As part of a video project about the history of philanthropy for our local hospitals and health system, three Centra Foundation board members took a tour of Centra facilities and reflected on the long history of community support and stewardship.
When Cap Eschenroeder, a retired physician and Centra Foundation board member, looks at the donor walls, plaques and signage across our health system, he sees more than financial contributions.
“I see a community deeply invested in enhancing healthcare for our region and people who believed they could make a real difference,” he said. “They helped our health system be better than it would otherwise be. When I look back on the history of how the generations that have come before us supported the hospitals and healthcare for their neighbors, it’s an inspiring legacy.”
That legacy predates Centra, formed in 1987 from the merger of Virginia Baptist and Lynchburg General hospitals.
In the early 1930s, there were four hospitals in Lynchburg: Guggenheimer Memorial Hospital, Marshall Lodge Memorial Hospital, Virginia Baptist Hospital (VBH) and Lynchburg Hospital, later renamed Lynchburg General Hospital (LGH), the city’s first municipal hospital, which was built in 1911 on Hollins Mill Road primarily to care for those who could not enter private hospitals during that period because of racial discrimination.
Dr. Eschenroeder points to people like Bertha Guggenheimer who, through her estate, supported the construction and operation of Guggenheimer Memorial Hospital, and Whit Brown, who in 1946 donated his estate to Lynchburg General to support a hospital that would care for all. After a few transitions and mergers, VBH and LGH were the hospitals for greater Lynchburg. VBH was expanded through donor support, and when land was purchased on Tate Spring Road for LGH, it was financed in part by local residents.
He also points to more recent donors – those with familiar names like Stroobants and Pearson as well as all donors – who have stepped up to support quality care for all four Centra hospitals and across the health system. Southside Community Hospital became an affiliate in 2006, and Bedford Memorial Hospital came fully under the umbrella in 2014.
In addition to supporting new and upgraded facilities such as the Centra Alan B. Pearson Regional Cancer Center and CMG Stroobants Cardiovascular Center, the community has provided support for innovative equipment and technology, clinical education and nursing scholarships, healing programs, support for patients in need and more.
“Each community faces challenges, but our community has always bonded together and supported health,” he said. “Together, they have transformed care, shown us that we can face challenges and inspired others. I’m proud to be part of that tradition.”
Fuel for excellence
According to Centra Foundation Board Chair Carolyn Jacques, the Foundation fits well into the legacy. Formed in 1993 by a dedicated group of community leaders, physicians and Centra leaders, it is a testament that “we are all in this together, united in our commitment to improve healthcare in our communities.”
A former nurse, she sees the impact on patients first and foremost. Those patients can then be part of healthy families and strong, productive communities.
“Ultimately, every gift does enhance the quality of care, expand access and provide comfort,” she said, pointing to recent funding for Virginia’s first emPATH unit, robotic surgical systems, advanced training for clinicians and more. “There’s a saying and observation in healthcare philanthropy that the very best hospitals can be found in the most generous communities. And I believe that to be true because generosity fosters and enables excellence, and excellence saves lives.”
Building on a strong legacy for the future
Sackett Wood, chair of Centra Foundation's Fund Development Committee, believes excellence requires philanthropy and generosity helps fill the gaps.
“Support from the community is so important because if you look at the Foundation’s mission, it is to develop and direct resources for the support of Centra so that Centra can fulfill its mission, which is to improve the health and quality of life for the communities it serves,” he shared.
A strong healthcare system is essential for a community, and support will continue to be critical, he said.
In addition to investing in innovative equipment, facilities, staff and programs, “the Foundation funds rides to appointments, free screenings and things like that. There are so many things our resources do to help Centra fulfill their mission. In addition to the big things, it’s a thousand little things no one sees.
“It all adds up to making a difference in our community,” he said. “It helps make Lynchburg a more attractive place to come live, work and play. Our generation has to build on the legacy that has been created.”
Watch the video
Learn more about how you can establish a lasting legacy: Legacy.CentraHealth.com
