The heart behind a historic gift: A grateful patient
$10 million anonymous gift to help transform cardiovascular services at Huntsville Hospital
The Huntsville Hospital Foundation team is thrilled and honored to announce we have received a $10 million donation from an anonymous donor, representing the largest-ever philanthropic gift in Huntsville Hospital’s 129-year history.
The historic gift was given in gratitude for the excellent and compassionate care the donor received at Huntsville Hospital Heart Center, and will be used to further the growth of cardiac services at Huntsville Hospital – consistently ranked as one of “America's 50 Best”. The charitable gift provided a catalyst for Huntsville Hospital’s just-announced $150 million community investment: the addition of five floors and 100 hospital rooms to the Madison Street Tower. This project will launch a new era for cardiovascular medicine in North Alabama, impacting countless patient lives by giving access to state-of-the-art cardiothoracic services to meet the needs demanded by our community’s dynamic growth.
“This transformative gift is a testament to the exceptional care our Heart team provides, and will help ensure our community hospital can continue to grow and deliver the world-class, specialized cardiac services our growing region deserves,” said Jeff Samz, chief executive officer of Huntsville Hospital Health System. “Through this significant gift, this grateful patient is furthering our mission of providing high-quality care that improves the health of our communities. We could not be more thankful.”
Huntsville Hospital was founded by community volunteers in 1895 and has been fueled by philanthropy since the very beginning. A not-for-profit, public health system, Huntsville Hospital receives minimal local, state or federal tax support, and never turns anyone away regardless of their ability to pay. Donations bridge the gap to fund equipment, programs and facility upgrades that would otherwise be impossible – with 100 percent of every donation benefiting the area of the donors’ choosing.
“We are humbled by the exceptionally generous and visionary nature of this gift,” said Alex Vasquez, MD, a board-certified cardiologist at Huntsville Hospital Heart Center. “Although this grateful patient chooses to remain anonymous, the impact of their gift will be felt by Huntsville Hospital patients and our community for generations to come.”
“This generous donor embodies the incredible giving spirit of the Huntsville/Madison County community, and believes in the unparalleled work of our physicians and hospitals,” said Huntsville Hospital Foundation President Sarah Savage-Jones. “Through donor support of every level, Huntsville Hospital is able to do more – saving more lives and making our region healthier and stronger.”
Click to watch and hear the immense impact of this project from HH Health CEO Jeff Samz, including:
- A new state-of-the-art cardiothoracic ICU
- The addition of a Neurosciences ICU to serve stroke and neurosurgical patients from across the region
- 3 additional floors of ICU and med-surge space
- Bed spaces to help us admit patients and move them through our Emergency Room faster
- The elimination of double-occupancy hospital rooms
- 350 new health care jobs to the local economy
Visit our website to learn more about Huntsville Hospital Foundation and how gifts impact patients and departments across our not-for-profit hospitals.