PeaceHealth gains $2.45M in donations

The PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center Foundation received $2.45 million in gifts that will be used to support programs for cancer, hospice and family medicine.

The foundation announced the three estate gifts Monday.

“These gifts will truly transform our care for our community,” said Carol Van Natta, executive director of the foundation, in a news release. “Every gift we receive is vitally important to the work we do, and our donors make this work possible.”

The foundation received an anonymous $750,000 donation to benefit the Ray Hickey House, 2112 E. Mill Plain Blvd. The center has 20 private rooms and offers families a home-like environment where loved ones can receive end-of-life care.

The second gift was $700,000 from Warren Weldon and his late wife, Betty, in honor of Dr. Marilyn Darr, a family physician with PeaceHealth Medical Group. That donation will benefit PeaceHealth’s family medicine program.

Finally, the PeaceHealth Southwest foundation received a $1 million donation from Don Heimbigner, in honor of his late wife, Elaine. The money will be used to support comprehensive cancer services at PeaceHealth Southwest.

In the last fiscal year, the PeaceHealth Southwest foundation raised $6 million — more than $1 million of which was donated by PeaceHealth employees.

In recent years, money raised by the foundation has been used to develop new services at the center, including a new hybrid catherization lab and cardiac care center. The foundation is currently nearing the end of its three-year, $10.5 million Campaign for Neurosciences Excellence.