Madison Hospital President Mary Lynne Wright and Huntsville Hospital President & Chief Operating Officer Tracy Doughty have given their entire careers to health care. Another thing they share in common that is worth celebrating – both of these incredible leaders have made planned gifts that will continue meeting our not-for-profit hospitals’ needs long after they are gone.
A gift like Mary Lynne and Tracy’s costs nothing now, but can make a huge impact for the future of our Huntsville Hospital Health System hospitals and communities.
“I talk with our employees about making a difference every day when they are at work: for their patients, for their co-workers, for the hospital,” Mary Lynne said. “This is my way of making a difference.”
Mary Lynne and her husband, Merrill D. Wright, have witnessed the power of philanthropy at Madison Hospital and hope their planned gift will leave a legacy and be part of making a lasting impact.
“I’ve seen it in every special program we offer, in every piece of equipment we purchase through the Foundation,” Mary Lynne shared. “It makes a huge difference for our employees to have something as simple as a vital sign machine readily available to them. The Foundation helps make this happen. Our donors make the difference.”
Tracy Doughty also witnesses that difference every day in his role as Huntsville Hospital President and COO. He and his wife, Lakesha, chose to include HHF in their will in 2022 as a way to give back to an institution that has given them so much.
“I have been blessed beyond measure,” Tracy said. “I grew up in a large family and understand first-hand what it means to ‘go without’. In any way that I can help, I am here to do so. Huntsville Hospital has been a part of my life for almost 25 years. You can say I grew up here, and both of my children were born at the facility. It definitely holds a special place in my family’s heart.”
Tracy hopes his planned gift will help provide the much-needed equipment and services the facility needs.
“This organization is a community institution and has served the citizens of North Alabama for over 100 years and will do the same for another 100 years,” he said. “We just want to be a part of that legacy and continued growth of a world-class organization.”
Mary Lynne encourages others in the Madison and Huntsville communities to follow in her and Tracy’s footsteps, if able.
“Health care is expensive, and to stay up-to-date we invest millions every year for the technology we need for our patients,” she said. “However, a planned gift can also go to help high-touch areas like the Forget Me Not program at Madison Hospital for dementia patients or for our Canines for Coping facility dog that helps not only our patients but our employees. Programs such as these wouldn’t be possible without donors.”
If you are interested in leaving a legacy in support of our hospitals, contact HHF Planned Giving Officer Lynne Vallely at lynne.vallely@hhsys.org to learn about your options.
