Why I gave

Notably Quotable - featuring Karen Swanson-Woolf, VP of the Foundation's Board of Director

"Being on the board and raising funds for the Linear Accelerator has filled my heart in a way I haven't experienced since I left nursing.

We sat down recently with Karen and asked her a few questions about her motivation for her recent donation, working with the Foundation, and her ongoing support.

JHF: Karen, what prompted you to donate to the Jefferson Healthcare Foundation?

KSW: The trigger was the pandemic and the stress it was causing the healthcare community, especially the nursing staff. My husband Bill Woolf and I knew we wanted to help somehow. Hospitals nationwide faced numerous difficulties, including long hours, childcare problems, isolation, and financial burdens. The same things were happening here, and the Foundation was a way we could do something for our community’s nurses and doctors, who were stretched to the limit by the medical crisis. 

JHF: Have you worked in the medical profession?

KSW: Yes, I worked as a nurse in Saigon, Vietnam, during the war, and also at Bartlett Memorial Hospital in Juneau, AK. Both were eye-opening experiences, and I saw first-hand how committed healthcare professionals are, even under challenging circumstances, and how important it is to have community support. And my father, Carl Swanson, was also a good example. He served on the hospital board of commissioners in Jefferson County for twenty-two years (1979-2001). That took real commitment!

JHF: What would you like to share with your community about Jefferson Healthcare and how they can help support the Foundation?

KSW: A lot of people don’t know, but our hospital is pretty unique in serving what’s considered a rural area but being able to provide us with really advanced care. That means patients and families don’t always have to travel back and forth to hospitals in the city. Often, when we have procedures done, we take the facility and machines for granted. Only sometimes are we able to be part of bringing in new equipment that will have such a lasting impact. 

I want to encourage, even challenge, people to join us in donating to the LINAC campaign.

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