How the Power of Giving Shapes Your Health Care
Vail Health’s presence is felt in moments both urgent and deeply personal: a traumatic injury treated close to home, a cancer diagnosis met with expert care, a family finding behavioral health support when it is needed most. Over time, Vail Health has grown into an advanced health system serving communities across Eagle and Summit counties and beyond, reflecting the needs and aspirations of individuals and families in this mountain region. That growth did not happen through traditional healthcare funding alone. It happened because people believed in our community and chose to invest in the health and well-being of their neighbors.
Vail Health Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Vail Health. The Foundation elevates health across the mountain communities by raising money to fund Vail Health programs, facilities, and services, and to support local nonprofit partners.
“Philanthropy has shaped nearly every advancement in health care available in the Vail Valley,” explains Dan Pennington, Vail Health Foundation President and Chief Philanthropy Officer.
Behind many of Vail Health’s most important programs, services, and facilities are benefactors who believe this community should not have to settle for ordinary care simply because it is not a large metropolitan area.
Built by Generosity
People often assume hospitals run entirely on patient payments, insurance, and government funding, but that money covers the daily work of delivering care. What it rarely covers is the margin an independent, nonprofit health system like Vail Health needs to start new programs, expand services, and respond to what comes next. Philanthropy does more than fill that space. It supports patient care, state-of-the-art technology, and a stronger health system than insurance and government funding alone could build.
Throughout the years, philanthropy has made it possible for patients to receive services and treatments close to home and their support systems, with a care team that’s part of this community. Benefactors have funded some of the region’s most important healthcare resources, including:
- Precourt Healing Center and Wiegers Clinic for inpatient and outpatient behavioral health care
In FY2025, philanthropy funded $151,811 in financial assistance for patients, helping to cover non-medical costs such as rent, mortgage payments, and groceries.
“Without the generous support of our benefactors, we simply couldn’t operate at the level of excellence our community members and visitors expect and deserve,” Pennington says.
What Vail Health’s Structure Makes Possible
Health care in the mountains faces pressures different from those in large urban systems. It’s often more challenging and expensive to recruit and retain clinicians, given this area’s high cost of living. It’s also more difficult to invest in technology, expand specialized services, and sustain access across a geographically dispersed region. Philanthropy enables Vail Health to respond to emerging needs and pursue opportunities that might otherwise be difficult to achieve here.
Because Vail Health is independent, decisions get made here and acted on quickly.
“Independence enables Vail Health to be a community citizen. We care for anyone who walks in our door,” explains Mike Brown, Vail Health Chief Financial Officer. “With philanthropy, we can offer services and treatments people here depend on, and innovate as needs change, in ways that wouldn’t otherwise be possible.”
As a nonprofit, Vail Health reinvests revenue in the community to support its mission and services, keeping dollars local. For-profit health systems, on the other hand, direct a portion of earnings to their shareholders.
Care Beyond Hospital Walls
Before Shaw Cancer Center opened 25 years ago, many residents had to travel to Denver for cancer treatment. The burden of the disease was compounded by distance: long drives, missed work, time away from family, and the emotional weight of seeking care far from home.
Shaw Cancer Center has changed that experience by bringing high-quality oncology care and supportive services closer to home, with a personalized approach to care and treatment.
Philanthropy has also helped Shaw expand cancer care beyond traditional treatments. The Spirit of Survival program addresses the physical and emotional effects of cancer, long-term health goals, and the impact of cancer on day-to-day life through fitness, nutrition, physical therapy, education, and support services. It recognizes that cancer affects more than the body and supports survivors throughout their cancer journey.
Shaw at Home, the newest philanthropy-funded cancer initiative, extends that same philosophy directly into patients’ homes. Launched in June 2023, the palliative care program provides wraparound support through an in-home team that may include nurses, nurse practitioners, social workers, and chaplains. Patients can receive support from diagnosis through treatment and, when needed, end-of-life care, all within the familiarity of their homes and communities.
“It’s remarkable to receive feedback from patients who express the difference that this program is making in their lives,” says Erin Perejda, Clinical Social Worker and Supportive Care Services Manager at Shaw Cancer Center. “We often hear patients and their loved ones reference feeling special, cared-for, and less alone as a result of this program.”
Before the program existed, Perejda recognized an unmet need in patient care and envisioned a more personal and responsive way to support patients. Benefactors Tina and David Wilson helped turn that vision into reality.
“I remember telling Tina Wilson about our vision for this program and, without hesitation, she and her husband, David, offered their generous support to help us make it possible,” says Perejda. “They believed in our mission and us as a team. It was and is an honor to be entrusted to do this work, and what a gift this community has received as a result.”
Since its launch, Shaw at Home has served nearly 200 patients through 2,500 visits. Perejda recalls a woman diagnosed with an aggressive breast cancer in her 40s.
“Over the course of two years, our Shaw at Home team was able to meet with her regularly to discuss her hopes, fears, and wishes. Knowing her for as long as we did, and having the time for these meaningful conversations, was ultimately a gift to the patient, but also to our team.”
Giving with Purpose
Behind every philanthropic gift is a motivation to give. Some benefactors give in gratitude for the exceptional care they or a loved one received. Others give because of loss, loyalty, or a belief that future generations deserve a healthier community. Philanthropy is a meaningful way for individuals, families, corporations, and organizations to give back to the community.
“When people give, it’s so much more than a dollar. It touches and changes people’s lives,” Perejda explains.
Human connection and a sense of purpose continue to shape both generosity and the level of care in the region. For clinicians, philanthropy can enable them to provide a level of attention and support that standard funding models do not always sustain. For patients, it can soften difficult moments and make care feel more personal, less isolating, and more complete. For the broader community, it affirms that health is not only an institutional responsibility but also a shared commitment.
“This community has given us so much over the years,” says Buck Elliott. “Supporting Vail Health Foundation is our way of giving back and making sure exceptional care here is available for everyone—whether you live here or are visiting the valley.” Buck and his wife, Holly, have supported several areas at Vail Health, including cancer, behavioral health, and nursing education.
“Regardless of the size of your gift, you can make a difference,” says Pennington. “It’s not about the dollar amount; it’s the meaning behind it that’s important.”
For those interested in giving, Vail Health Foundation works closely with benefactors to align their giving with the causes and areas of care that matter most to them. Whether you’d like to donate to a specific area, such as cancer care, behavioral health, or patient assistance, or support where the need is greatest, your gift can help ensure that exceptional care is here for your neighbors when they need it most.
To learn more, contact Vail Health Foundation at foundation@vailhealth.org or (970) 569-7766, or donate online now.
