Glendale Foundation March 27, 2020 It won’t surprise you to know that The Difference magazine was written and produced weeks before our world changed with the COVID-19 pandemic. As you read through the many articles, stories and features, I know you will be touched by the things in life that will never change — friendship, service, gratitude, inspiration and compassion. To Our Donors To I hope that through the magazine, you can relive and remember happy experiences and have a renewed sense of hope and anticipation for the better days that are certain to be ahead for us. Irene Bourdon, MPH, CFRE President, Adventist Health Glendale Foundation SPRING-SUMMER 2020 TheDifference Dr. and Mrs. Ronald S. Wu Making our hospital and community a better place Glendale Foundation In this edition SPRING-SUMMER 2020 1-2 MESSAGES Helen McDonagh, Irene Bourdon and Alice Issai 3-5 COVER FEATURE Dr. Ronald and Mrs. Georgiana Wu 6-7 UN GALA 2020 CT scanner for Emergency Dept. Glendale Adventist Emergency Physicians pledge UNGALA sponsors On the cover 8-9 GRATEFUL PATIENT FEATURE Dr. Ronald and Mrs. Georgiana Heart attack at age 34! Wu are applauded by well- Emergency Dept. takes pride in cardiovascular care wishers in the Physicians A cardiologist explains risk factors and heart attack signs Medical Terrace on the occasion of Dr. Wu’s 10-11 GRATEFUL PATIENT FEATURE retirement from his Physician’s talk may have saved her life practice in June 2017. 12-13 DONOR PROFILE Markus Mettler, Leisure Glen Acute Post Care Center Thank you, Michele! 14-19 THE GUILD Counting Our Blessings and Holiday Luncheon 2019 Courage Awards 2019 and Beauty Bus Guild’s Holiday Fashion Show / Fundraiser at Bloomingdale’s Guild members profile: Gracie, Margaret and Georgiana Be Our Valentine luncheon 2020 6 20 OAK SOCIETY & FOUNDATION BOARD Spirit of Giving Award Board members honored for service 21 PHILANTHROPY Values-based estate planning Care Hero Award 22-30 Thank you, donors! (Jan. 1 - Dec. 31, 2019) Tribute gifts: In honor of, in memory of (Jan. 1 - Dec. 31, 2019) 31 Foundation’s important role in community health 32-33 Project Hug-a-Bear 2019 “Light Up a Life” 2019 8 16 Thank you, Dr. Ronald and Mrs. Georgiana Wu, for being part of our ‘village’ THE PROVERB “IT TAKES A VILLAGE” is often used as a metaphor for raising a child, but from many years working with business professionals in Glendale and throughout Southern California, I recognize how important it is for the “village” to support vital institutions such as hospitals. Adventist Health Glendale is fortunate to have such a devoted “village,” because I know every donation to the Foundation will enhance the hospital in some way — and that means the community benefits as well. Dr. Ronald and Mrs. Georgiana Wu are part of that vast “village,” and have been for over 50 years! When I recently learned that the hospital’s auditorium will be named in their honor, I thought, what a beautiful legacy for Dr. Wu Helen McDonagh and Georgiana, and what a timely gift that will further enhance the quality Chair, Foundation of care for our patients. Board of Directors We are grateful to Dr. Wu, whose extraordinary skills as a physician made a difference in the lives of thousands of mothers, their babies and families. And to Georgiana, whose participation and leadership in The Guild and other activities mean so much to all of us who know her. We are blessed that Dr. Wu and Georgiana reside in our “village.” Healing power of a shared purpose FOR MOST OF US WORKING IN HEALTHCARE, there was a time in our earlier years when we remember choosing our path. One of our Adventist Health associates once told me, “I chose healthcare because I wanted to be where miracles happen.” This shared purpose to heal bonds our care providers and creates amazing team dynamics as they work to save and change lives. This shared purpose also is communicated to our patients and their families in unexpected ways, little things like a smile, a warm blanket or a gentle touch. Here at the Foundation, we are blessed. We are surrounded by miracles, and we are surrounded by something just as beautiful — altruism. We are given a chance to listen, a chance to understand our donor’s “true north” — that very specific point where their gift will transform an experience or health Irene Bourdon, MPH, CFRE outcome for people they may never meet. President, Adventist Health Our mission here at the Foundation is simple — we connect donors to Glendale Foundation the causes they care about. This is our shared purpose. This spring, as we look on with hope and optimism for a great year, we are also looking forward to understanding and sharing in a healing purpose with you. 1 Meeting with doctors and special guests. Focusing our energies to deliver world-class care Dear donors and friends: excellent outcomes. I couldn’t be prouder of the many successes we’ve had since I joined Adventist Health PRINGTIME HERALDS the promise of growth Glendale in July 2018, and I’m excited for all we will and renewal. We’re experiencing that at Adventist accomplish together in the future. SHealth Glendale as well. Our work moving the This year, we continue to lean on our strategic pillars hospital toward a brighter tomorrow has been underway with a laser focus on improving patient outcomes, growing for well over a year, and I want to take this opportunity our physician network and our service lines, expanding to share how much we’ve already achieved and what lies our ambulatory footprint and enhancing the patient ahead in 2020 and beyond. experience. We’ve recruited 15 specialists to our market We continue to make headway on our strategic plan over the past year, and our work to expand our network — a roadmap through 2024 that focuses our energies on of top-tier physicians continues. delivering world-class care, service and clinical results to Along with added expertise, we are introducing and the diverse communities we serve. expanding services to meet the needs of our community. I’m beyond thrilled that we began the year with news Our Structural Heart Program, for example, has seen more that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services than 150 transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) (CMS) has awarded us five stars. Fewer than 300 hospitals procedures and is adding Watchman and MitraClip proce- nationwide, and only five in the Los Angeles area, earned dures to address other abnormalities of the heart. Together, five stars in the overall hospital quality rankings. Addition- these procedures offer an array of minimally invasive ally, last fall we earned The Leapfrog Group’s “A” grade cardiac care that enables patients to heal much faster than for the 10th consecutive time since 2015. traditional surgical methods. It also makes it possible for These and other awards are the culmination of the high-risk patients who otherwise wouldn’t qualify for heart and hard work our physicians and associates continue open-heart procedures to receive treatment. This level of to pour into delivering quality patient care and achieving structural heart care also sets us apart from other hospitals in the region. Our advancements are enabled by the unwavering support of our Foundation’s donors and friends. I’m grateful that, together, we’re able to grow Adventist Health Glendale into a beacon of quality care. Sincerely, Alice Issai, President Applauding the hospital’s TAVR successes. cover story DR. RONALD S. AND MRS. GEORGIANA WU Celebrating the couple who calls our hospital ‘home’ “ We were brought up giving, almost like a DNA in our body, so we just want to see the hospital and our community become a better place for everybody. This is our home.” — Dr. Ronald and Mrs. Georgiana Wu was an eventful year “The auditorium is an important place for Ronald and for people to gather and learn and celebrate 1968 Georgiana Wu. In special occasions,” Dr. Wu and Georgiana January, the young said jointly. “This is where doctors meet couple became engaged. In the spring, for continuing education, and we want Ronald earned the esteemed designation of them to have the best surroundings and “Dr. Wu,” graduating from medical school AV equipment. at Loma Linda University. In June, he and “This is also where everyone in the Our auditorium is the most publicly Georgiana were married on Father’s Day, hospital comes together, and it’s where “ utilized space in our medical center. and on July 1, Dr. Wu began his internship we have events that also welcome the All of our different communities — and residency at Adventist Health Glendale. community.” associates and physicians, businesses, More than half-a-century later, Ronald residents and local leaders, civic and and Georgiana continue to feel a close at- “WE WERE TEAMMATES” non-profit organizations — attend tachment to the hospital they call “home.” “This hospital has been our home for 52 events in our auditorium. Dr. and Their love and devotion to our mission years,” Georgiana says proudly. “Ever since Mrs. Wu have been of service to and generously giving of themselves Ronald graduated from medical school, so many families, patients and through decades of service have created this has been his one and only hospital healthcare providers, their names a legacy that soon will become even more where he practiced.” and gift to the hospital will be enduring — naming of the hospital’s Dr. Wu, an obstetrician widely known recognized and appreciated by main auditorium in their honor. for helping women with difficult pregnan- many thousands of people.” At the Foundation’s UNGALA, cies, retired from private practice in 2017 — Irene Bourdon, rescheduled in the fall, this extraordinary after more than 49 years and involvement Foundation President couple will be recognized for their nearly in delivering an estimated 20,000 babies.