FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 19, 2022
CONTACT:
Dyan Duncan
Executive Director Marketing & Communication
502.814.5439
dduncan@hosparus.org
Planned gift allocation brings Estate’s total contribution to more than $3.3 million
(LOUISVILLE, KY) — Hosparus Health is thrilled to announce an unexpected year-end gift of more than half a million dollars from the estate of late businessman James “Jim” Ryan. To date, the non-profit has received more than $3.3 million from his bequest. Jim was a member of Hosparus Health’s planned giving Autumn Leaf Society and was recognized posthumously with the Sherrill Thirlwell Award for his efforts in guiding the hospice movement in the community.
“This latest gift, totaling over $500,000, really validates the power of planned giving. Even four years after his passing, Jim’s contribution continues to bear fruit,” said Senior Vice President/Chief Development and Marketing Officer Tawanda Lewis Owsley. “By designating Hosparus Health in his estate, Jim helped ensure the long-term viability of our organization, situated to meet the holistic healthcare needs of our community for years to come.”
“We are honored to carry forward Jim’s legacy of philanthropy by engaging with others and sharing our mission. The generosity from Jim and our other donors has laid the groundwork for reimagining how we care for families impacted by serious illness,” said Hosparus CEO David W. Cook.
One of the ways the 40-plus-year organization is adapting to meet the needs of those dealing with serious illness is through building and embedding places of compassion in the communities it serves. Last week, the organization unveiled a $1.7 million dollar community center in Campbellsville, KY. In Louisville, Hosparus plans to begin construction in 2023 on a multi-stage campus expansion project at 3532 Ephraim McDowell Drive. The project includes the construction of a new Grief Counseling Center and the organization’s first standalone Inpatient Center. Campus plans, first announced during the organization’s People of Compassion campaign, detail an outdoor healing garden with walking paths and meditation elements.
“We envision the new campus as a space for our patients and families to gather and feel a sense of community – with the Grief Counseling Center offering a beacon of hope for those struggling with the loss of a loved one,” said Cook.
Hosparus Health has provided compassionate care for patients and families wherever they call home since 1978 regardless of their ability to pay. Its care teams are recognized and respected across the country for innovation and expertise in hospice and palliative care for the most complex health issues. As a not-for-profit organization, Hosparus provides services that are not covered by insurance — including grief counseling and palliative care — at a low cost or free of charge, as well as hospice services to those who are uninsured and under-insured.
For more information on planned giving opportunities, please contact Lisa Sanford at 270-304-2329 or lsanford@hosparus.org. To make a donation or find volunteer opportunities, visit www.hosparushealth.org.
About Hosparus Health
Since 1978, Hosparus Health, a fully accredited not-for-profit hospice and palliative care organization, has provided medical care, grief services, symptom and medication management and more for people facing serious and chronic illnesses in 41 counties in Kentucky and Indiana. Hosparus Health is one of the nation’s largest hospice and palliative care providers with over 600 employees and more than 500 volunteers. In 2021, the organization cared for 9,700 patients and families. Visit www.HosparusHealth.org for more information or call 800-264-0521.
###
