Making Rounds
For many patients and families, life’s most difficult moments unfold inside a hospital. While physicians, nurses and care teams provide expert medical treatment, another layer of support often works quietly behind the scenes. That support comes through the Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation.
For 30 years, the Foundation has served as a bridge between the community and patient care across Cape Fear Valley Health, raising philanthropic support for needs that extend beyond traditional medical services and reimbursement.
“Philanthropy allows us to step in where medicine alone cannot,” said Sabrina Brooks, Vice President of the Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation. “Sometimes the greatest gift we can give is dignity, so patients can focus on healing instead of worrying about how they will survive.”
Over the years, donor support has helped strengthen care across the region. Early philanthropic efforts helped establish a regional diabetes and endocrinology center, allowing patients to receive specialized treatment close to home. More recently, community giving made it possible to build the Center for Medical Education without using hospital operating dollars or incurring debt.
“We exist to help fill the gaps that insurance and reimbursement simply do not cover. When you give, you are standing with patients and families during the moments they need it most.” – Sabrina Brooks, Vice President Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation
“That kind of support allows the hospital to reinvest resources directly into patient care,” Brooks said.
Philanthropy has also played a lifesaving role in emergency cardiac care. Through donor support, every ambulance in the system is equipped with EKG transmission technology, allowing paramedics to send cardiac readings to the Heart Center while patients are still en route to the hospital. This early diagnosis enables care teams to prepare immediately, reducing treatment delays and improving outcomes.
“When time is critical, every minute matters,” Brooks said. “That technology allows care to begin before the patient ever reaches the hospital, and it saves lives.”
Beyond major initiatives, much of the Foundation’s work focuses on helping patients manage the everyday challenges that accompany illness. Cancer patients may receive assistance with rent or mortgage payments, gas cards to travel to treatment, meal vouchers or access to therapeutic programs that support emotional well-being.
“These are not things insurance typically covers,” Brooks said. “But they make treatment more successful because patients can keep coming back for care without worrying about basic needs.”
The same philosophy guides support for children and families. As a regional neonatal intensive care unit, Cape Fear Valley Health cares for premature infants from across southeastern North Carolina, many of whom remain hospitalized for weeks or months. When families lack the resources to stay close to their child, the Foundation can help with hotel accommodations, meals and transportation.
“No parent should have to choose between being with their baby and affording basic necessities,” Brooks said. “We want families to be present, close and fully focused on their child’s healing.”
Donor support also helps preserve a sense of comfort and normalcy for pediatric patients through items such as stuffed animals, blankets and activity kits that help children feel safe during frightening medical experiences.
“We want children to still feel like children, even when they are in the hospital,” Brooks said.
In some cases, philanthropy serves as a catalyst for innovation. When a state-of-the-art neonatal incubator fell outside the hospital’s capital budget, the Foundation funded the first unit so clinicians could see its impact firsthand. The improved outcomes later led to broader adoption.
“That initial donor support helped change how we care for our most vulnerable patients,” Brooks said.
One ongoing challenge, Brooks noted, is awareness. Many people do not realize how closely philanthropy is tied to patient care or how directly donor support affects outcomes.
“We exist to help fill the gaps that insurance and reimbursement simply do not cover,” she said.
Donors come from all walks of life, including employees, patients and families, community members, businesses and philanthropic partners. Every contribution, regardless of size, plays a role.
A donor can be anyone, regardless of financial background,” Brooks said. “Some people give financially, others give their time by volunteering with the foundation, but every form of generosity helps support patients and families.”
As Cape Fear Valley Health continues to grow as a regional health system, the Foundation’s role continues to expand through patient support, education, innovation and community engagement.
“When you give, you are standing with patients and families during the moments they need it most,” Brooks said. “We are grateful for every gift, and if someone wants to give but is not sure where to start, we are here to help them find the place where their generosity can make the greatest difference.”
