Baptist Health Foundation Paducah announces 121 million raised in capital campaign
Nine months after announcing a goal of $10 million for its first-ever comprehensive capital campaign, Baptist Health Foundation Paducah revealed it has surpassed that goal as the campaign comes to an end.
Nine months after announcing a goal of $10 million for its first-ever comprehensive capital campaign, Baptist Health Foundation Paducah revealed it has surpassed that goal as the campaign comes to an end.
The “Celebrating Miracles, Transforming Lives” campaign raised $12.1 million to advance the mission of the hospital in four areas – Cancer Care, Mother & Baby Care, Cardiac Care and Outreach – to improve the health of the community. In all, 165 people from nine counties – seven in Kentucky and two in Illinois – gave to support the cause. Donations included five seven-figure gifts and 13 six-figure gifts, with a median gift size of $10,000.
Notable gifts resulted in the naming of the Ray & Kay Eckstein Regional Cancer Care Center, the John and Loree Eckstein Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Carson-Myre Heart Center and Walker Medical Park 1. Campaign co-chairs were former Kentucky Gov. Martha Layne Collins, radiation oncologist Peter Locken, MD, Strawberry Hills Pharmacy co-owner Daniel Jones and retired cardiologist Patrick Withrow, MD, now serving as the hospital’s outreach director.
“We are thankful and humbled by the outpouring of support the hospital received during this campaign,” said Roy Lowdenback, vice president of business development for Baptist Health Paducah. “Our mission was to transform lives. The level of generosity we experienced showed that others in the community have this same goal and want to partner with us to achieve it.”
Foundation board chairman Don Walker was one of those generous donors. He and his wife, Eva, were honored with the naming of Walker Medical Park 1 after donating a lead gift to the campaign. “We believe in the services Baptist Health Paducah provides and we want those services to continue in the future,” Walker said. “This hospital started with community members giving their money and talents and it has transformed into a regional medical center that people still want to support.”
Interim hospital president Chris Roty said it is exciting to be a part of a hospital with so much community support. “It’s amazing to see how many people partnered with Baptist to better our services and help the region,” Roty said. “Patients and their families are already benefiting from this campaign.”
Although the campaign is ending, the mission remains, Lowdenback said. Outreach and naming opportunities are still available. For more information about the Foundation, phone 270.575.2871 or visit SupportBaptistHealth.org/Paducah.