Joey Wahler (Host): There are about 140 hospitals in Alabama, but only about one-third are non-profit. The others are for-profit or government facilities. Infirmary Health is the largest non-governmental, not-for-profit healthcare system in Alabama. So, we're discussing how you can contribute to their foundations in your community. Our guest, Shannon Preston, Executive Director of Infirmary Foundations.

Host: This is LIFE Cast, a podcast from Infirmary Health. Thanks for listening. I'm Joey Wahler. Hi, Shannon. Thanks for joining us.

Shannon Preston: Hey, Joey. How are you?

Host: I'm great. Yourself?

Shannon Preston: I'm hanging in there. It's a beautiful day on the coast in Alabama, so I can't complain.

Host: Okay. Sounds great. So first, it costs approximately 2 million a day for the Infirmary Health System to see patients and operate facilities. That's excluding any new equipment, technology, et cetera. So to get us started, just in a nutshell, how important are public donations?

Shannon Preston: You know, it really is the cornerstone of what makes us great. I think a lot of people assume you go to the doctor, you go to the hospital, you pay your portion, health insurance pays the other portion, and then that brings everything you need to the hospital. And in fact, it is private donors, foundations, even our corporate partners that provide and donate dollars on top of all of that, that make us able to bring the best, the latest, the best technology, the latest equipment, and make all of that available to our patients.

Host: Now, all three acute care hospitals in the Infirmary Health System, Mobile Infirmary Thomas Hospital in Fairhope, and North Baldwin Infirmary in Bay Minette, they all have their own non-profit fundraising foundation. So, what's that money used for?

Shannon Preston: That's right. And I think it really is an important note to talk about the three separate foundations. Each hospital has a foundation that raises money strictly for that hospital. So, every donation that's made, every person that contributes $1 can designate where that fund goes, where that dollar goes in the hospital. So, all of the money is always separated and kept separate. At each foundation, we work very closely with the hospital presidents and our executive team to decide what those projects will be for the year. So 18 to 24 months out, we are mapping our campaigns to decide what we're going to raise money around or for.

Host: So having said that, 100% of that money raised by Infirmary Foundations remains with the community hospital for which it was raised, as you just alluded to, so donors know every donation stays in their community. Why is that so important?

Shannon Preston: Well, first of all, there's a thing called the Donor Bill of Rights that we follow at all of our foundations, and that is where we are the stewards of that donated dollar. And it is up to the donor and our communication with the donor and understanding of what they want their dollar to be used for, what facility they want it used for, what project they want it used for. And that's really important. That is what fundraising is all about, is doing that for the donor and make sure that their requests are fulfilled, if you will. And here at Infirmary, one of the ways that we've done it, like you said, is to keep our foundation separate. And so, you can designate the project within the hospital that you would like to fund.

Host: Gotcha. Now, let's talk some fundraising examples that you're involved with. Maybe give us a little thumbnail please on each. For instance, Infirmary Foundation's Under the Oak Celebration, which benefits Mobile Infirmary robotic surgery system, making Mobile Infirmary the largest robotic system in the region. How about that one?

Shannon Preston: So, I'll talk a little bit about the event. It was fantastic. We actually have a historic home that was donated to the foundation that is adjacent to the hospital campus. And the back of that property are giant live oak trees. And so, we put the tents up with clear tops and we light the oaks and we have a big party, if you will. We had almost 400 guests. So, we have a party under the oaks with a band and a great night to celebrate. And those funds were designated this year, all of the funds that we raised for that, close to a hundred thousand dollars, were designated to advance that robotics program. So, we're going to bring two more da Vinci robots to Mobile Infirmary for surgeons here on this campus to be able to use.

Host: That sounds really nice. And I know that da Vinci is kind of the state-of-the-art in the robotic assist world. So next up, let me ask you about Thomas Hospital's Grand Summer Ball benefiting its cath lab expansion.

Shannon Preston: So, Grand Summer Ball and here in this area we call it Over The Bay. So, Mobile is on one side of Mobile Bay and Fairhope is on the other side of the bay. So as we go over the bay to Fairhope, we have the Grand Summer Ball. It's at the Grand Hotel. We have close to 600 guests at that. It's really the only formal gala in Fairhope. I always laugh that 599 of my closest friends will be there. We have a wonderful event there at the hotel. The Grand Hotel is a historic hotel in Point Clear with a lot of history that goes back before the Civil War. And so, we have a great event there. We've had it there since its inception. It was originally a community event that benefited the hospital. And then when the foundation was established, we took it over as our event. We're expanding our cath lab in that cardiac care for the hospital there in Fairhope. We actually do more cardiac cases at Thomas Hospital than any other hospital in this region. So, our cardiac care is expanding and we're able to take care of patients from Baldwin County and throughout those surrounding areas there.

Host: Excellent. And then, tell us please about North Baldwin Infirmary's Annual Gala, which benefits cardiac ultrasound.

Shannon Preston: So, we just had our gala in Bay Minette, which is kind of the north part of Baldwin County. So, we're able to increase access to quality healthcare, so patients from surrounding areas that is a little more rural in that part of the county. So, we're able to bring healthcare to folks that don't have to travel so far. So, that gala was a fabulous event. Another community event that we have there. And this year, that was our cardiac ultrasound, which increases diagnostics, of course, for cardiac care that we can do early intervention for patients there in Bay Minette

Host: And again, as you've discussed that and all of those great examples of the money being earmarked for a particular cause, if you will. So switching gears a little bit, there are various ways to contribute to these foundations. For instance, tell us please about the Brick and Paver Program.

Shannon Preston: So, that's a program that isn't necessarily unique to the hospitals. You've probably seen it anytime there's a physical campus, maybe a school or university were building a new building is a way to memorialize or pay tribute, and so it's there forever. So, we have different areas at each of our hospitals. So, you can purchase a brick or a paver or the square paver, and put a name if you had a baby and you want to put the new baby and birthday or honor a healthcare hero during COVID, that was very popular, a way to say thank you and give back. It's not a very expensive way to have something permanent at each of our campuses. So, each foundation has those programs. You can find it online and order that paver. And then, when it's ordered and it comes in and it's placed, we take a picture of it and send another little note to you, so you can see your paver if maybe you don't live here.

Host: Wow, that sounds really nice. So, people can also restrict a gift for a specific area that's meaningful to them. What are some examples of that?

Shannon Preston: Exactly. There are a lot of folks that maybe are very passionate, say, if maybe their mom or even dad had breast cancer and they wanted to give and restrict that to our breast center. So, each of our hospitals has a breast center and we will receive funds that are restricted just for that. The past two years we have, foundations have purchased additional 3D mammograms for our breast centers at each hospital, and we can use those restricted gifts for that type of purchase. So, we have several, I would say, maybe eight or nine funds at each foundation from cardiac, the birth center, the breast center, oncology, there's several things that you can do. Our diabetes education is another popular one. So if there's something that's very close to your heart, it's a great way to give and restrict that fund and know you're making a difference in that one specific area.

Host: Yeah, definitely sounds like it. Now, the public can also volunteer. Infirmary Health hospitals have auxiliary programs to donate their time, right?

Shannon Preston: Exactly. Our auxiliary program at Mobile Infirmary is very large. And it's a way that folks can give their time back. All of our hospitals have them. Thomas Hospital, it will be an auxiliary member. It's the first face that you see when you walk in the hospital. So, it's great to have a smiling face to help you find your way around the hospital. Sometimes it can be a little overwhelming to know exactly where to go, what door to use. So, we have auxiliary members and volunteers at all of our hospitals that really are a caring, smiling face as our patients come in.

Host: And then finally, how about the Future Founders Mobile infirmary Ambassadors, which is Infirmary Health's Young Professionals Program?

Shannon Preston: So, that's a great group. I lovingly refer to them as my whipper snappers. So, it's a really great group. We have a young professional group at Thomas Hospital and at Mobile Infirmary, and these are the future leaders of our community. So, it's typically folks under 40 that are involved in the community want to get involved with the hospital, the future of the hospital. They meet regularly with our system CEO, with our hospital presidents to hear what's going on with the hospital, what they can do to get involved, and really advance things in the hospital and then be great ambassadors for us in the community as people have questions about what's going on.

Host: Well, folks, we trust your now more familiar with how you can contribute one way or another to the foundations of Infirmary Health. Shannon Preston, keep up the great work. Sounds like your social calendar is overflowing to say the least. Thanks so much again.

Shannon Preston: Thanks so much for having me, Joey.

Host: You got it. And for more information, please visit infirmaryhealth.org/foundations. Again, infirmaryhealth.org/foundations. Now, if you found this podcast helpful, please share it on your social media. And thanks again for listening to LIFE Cast, a podcast from Infirmary Health. Hoping your health is good health. I'm Joey Wahler.