Foundation Flash

January 2022

Donor Spotlight - Inspired by Compassionate Care

Joan Queeney Luther is no stranger to the world of health care. As a kid she spent a lot of time at Sacred Heart tagging along with her father, an orthopedic surgeon, and her mother, an instructor at the Sacred Heart School of Nursing.

But she reconnected with the hospital environment last summer, when her dear friend, Dave, was struggling to recover from a devastating accident. Sadly, Dave passed away, but Joan found a way to honor him - and those who cared for him - with a donation to Providence Inland Northwest Foundation.

Chaplain Peter Imathiu and Rick Agrella, the charge nurse (pictured above with other caregivers) offered comfort and light to Joan during some very dark days in the ICU. "They made me feel safe to cry and then helped me recover from the darkness...this day that still brings me to my knees must be a regular day for them and their co-workers. They are the heroes," said Joan.

You too can make a gift in honor of caregivers who made a difference during a loved one's hospital stay, We will let them know that their compassion made a difference. Click here for more information.

NICU Gift Creates a Calm, Comforting Space

Looking at Jack Sager now, you'd never know this active one-year-old spent three months in the Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit at Sacred Heart Children's Hospital.

As his mom, Genasee, says: "What a difference a year makes. Last year the hospital became our second home. We had a baby too fragile to touch without gloves and now we have a toddler who bangs his head against the wall for fun."

Genasee had a normal pregnancy with no signs of trouble until her 28th week. Sensing that something was wrong, she saw her doctor and an ultrasound determined the baby was at risk. An emergency C-section quickly followed. Jack weighed just 1 pound, 12 ounces at birth, but was remarkably free of any extraordinary health issues. He just needed time in the NICU to grow and develop.

The current Quiet Room was in dire need of an upgrade. The Sager's gift, along with help from Providence Inland Northwest Foundation, provided new carpet, paint and furniture, and incorporates artwork and soft lighting, creating a calm space that feels less like a hospital.

Like many parents in her situation, Genasee is grateful Spokane is home to a dedicated children's hospital. "It's not a situation anyone wants to go through, but I feel we were so fortunate. We were the beneficiaries of so many resources we didn't even know existed," she said.

Thinking About Your Legacy?

Many of our supporters make a lasting impact beyond their lifetime by leaving an estate or legacy gift through their will or living trust. 

A bequest is one of the easiest and most popular ways that you can support the Providence Mission and help build healthy communities here in the Inland Northwest. It also offers a lot of flexibility: you can give a specific dollar amount, an asset, a percentage of your estate, or the remainder of your estate after leaving a legacy to your heirs.

If you have made an estate gift to Providence Inland Northwest Foundation, please let us know by emailing ProvidenceINWF@providence.org. We would love to know about your legacy gift so that we may personally thank you.