Southeast Georgia Health System announced they will soon embark on a new
construction project, thanks to a generous donation received in late December.
Although the donor wishes to remain anonymous, the purpose of the gift
is very specific. The Health System is required to use the funds to build
a new lodging facility, similar to the Ronald McDonald House concept,
which will serve as short-term residential quarters for the visiting family
members of cancer and critical care patients, CyberKnife patients from
outside the primary service area, and medical students rotating with the
Health System’s medical staff. “We are very thankful for this
gift and the opportunity to improve our patients and their family members’
experience,” says Gary R. Colberg, FACHE, president & CEO. “We
often have family members who travel from out of town to be near their
loved one when they’re hospitalized, and patients who travel significant
distances to receive cancer treatments. Soon, we’ll be able to offer
them a comfortable home-like environment which, we hope, will help to
alleviate some of their stress and anxieties.” The facility will
be located adjacent to the Brunswick Campus on Kemble Avenue, between
Starling Street and Oriole Street. Plans include a one-story residential
building with three neighborhoods. The cancer patient residential neighborhood
will include 16 one-bedroom units, the critical care patient residential
neighborhood will consist of 12 two-bedroom units, and the student/on-call
residential neighborhood will have 16 one-bedroom and 2 two-bedroom units,
all of which include compact refrigerators, microwaves, and handicap-accessible
restrooms with showers. Similar to a vacation time-share, each unit will
be fully furnished and equipped with dinnerware and other essential items.
A comfortable, welcoming common area will serve as the central entry point
joining the three neighborhoods, and community laundry facilities will
be available. The grounds will feature a courtyard with two existing oak
trees and parking areas. “To my knowledge, this is the single largest
gift the Health System has ever received,” Colberg says. “This
lodging facility will help us to achieve our vision of being the region’s
health care provider of choice.” “I commend all my fellow
team members for their professionalism and dedication to delivering excellence,
which is what ultimately led to the donor’s interest in our Health
System,” he added. “This gift was given because of the confidence
our donor has in each of them and Southeast Georgia Health System.”