Gifts that give life

To the editor:
    During this holiday season with all of the hustle and bustle of gift giving and celebrating and hopefully some quality time to experience the true reason for the season I thought it would be nice to recognize the good fortune of Cary Medical Center thanks to many kind donors.  Over this past year the Jefferson Cary Foundation, a non profit foundation that manages donations to the hospital, experienced some very special moments of generosity and unique ways that people have made contributions. There are many examples of such kindness but there are some that are so touching I felt that they would be nice things to consider during this special time of year.
    One such gift involves a special scholarship that was established by a family when the mother died at the hospital after a long illness. Over the years, at the time of her birthday, members of her family make a donation to a nursing scholarship fund. The family never fails to remember and they have done this as a very special tribute. Now with family scattered throughout the country and few still living in the County the giving continues. To date the family has contributed more than $5,000 in scholarships to nurses at Cary who are seeking to advance their education and return to the hospital.
    Another moving example of kindness comes from a gentlemen who honored his late wife with a gift to the Jefferson Cary Foundation through the Annual Appeal. This donor along with his daughters purchased a ‘Leaf’ on the Tree of Life at the hospital. Now each year he makes a donation to the Appeal in the name of his daughters as their Christmas gift. This generosity like all gifts in memory or honor will be permanently remembered through the hospitals Memorial Program. This past year his daughter’s, ‘paid it forward’ by presenting him with a donation to the hospital in his honor and they have obtained a leaf in his name. These donations support the Jefferson Cary Foundation Endowment. This is a permanent fund with only the income earned ever used to support the needs of Cary Medical Center. The fund has grown to more than $300,000.
    Finally, another couple, seeing a need for expanded services for victims of stroke, donated funds to help establish a special program featuring adaptive equipment to make the every day tasks of daily living easier for these courageous patients. The new adaptive equipment is amazing and will benefit so many. The family made such a generous contribution because, over the years, all of their family members had received care at Cary Medical Center, and they were grateful that such care was and is available in their local area.
    These are examples of how generous and creative people can be in support of locally available quality health care. Many other generous donors contributed to the Jefferson Cary Foundation this past year and we are so thankful for this level of support during such tough economic times. It is because of such generous donors and the efforts of so many including the Cary Medical Center Auxiliary an organization that has contributed nearly $1 million to the hospital over the years, that doctors, nurses, and all the staff at Cary can continue to provide a higher level of quality health care. We welcome inquiries about various charitable opportunities through the Jefferson Cary Foundation. All gifts are tax deductible. At this special time of year we thank all of those who have shared their blessings with us.
    Happy New Year.