Hospital receives second-largest donation

Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian has received a $16-million gift from the George Hoag Family Foundation, marking the second largest donation in the Newport Beach hospital’s history.

The money, which the foundation has pledged over the next decade, is earmarked for the Hoag Cancer Center and the hospital’s new diabetes program.

The foundation has already given Hoag about $1.5 million and will parcel out the rest in the coming years.

In terms of dollars, the gift ranks second only to the $20 million donated to the hospital in January 2005 by Newport Beach philanthropists Bill and Sue Gross.

“The foundation has been a longtime supporter of Hoag Hospital since its inception,” said Melinda Hoag Smith, president and chief executive of the foundation. “There is a new excitement about the expansion that’s going to be happening of the cancer center and the site-specific care for lung cancer or prostate cancer.”

Richard Afable, president and chief executive of Hoag, and Ron Guziak, executive director of the Hoag Hospital Foundation, said they were delighted to receive the funds.

“We’re extremely grateful for the generosity of the community and the George Hoag Family Foundation,” Guziak said. “They’ve been strong supporters from the first days of Hoag Hospital, and we’re glad they understand our mission and our vision and want to help us grow and improve.”

Of the total amount, $10 million is allotted to renovating the cancer center, with $1 million targeted for diabetes, a condition Hoag plans to focus on more in the near future.

Guziak said the funds would go toward both inpatient and outpatient services.

The remaining $5 million will go into an endowment for physicians and other personnel at the cancer center, a decision Afable said was a welcome surprise.

“There’s a lot of philanthropic support that would typically be given for a new machine or new technology or a new facility, but it’s pretty unusual, outside of an academic medical center, to see a donation for hiring or retention of new physicians or scientists,” he said.