Kate Gleason Society

Kate Gleason, who bequeathed the property on the banks of the Beaufort River for the explicit purpose of building the county’s first health care facility, had a spirit of giving that would endure long after her death and inspire the creation of the Beaufort Memorial Hospital Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the not-for-profit hospital dedicated to raising funds to support its ongoing growth and improvements.

"Beaufort County Memorial Hospital was established to ensure Beaufort County residents had access to medical care, and the Beaufort Memorial Hospital Foundation was created to expand and improve services for generations to come," said Associate Vice President and Chief Development Officer Kimberly Yawn.

Established in 1984, the Beaufort Memorial Hospital Foundation was founded to enable Beaufort Memorial to serve current and future health needs of the community and be a catalyst for fostering health and wellness. Over 40 years, the Foundation has raised more than $50 million through private donations from employees and community members, the annual Valentine Ball, corporate gifts, and private and public grants. Those funds have been used for critical services, technology, and facility upgrades that would not otherwise have been feasible. From the region's only inpatient mental health unit and the expanded Pratt Emergency Center to the Cochrane Heart Center, Collins Birthing Center, and Keyserling Cancer Center, the lives impacted by new and enhanced services made possible by donations to the Foundation are truly immeasurable.