Healthcare Reimagined Campaign Celebration honors community generosity

The Healthcare Reimagined Campaign celebration on May 19 honored a milestone years in the making: nearly $75 million raised to transform emergency care at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center. The campaign is the largest fundraising effort in Clark County history and helped support the expansion and modernization of the Emergency Department.

More than 100 donors, caregivers, community partners and PeaceHealth leaders gathered to celebrate what many described as a true community achievement — one that will shape healthcare in Southwest Washington for generations.

Throughout the evening, speakers reflected on the legacy of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace, whose Mission laid the foundation for PeaceHealth more than a century ago. That legacy continues today through investments in emergency medicine, caregiver support and whole-person care.

“What we are celebrating is not just a new space,” said Chief Hospital Executive Cherelle Montanye. “It is a transformation in how we care for our community.”

Donor generosity supported major improvements to the Emergency Department, including expanded treatment areas, updated technology and spaces designed to improve privacy, safety and coordination of care. Leaders shared how the new environment is already helping caregivers respond more efficiently during emergencies while creating a more compassionate experience for patients and families.

Emergency physician Dr. Jason Hanley spoke about the impact the expanded Emergency Department is having on patient care and the caregiver experience.

“Even in a moment of fear or uncertainty, there is dignity,” Hanley said. “There is privacy. There is a sense of being cared for as a person, not just treated as a case.”

A major focus of the celebration was the Community Health Hub, an innovative partnership model that connects patients with services beyond medical care alone. Through collaboration with local organizations, the Hub helps address challenges such as substance abuse, domestic violence, housing insecurity and food access. Since opening in 2024, the Community Health Hub has resulted in more than 1,300 referrals connecting patients to vital support. 

One of the evening’s most powerful moments came as Director of Community Health Liz Cattin shared the story of a young family who arrived at the Emergency Department while experiencing homelessness and food insecurity. The mother was pregnant, the father had been unemployed for nearly a year and the family was living in their car with their young child.

Through the Community Health Hub, the family was connected with local partners for food support, employment assistance and housing resources. Within about a week, the father secured a full-time job. Soon after, the family moved into stable housing — and just 24 hours later, they welcomed their new baby.

The story highlighted how coordinated, whole-person care can change the trajectory of a family’s future — all possible because of donors like you who believe in the Mission and vision of PeaceHealth.

Philanthropist Michael Lynch reflected on what inspired his family’s support of the campaign.

“Philanthropy, at its heart, is an act of belief,” Lynch said. “A belief that we can create something better. A belief that we have a responsibility to one another.”

The evening also recognized the Campaign’s co-chairs — Rainy and Richard Atkins, Jo Marie and Steve Hansen and Patricia and David Nierenberg — for their leadership and commitment throughout the five-year effort.

As the program closed, speakers returned to a central theme of the night: healthcare transformation happens when a community comes together around a shared purpose.

The Healthcare Reimagined Campaign may have reached its fundraising goal, but leaders emphasized that its impact is only beginning — strengthening emergency care, expanding access and helping ensure patients across Southwest Washington receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time. 

About PeaceHealth Foundations: PeaceHealth, based in Vancouver, Wash., is a non-profit Catholic health system offering care to communities in Washington, Oregon and Alaska. Since 1890, PeaceHealth has been guided by a Mission of healing and compassion. Today, PeaceHealth Foundations carry forward that legacy — powered by philanthropy and grounded in community. As the philanthropic partner to PeaceHealth’s nine medical centers and more than 160 clinics, we help expand access, advance technology and empower caregivers to provide exceptional and compassionate care. Every gift ensures that outstanding care continues to reach families, friends and neighbors throughout the Northwest. Today, PeaceHealth is the legacy of the founding Sisters and continues with a spirit of respect, stewardship, collaboration and social justice in fulfilling its Mission. Discover the impact of philanthropy at peacehealth.org/foundation.