FOCUS S P R I N G : 2022
The Power of Endowments: Valley View Foundation proudly announces $3.5 million in endowment gifts Valley View Foundation is excited to announce the launch of TWO endowment funds - $2 million to support cancer patients and $1.5 million to support nurses at Valley View. An endowment differs from a standard donation. In an endowment, the donation is invested to earn revenue. This revenue creates an on-going source of income for a cause. The $2 million endowed gift to support cancer care will be directed to Valley View’s integrated therapies, emergency assistance in the form of gas and grocery gift cards, support and survivorship programs, and overnight lodging.
In addition to the endowed gift to support cancer patients, local philanthropist Pete Welles committed $1.5M to benefit the Nursing Excellence Program at Valley View. In 2017, Pete and his late wife Sondra provided an initial donation to launch the “Sondra and Peter Welles Nursing Excellence Program.” Pete and Sondra saw first-hand the impact that nurses have on patients and their families and were inspired to provide scholarships to those who wanted to be nurses and obtain their certifications.
“We are extremely grateful for this gift that will benefit patients on their cancer journey at Valley View in perpetuity,” said Jo Bershenyi, manager of Integrated Therapies. “Undergoing medical treatment can be a very emotional and stressful time for patients and their families. We aim to help mitigate the stress that patients may feel on their journey towards optimal health. It’s a true honor to work alongside these resilient patients every day.” The donor, who asked to remain anonymous, honored Stephen Mayer, MD, PhD, FACP, a medical oncologist with the Calaway•Young Cancer Center at Valley View, as a gesture of gratitude. Dr. Mayer will be Valley View’s first ever Endowed Chair of Medical Oncology in recognition of this tremendous gift. Board-certified in medical oncology and internal medicine, Dr. Mayer became a physician as a second career following 15 years as a molecular biologist. His areas of focus include gastrointestinal, prostate, bladder, kidney, gynecologic, melanoma, neuroendocrine, breast, lung, hematologic malignancies, and benign hematology. To fully fund these support services and programs for patients of the Calaway•Young Cancer Center, Valley View Foundation is seeking an additional $6M in endowed gifts.
Endowed Chair of Medical Oncology, Stephen Mayer, MD, PhD, FACP
With this new endowment gift, this program will be funded in perpetuity and earnings will provide education opportunities to nurses at Valley View. From four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees to certifications and continuing education, this new endowment supports nurses with their individual advancement and, in turn, the care they provide patients at Valley View. If you are interested in learning how an endowed gift can make a lasting impact contact John Quinn at 970.384.6627 or John.Quinn@VVH.org.
FOCUS NEWSLETTER SPRING 2022
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