Giving is at the Heart of Quality Cardiovascular Care
James Flagg made a planned gift through a Charitable Remainder Unitrust (CRUT), which matured to $250,000 and fully funded the purchase of a new transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) machine.
James gave his gift in gratitude for the care he had received and to help others. In 1988, James was driving down the highway when he began to experience shortness of breath and chest pains. He pulled over, honking for help, but no one came. He really felt as though he would die. James had just purchased a car phone and found the strength to dial 911. He was rushed to Trinity Health Ann Arbor by ambulance.
James recalls one of the doctors telling him at the time that the type of heart attack he experienced was referred to as "the widow maker." James followed the advice of the doctor to undergo treatment including a cardiac catheterization and a five-day hospital stay.
Trinity Health Ann Arbor came to mind first when years later James sold his business and set up a CRUT to provide income to himself for many years and ultimately to benefit Trinity Health Ann Arbor's Cardiology with the purchase of a TEE machine. He shared that he visited Trinity Health Ann Arbor in 2008 and was able to see the advancements in cardiology care that were already in place, seeing at that time he had chosen a great place for his gift to go to good use. Today, James feels good that his gift is already making a difference.
"I really wanted to help other patients have the best cardiac care," James explained. "The Charitable Remainder Unitrust maximized support for Trinity Health Ann Arbor to improve care. It is fulfilling to see the CRUT in action today, being used to purchase technology that can help save lives."
"Our physicians, care teams and leaders are thankful for this gift and feel fortunate to have partners in the sacred work of caring for patients and families in our community," shared Alonzo Lewis, president, Trinity Health Ann Arbor and Livingston.
Trinity Health Ann Arbor provides the community with 1,600 TEE procedures each year. This new, latest model, allows us to meet increasing demands, reduce wait times, and ensure a remarkable patient experience. The new TEE unit will benefit patients by:
- Improving quality and clarity of images of the patient's heart muscle, chambers, valves and blood vessels needed to assess the heart structure and function
- Evaluating signs and symptoms of conditions including heart disease, heart failure, heart valve disease, blood clots, and stroke
- Serving patients who rely on our comprehensive approach to cardiovascular care
"Support like this from Mr. Flagg allows us to move forward more rapidly and efficiently with improvements and to continually strengthen our leading cardiovascular program. Trinity Health Ann Arbor was named among the Top 50 Cardiovascular Hospitals in the nation in the annual study by Fortune and IBM® Watson Health®," stated Kevin Moore, Director of Trinity Health Ann Arbor's Michigan Heart and Vascular Institute. "We are so grateful for this generous support and were honored to install a named giving plaque to recognize and inspire giving that is critical to serving our patients with world-class care."
