MIDDLEBURY — An anonymous donation of more than $1.1 million will be divided between the UVM Health Network-Porter Medical Center and the UVM Foundation as the result of a collaborative proposal to an Addison County supporter of both entities.
The donation will provide $575,000 for a new air handling system at Helen Porter Rehabilitation and Nursing in Middlebury, as well as $98,000 for a new nurse-call system at Helen Porter, for a total gift of $673,000 to Porter. The balance of the donation, $500,000 will support the Frank Ittleman, MD Endowed Chair in Cardiac Surgery at the UVM Medical Center.
“These donations for critically important equipment needs at Helen Porter are truly transformational and will make an enormous contribution to the lives of our approximately 100 elderly residents to improve both safety and comfort,” said Porter President Seleem Choudhury.
“This gift is the largest single donation by an individual donor in the history of Porter, and we are so grateful,” he added.
Choudhury points to the unique and collaborative approach involving both the Porter and the UVM Medical Center Development staff as being key to securing this major commitment.
“There are many advantages to being part of the UVM Health Network from a clinical and operational perspective, but this is the first tangible result we can point to in the world of fund-raising that illustrates the value of being part of the UVM Health Network,” he said.
“This generous gift to the Ittleman Endowed Chair Fund will help us attract a physician leader to follow in the footsteps of our colleague, Dr. Frank Ittleman, for whom the chair is named,” said Mitchell C. Norotsky, M.D., the Stanley S. Fieber Chair in Surgery at the University of Vermont. “Dr. Ittleman has been a vital part of the UVM cardiothoracic team for nearly 40 years. The generosity of these donors enables us to continue that tradition and provide patients throughout our region with the highest quality care.”