SURPRISE, ARIZ. – Nov. 5, 2015 – Bonnie Boyce-Wilson, Joan Stukenborg and Debra Archer have a story to tell. Details vary, but the narratives all share a common theme. Their lives were changed for the better thanks to Sun Health Foundation donors.
Their stories, told through videos and live speeches, were part of the Foundation’s annual appreciation luncheon for donors, held Oct. 22 at The Colonnade in Surprise. The theme was “The Difference You Made,” and there was plenty of evidence to back up that accolade.
More than 220 guests heard how Boyce-Wilson, at risk for Type 2 diabetes, was able to turn her health around through weight-management and diabetes-prevention classes at the Sun Health Center for Health & Wellbeing, which receives funding from Sun Health Foundation.
Stukenborg related how heart problems had imprisoned her in her own home. “I had extreme shortness of breath, terrible chest pain at night and could barely walk,” she said. In August, she underwent a transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedure at Banner Boswell Medical Center. “It was a miracle for me,” Stukenborg said.
The TAVR was performed by cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon Dr. Rajeev S. Kathuria and his team in the medical center’s hybrid operating room, a high-tech marvel, underwritten by Sun Health Foundation donors.
Her gratitude was echoed by Banner Boswell CEO Dave Cheney who emphasized how Foundation support has kept Banner Boswell and Banner Del E. Webb medical centers on the “cutting edge.”
A family history of breast cancer and a lump removal made Debra Archer a prime candidate for annual screening mammograms. However, health problems (not cancer related) forced the Surprise resident to stop working and she lost her health insurance. She worried she might have to skip this year’s mammogram.
Enter the Pink Roadhouse Mammo Fund, which provided Archer with a 3-D mammography free of charge. The program, launched by breast cancer survivor Reba Mason and Banner Boswell Medical Imaging employee Gina Sheets, provides 3-D screenings to women who are uninsured or underinsured and who meet certain criteria. The fund is managed by Sun Health Foundation. “I can’t thank you enough for this gift,” Archer said. She happily added that her mammogram report came back clear.
The celebration included presenting “Spirit of Sun Health Awards” to approximately 30 donors who have supported Sun Health Foundation for 20 or more years.
Sun Health President and CEO Ron Guziak thanked all donors for their support. “Your generosity is a story in itself, a positive story that is told and retold daily in the lives of our patients, our clients, our residents and the greater community.”
About Sun Health Foundation
For nearly 50 years, Sun Health Foundation donors have supported superior health care in the West Valley. The foundation is a philanthropic partner to the Banner Sun Health Research Institute, Banner Boswell Medical Center and Banner Del E. Webb Medical Center, as well as community wellness programs and senior living services provided by Sun Health. Learn more at www.sunhealthfoundation.org.
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