to care for our patients, not only when they need us but also to keep them from getting sick in the first place,” he says.

“Michael has been an active board member for almost two decades. In addition to making generous personal gifts, he has helped solicit support for our special events and connected us with potential donors. He’s been a great advocate and representative of the Foundation.”

– Rick Scott, President, Presbyterian Healthcare Foundation

Winter 2020

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giving in action Guardian Angel Gifts Honor Dr. David Fitzgerald

A

HOLISTIC APPROACH

Eric Kreiger, a retired U.S. Navy officer, spent most of his life at sea. A longtime smoker, he was diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) about eight years ago. He was living in Florida at the time and visited the hospital six times in three years.

“That made me somewhat distressed about doctors in general,” he says. After moving to Albuquerque, Christopher Conlon, MD, became Eric’s primary care provider, and ultimately referred Eric to David Fitzgerald, DO, a pulmonologist at Presbyterian Hospital who specializes in COPD. “Drs. Conlon and Fitzgerald work together really well, communicating with each other unlike any place I’ve ever been. They ask me lots of questions to help determine the best course of care,” says Eric. His health has improved significantly since he began seeing Dr. Conlon and Dr. Fitzgerald. “Between the two of them I feel better, which I think is pretty great. COPD is terminal so I’d like to slow that down as much as possible and I have the feeling with these two that’s what we’re doing.”

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Giving | Presbyterian Healthcare Foundation

To show his appreciation for the care he has received, Eric recently made a gift in honor of both Dr. Conlon and Dr. Fitzgerald.

David Fitzgerald, DO, FACP, FCCP, joined Presbyterian Medical Group Pulmonology in 2017. He specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of a range of conditions that affect the lungs and respiratory tract, including asthma, lung cancer and COPD. Dr. Fitzgerald is interested in the ways that cardiac issues, sleep apnea and lung disease effect his patients’ health.

As a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Dr. Fitzgerald takes a holistic approach to caring for his patients. He chose to specialize in pulmonology specifically so he could help COPD patients face the unique challenges of their disease.

“I chose to honor Dr. Fitzgerald as a Guardian Angel because he encourages me to realistically do as much as I can. He listens and I appreciate his thoughtful conclusions/ answers.”

– Anonymous Patient

Make Someone’s Day Guardian Angel gifts recognize the exceptional care of physicians, nurses or hospital staff while benefiting their departments with funds for new programs and equipment.

To learn more, please contact Kathryn Richards at (505) 724-7003 or visit www.phs.org/guardianangel.

About Dr. Fitzgerald Dr. Fitzgerald earned his medical degree at Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kansas City, Missouri. He completed a residency in internal medicine at the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Wichita, Kansas. Dr. Fitzgerald was a fellow in pulmonary and critical care medicine at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine in internal medicine, pulmonary disease and critical care. In his free time, he enjoys many interests, including flying planes, riding horses and driving fast cars. “I go to work to rest,” he often says.

“I was trained to look at the big picture and strive to use my training to look beyond the lungs and give my patients the care they need, even if it is not a lung issue.”

– Dr. David Fitzgerald

“I feel the unknowns of COVID “I chose to pursue Pulmonary/ Critical Care Medicine because of this year have affected us all in the challenging environment and so many ways,” he says. “As physicians we often have answers critical thinking skills needed to and with this virus we do not—we practice in this area of medicine. lose sleep, we worry we will catch I had great mentors in residency and fellowship training, and I was it, we worry we cannot make all of our patients better … it has been drawn to the bells and whistles a difficult year for everyone.” of the ICU,” Dr. Fitzgerald says.

“It is demanding and I have maintained Board Certifications in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Medicine, and Critical Care throughout my career to stay informed and relevant.”

In addition to Eric Krieger’s gift, Dr. Fitzgerald has earned two additional Guardian Angel awards this year, a reflection of the intense pressure COVID-19 has put on patients with existing pulmonary conditions.

“I am a lung transplant patient from a hospital in Phoenix. During these times I can’t travel there for routine checkups. Dr. Fitzgerald and his team have coordinated with my transplant team and provided me with as much support as possible. They have gone above and beyond to keep me healthy and I will be eternally grateful.”

– Anonymous Patient

Christopher Conlon, MD, is a board-certified internal medicine physician at Presbyterian Medical Group.

He received a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and earned a medical degree from Dartmouth Medical School in Hanover, New Hampshire. He completed an internal medicine residency at Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Winter 2020

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the year in review

REFLECTIONS on 2020 It’s hard to know where to begin as we look back on 2020. While COVID-19 dominated the headlines and especially the world of healthcare, many other Presbyterian initiatives came to fruition despite the pandemic, and they warrant recognition too. None of the projects highlighted here would be possible without philanthropy. The generosity of our donors makes it possible for Presbyterian to fulfill its mission by continuing to build and grow, even in the face of challenging times.

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Giving | Presbyterian Healthcare Foundation

Santa Fe Medical Center Establishes Roots In the two years since Santa Fe Medical Center (SFMC) first opened its doors, the community has embraced the hospital, its caregivers, and the services it provides. Presbyterian’s presence in Santa Fe, which includes both Santa Fe Medical Center and Presbyterian Medical Group on St. Michael’s Drive, continues to expand in ways that meet the demand for healthcare in Northern New Mexico.

On June 1, SFMC opened its first two intensive care unit beds, which will eventually expand to six beds. One month later, the medical center’s existing urgent care and emergency departments moved to a hybrid 24/7 urgent and emergency care model, the first of its kind in Santa Fe. The approach, like the one used at PRESNow locations in Albuquerque, allows patients to access the care they need and only pay for the level of services required.

These changes came just a few months after Hospital Chief Executive Jon Wade and Chief

Nursing Executive Sherry Nelson joined the organization in March – in the middle of a pandemic.

Starting at that time was a trialby-fire challenge, but Jon has been impressed with the “loyal, dedicated and talented” team at SFMC, and with the advantages of joining an integrated system with many teams that have been deeply engaged in New Mexico’s response to COVID-19.

“I have been honored to watch Presbyterian weather this crisis with leadership, grace and determination,” Jon says. “What an incredible introduction this has been.”

SFMC continues to expand its services and has introduced several programs in the past year, including neurology and cardiopulmonary rehab. The hospital also continues to successfully recruit primary care providers and additional specialists. In addition, Presbyterian has begun offering OB/GYN and general surgery at its clinic in Las Vegas, New Mexico.

Both Hospital Chief Executive Jon Wade and Chief Nursing Executive Sherry Nelson joined the organization in March – in the middle of a pandemic.

One Step at a Time Last year, Peter Salzano suffered two silent strokes that left him with weakness on one side of his body. After a fall several months later, he began physical therapy at SFMC Outpatient Rehabilitation.

Peter was one of the first patients to benefit from SFMC’s new Solo-Step, a ceiling-mounted track and harness system that helps patients safely regain their ability to walk, which was made possible by the Presbyterian Healthcare Foundation. The Solo-Step creates a safe environment for balance, strength and gait training, eliminating patients’ fear of falling down, and allowing them to challenge themselves with advanced therapies.

“It has made all the difference in my recovery,” Peter says. “It is safely retraining my brain to receive walking movement signals from my legs. I’m very grateful to Presbyterian for staying up to date with the latest PT equipment.”

In addition to stroke patients like Peter, the device benefits anyone at risk of falling, including patients with neurological and balance disorders, geriatrics, bariatrics, pediatrics, amputees, adaptive athletes and high performance athletes.

The Solo-Step also benefits therapists by making it possible for patients to reach higher levels of rehabilitation in less time, reducing the risk of injury or strain associated with patient falls.

Winter 2020

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New Hospice House Supports Families During Critical Time The last few days or weeks in a loved one’s life are a precious time for families. When keeping a patient in their own home is no longer an option, the next best alternative is a comfortable, home-like setting where he or she can be treated with dignity, care and compassion.

The new $3.3-million Presbyterian Robert Wertheim Hospice House, which begins construction next year, will create such an alternative in our community.

Presbyterian Hospice, in partnership with Presbyterian Healthcare Foundation, is projected to serve more than 300 patients and their families annually. The standalone 8,200 squarefoot house will be built on 1.5 acres near Presbyterian Medical Group at 5901 Harper Dr. NE. The house will initially have 10 patient rooms, each with its own bath, as well as seating for

family and a private patio accessible from each room.

“I see the new Hospice House as continuing the legacy of compassionate care that Presbyterian provides for their patients and that my husband cared so deeply about,” says Liz Wertheim, who made a major gift to name the house in memory of her husband, Bob, who was a long-time Presbyterian board member. “There is no greater service than for patients and their families to receive this level of compassionate care at a very difficult time.”

Led by Nancy Guinn, MD, a team of hospice care providers have collaborated to assess the needs of our community and create the plan for the Robert Wertheim Hospice House.

Construction and annual operations will be supported largely by philanthropy, as is the practice with other hospice homes throughout the country.

Elizabeth and Robert Wertheim

“Meeting Dr. Guinn did a lot to reinforce my very positive feelings about hospice care at Presbyterian.

With that force behind it, I’m sure it will continue to reflect Bob’s values and benefit our community long into the future.”

– Liz Wertheim

Expanded ECMO Program Cares for Critically Ill Patients In late July, a Cardiac Critical Care “Our team of respiratory therapists, (CCC) team of nurses and doctors ECMO specialists, physicians and at Presbyterian Hospital assisted a nursing staff performed a heroic effort COVID-19 patient using Extracorporeal that day,” says Penny Beattie, chief Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO). nursing officer at Presbyterian Hospital.

Used to treat patients with severe and “This type of focus and patientlife-threatening illnesses such as heart centered care is amazing and makes or lung disease, including COVID-19, me so proud of being a part of the ECMO machines provide temporary Presbyterian team,” she says. heart and lung function for patients While Presbyterian Hospital had two while their healthcare teams work on ECMO machines in place, Presbyterian ECMO patients from all over New treating the underlying disease or Healthcare Foundation recently Mexico and neighboring states. infection or until transplant organs allocated $160,000 for a mobile ECMO become available.

“The Foundation’s generosity has machine and two blood analysis assisted in our ability to offer a service When a patient’s blood is being systems, increasing the hospital’s that is critical and was a major need oxygenated outside their body, capability to care for patients. Since during COVID-19,” Penny says. moving them is extremely difficult.

April, the team has cared for 19 adult 8

Giving | Presbyterian Healthcare Foundation

Make a big impact with a future gift.

The simple act of including a gift to Presbyterian Healthcare Foundation in your will or estate plan has more power than you might think.

Your gift will help improve healthcare for future generations of New Mexicans. When you make a planned gift to support our work, you make an impact on the future.

For more information, please contact: JooHee Berglund, Vice President, Major & Planned Giving | (505) 724-6584 | jberglund@phs.org | www.phs.org/giftplanning

This year’s virtual Laughter is the Best Medicine event came to life with the help of our enthusiastic emcees: (from left to right) Denise Gonzales, MD, Medical Director, Adult Medical Specialties; Royale Da, News Anchor and Reporter, KOAT Channel 7; and Daniela Morales, RN, Progressive Care Unit.

giving gallery Laughter is the Best Medicine

HELPING

HEALTHCARE

HEROES

Presbyterian Healthcare Foundation’s annual Laughter is the Best Medicine fundraiser raised more than $455,000 to support its Heroes Campaign. In place of the traditional gala event, the community gathered together for a digital experience on Friday night, August 28, rallying to raise important funds for Presbyterian’s frontline staff.

With burnout among healthcare professionals heightened by the pandemic, all proceeds from the event will directly support nurses, physicians and advanced practice clinicians by providing tools and resources that provide team members with opportunities to reduce stress, relax, rejuvenate and rediscover joy in medicine. These services and programs will create an impact for our healthcare heroes and

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Giving | Presbyterian Healthcare Foundation

their patients during the pandemic and for years to come.

As a result, patients will benefit from having engaged, caring providers who have the emotional, physical and mental capacity to deliver the safest, highest quality care.

If you would like to support the Presbyterian Healthcare Foundation’s Heroes Campaign, please visit www.phs.org/give, choose COVID-19 Response Fund.

“This year’s Laughter is the Best Medicine was truly a one-of-akind experience with incredible results. We want to thank our sponsors, attendees, staff, and everyone involved in supporting the Heroes Campaign through this event.”

– Rick Scott, President, Presbyterian Healthcare Foundation

k r o at w A

AFFAIR

A special

Thank You

to our generous sponsors for this year’s event, which would not have been possible without their support!

PRESENTING SPONSORS

HEE-HAW SPONSORS

GIGGLE SPONSORS

Winter 2020

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Non-profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Albuquerque, NM Permit No. 1520

P.O. Box 26666, Albuquerque, NM 87125-9982 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

To opt out of future fundraising communications, please contact us at phf@phs.org or call (505) 724-6580 or toll-free 800-709-8798.

Join us

March 18–20, 2021

www.phs.org/daffodildays

For the Presbyterian Robert Wertheim Hospice House Your support of Daffodil Days will help us reach more families with warm and compassionate care.

Daffodil preorders begin in January 2021.

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Sponsored by