When Martin County Hospital first opened its doors in 1939, it was made possible through the philanthropy of community leaders who saw a need for access to medical care.
Much has changed in the 69 years since the tiny hospital in Stuart was created. Today, Martin Memorial Health Systems is comprised of two acute-care hospitals and provides cancer and cardiac care, physical rehabilitation and wellness services, and much more.
The Martin Memorial Foundation, celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2008, has played a vital role in helping the health system grow.
Committee members from the 2007 Martin Memorial Foundation Chrysanthemum Ball helped raise $1.2 million for a cardiac catheterization lab. The Chrysanthemum Ball has raised $5 million in the past four years alone.
“Martin Memorials success throughout the years is due in large part to the generosity of people in the community,” said Arthur M. “Rusty” Brink Jr., vice president and chief philanthropic officer. “Their gifts allow us to hire and educate excellent staff, keep up with cutting-edge technology and provide life-saving programs.”
In the past two years alone, the Foundation has raised more than $18 million, helping to fund countless projects that have impacted patient care. Among the most significant contributions were capital funding for the new Frances Langford Heart Center, which opened in 2006.
Through the Foundations annual Chrysanthemum Ball, which has raised $5 million in the last four years, Martin Memorial has been able to purchase sophisticated medical technologies other community hospitals often do not have access to. That includes two new cardiac catheterization labs, a 64-slice CT scanner and a PET/CT scanner all of which have been instrumental in helping physicians diagnose and treat patients.
This years event raised $1.2 million and attracted more than 500 guests. This year, funding from the ball will be used to purchase a second cardiac catheterization lab for the Frances Langford Heart Center, which opened in 2006.
The Martin Memorial Foundation LifeSavers, a group of young professionals dedicated to ensuring Martin Memorial can provide the best possible care for newborns at the hospital, has raised more than $250,000 for the maternal-child department.
Philanthropy has also funded projects at the Robert and Carol Weissman Cancer Center, including the purchase of technologically advanced radiation therapy equipment, and was vital in the construction of a new emergency department at Martin Memorial Hospital South.
Along the way, the Foundation has provided endowed funds for patient assistance, nursing education and scholarships for community residents pursuing degrees in the medical profession.
Those resources come from a multitude of places. The Foundations board of directors developed a leadership annual giving society, which now has more than 180 donor families who donate $10,000 or more to the health system each year.
A group of young professionals, dedicated to ensuring Martin Memorial can provide the best possible care for newborns at the hospital, has raised more than $250,000 for the maternal-child department. And Martin Memorials Associates and Auxiliary members have pitched in as well, through giving campaigns, events or fund-raisers. Donations from Associates total more than $600,000 while the Auxiliary has made a $1 million pledge to the Frances Langford Heart Center campaign.
