Have you ever thought about something that was so outlandish, so impossible, so out of your reach that you knew it would never happen…that it was only a dream?

 

Dreams are what move St. Mary’s Foundation ahead and keep us focused on the impossible. Our job as the Foundation Board of Directors is to turn impossible dreams into reality. We’ve got a good track record so far – we wanted to build an endowment fund, starting at zero. We have close to three million dollars in endowment funds and the interest on many of these funds is making great things happen.

 

Dreams of providing the best quality care right here and not always having to transfer patients are now coming true with the eICU connection between Avera McKennan and St. Mary’s Healthcare Center with equipment and training paid for by the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Trust. Patients who can be cared for here are staying here, and if it is necessary to transfer, they are getting the best care as well determined by their physicians and the specialist team on the other end of the telehealth connection.

 

Digital mammography, the latest equipment, in a spa-like atmosphere is a dream come true for women in this area, again through funding by the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsely Trust. We know people are getting the best diagnostic care possible.

 

Our future dreams include a cancer treatment center we would like to build here, so people needing radiation treatments do not have to travel each day or move away for a few months. St. Mary’s Healthcare Center has many needs for updated facilities, including larger patient rooms, updating Maryhouse long term care, and accommodating more specialist outreach clinics. We can make this happen.

 

I know that budgets are tight, Medicaid and Medicare are under fire and that dreams may seem to be frivolous. We think now is the perfect time to work on making these dreams come true. You and your family deserve the best quality of health care right here, and soon. So join us in making the dreams a reality and support St. Mary’s Foundation with an annual or special gift to make dreams happen. Let us know your dreams for health care in Central South Dakota and let’s work together to make our own reality!

 

 

 

St. Mary's Foundation is very fortunate to have the fine men and women from Central South Dakota listed below serving as members of the St. Mary's Foundation Board.  In addition to being community-minded citizens, they are your friends and family.  As such, they have your best interests at heart and work diligently giving not only financially, but also generously, of their time and expertise to ensure that the Foundation is governed to the very best of their ability. 

 

 

Mike Sprenger, President,

Jamie Maher, 1st Vice President

James Russell, 2nd Vice President

Connie Halverson, Secretary

Jim Laird, Treasurer

Ellen Lee, Executive Director

 

James Ellenbecker

Steve White

Denise Hanisch, MD

Brittany Novotny

Dennis Eisnach

Mitch Weiss

Steve Baker

Joe Connot

Sara Larson

Ellen Zeller