When you support The Tuomey Foundation, you invest in the future of the community.
And the foundation ensures your donation - 100 percent of it - works hard to
make a vital difference in Sumter's long-term health.
Sumter's generous gifts to The Tuomey Foundation make our ongoing support of the following programs possible.
Community Outreach Endowment
This fund takes the healthful programs initiated by Tuomey Healthcare System outside the hospital walls and into the community. Community Outreach Endowment programs include SAFE KIDS, the Tuomey Wellness Van, Camp Scamp, free screenings and much more.
Scholarship Endowment
A fund to provide financial assistance to Tuomey Employees and their families for pursuit of higher education.
CAMP SCAMP
Children with asthma face a special set of challenges. Frequent school absences. Constant medication. But the most trying aspect of their condition could be the sense of anxiety and exclusion that overshadows activities other kids take for granted.
That's why there's Camp Scamp. Funded by The Tuomey Foundation and coordinated by Tuomey's Women's and Children's Services division, Camp Scamp offers a traditional camp experience for more than 80 asthmatic children each summer. Here, sports, cookouts and field trips are combined with educational sessions that help kids better understand and manage their asthma. And it all takes place in a safe, well-monitored environment staffed by nurses and respiratory therapists. Thanks in part to the generous gifts of The Tuomey Foundation, there is no cost to the child's family.
SAFE KIDS
In the United States, the rate of misuse for infant and child car seats is tremendously high. South Carolina is no exception. It's a terrifying reality, and one Sumter County SAFE KIDS is working to change.
Through the significant financial support of The Tuomey Foundation and the collaborative efforts of a number of community partners, SAFE KIDS distributes free bike helmets, free or discounted car seats, and checks child restraint systems in automobiles to be sure they were properly installed. In addition, the organization visits countless schools, safety fairs and other public settings, exposing children and parents to a variety of issues including fire and water safety, electrical dangers, drug abuse and more.
The Tuomey Wellness Van
The difference a community hospital makes isn't just found within its walls. It permeates our industries, schools and neighborhoods.
Thanks to continued support from The Tuomey Foundation, the Tuomey Wellness Van brings outreach services (free screenings, education sessions and physician referrals) to communities in and around Sumter. Serving schools, industries, senior citizen sites and outlying rural areas, this 30-foot mobile unit includes a screening room, lab facility and specialized equipment.
Jeanne C. Watson Oncology Endowment
Established by the Watson family to honor Jeanne C. Watson, who died of pancreatic cancer in 2000, this endowment was created to support education, equipment, training and other cancer-related services in the oncology department. Additional donations serve to increase the fund's value and thus provide expanded opportunities for oncology patients.
Dr. Charles H. White, Sr. Cardiac Endowment
Established in 2001 by Mrs. Charles H. White, Sr. in memory of her late husband, a pioneer in the medical field and a legend throughout Tuomey halls, this endowment supports the needs of the cardiac department. Like the Watson Oncology Endowment, this fund is used to cover costs associated with education, equipment, training and other heart-related services.
Tuomey Hospice Program
As healthcare providers, we are conditioned to resist death. But there comes a point at which we must accept it and lovingly help others do the same. With that in mind, the Tuomey Hospice Program was created to comfort and support those facing this final stage of life.
For patients with a terminal illness, compassionate care means focusing on quality of life rather than length of life. Hospice emphasizes treating the person, not their disease. For many, that means spending their final weeks at home, where they can enjoy the company and support of family and friends. Through the financial support of the foundation and by staffing home health caregivers, hospice makes this happen. And hospice services are not limited to the patient. Bereavement, spiritual, and respite care are all significant components of the hospice care plan and are in place to aid patients and their loved ones.
Health Reach
Protecting the health of our children, regardless of their family's financial capabilities, is the sole purpose of Health Reach. This program stretches deep into the heart of Sumter and Lee counties and connects children with needed medical and dental care. Typically, these kids are referred by school nurses and have problems that could affect educational outcomes. Funded by The Duke Endowment and The Tuomey Foundation, Health Reach aided approximately 550 to 600 children last year through its school-linked program.
Of that, the foundation provided 30 percent of the money that went toward direct services for the children. "Our motto at Health Reach is 'whatever it takes,'" said Chris Watson, program administrator. "We do anything and everything we can to get children the medical. And sometimes that's not as easy as it sounds. We've gone to three or four places looking for kids before." Health Reach takes a holistic approach to helping these children, including enrolling them in Medicaid and addressing their behavioral issues, as well as their physical health problems. Watson said the number of children helped increases each year, in large part because of the financial contributions of the foundation.
Unrestricted Giving
When you give unrestricted contributions, the foundation applies these gifts toward projects and programs undertaken by Tuomey Healthcare System in meeting its mission to deliver the best healthcare possible to the Sumter area. We apply these dollars where the needs are greatest.
You decide
Every gift to The Tuomey Foundation is a blessing, and we are grateful for each dollar contributed. If there is another program, service or department at Tuomey that touches your heart other than those mentioned above, you may designate your gift elsewhere.
