BILL AND MARY LEE LIESER

Two donors posing together in a hospital corridor, one seated in a wheelchair

Paying it Forward

Driven by their gratitude for exceptional care, Bill and Mary Lee Lieser’s decision to include Doylestown Health in their estate plans will benefit patients well into the future. Like so many of our donors, their generosity is the cornerstone of our success.

A Heartfelt Gift to Future Patients

Growing up in a small town in California, Bill Lieser always understood how important a good hospital is to the community. In fact, his parents were very involved in the successful effort to establish a hospital in his home town in the early 1950s. As an adult, Bill experienced the truth of his parents’ lessons when, after a major heart attack and other health issues, his life was saved at Doylestown Hospital. Today, in a truly heartfelt gesture of gratitude — and in his parents’ spirit of service — Bill and his wife, Mary Lee, are paying it forward by making a planned giving bequest that will benefit future patients.

A Spirit of Caring

“My parents always emphasized that to have a nice community, the residents had to work hard at making it happen,” says Bill. “Their effort in getting the hospital going in my town has never left my memory.”

When Bill and Mary Lee moved to Doylestown and learned about the hospital’s founding by the women of the Village Improvement Association of Doylestown, they felt an immediate connection. That connection grew stronger through the years as the couple benefited from the hospital’s exceptional care during times of health crises, and became more involved in service to the hospital as each health issue was resolved. Both are regular donors to Doylestown Health programs and Bill currently serves as a community member of the Doylestown Health Foundation Board of Directors as well as on the Foundation’s Development Committee.

Bill has a special appreciation for Doylestown Health’s Woodall Center for Heart and Vascular Care, currently serving as a member of Friends of the Heart Institute’s Steering Committee, and as co-chair of the Membership Committee. “The Heart Institute has a truly unique team of cardiac specialists, surgeons, nurses and clinical professionals,” says Bill. “They do a great job of helping people stay healthy, and of course, saving lives. It’s wonderful to be able to support them as a member of this fundraising committee.” This year, Friends of the Heart Institute raised $183,000 designated to support cardiac equipment and services.

Looking Ahead. Giving Back.

As Bill and Mary Lee move along in what they laughingly refer to as their “advancing youth,” they’ve reflected on their experiences at Doylestown Health. “The positive results we both gained enabled us to continue our active lives with minimal interruption and left us with feelings of deep gratitude,” notes Bill.

That gratitude will now touch the lives of patients for years to come. As part of their estate planning, Bill and Mary Lee have included a bequest to Doylestown Health. “It’s a good feeling to know that we can provide support even after we’re gone,” says Bill. “We hope that our bequest, along with our other current financial support, will help the hospital to continue providing high-quality healthcare to others in the community well into the future.”

Article featured in the Spring/Summer 2016 issue of the Doylestown Health Dialogue magazine

About Planned Giving

Doylestown Health Foundation provides a number of gift planning opportunities to help you achieve your financial, charitable and estate planning goals. Legacy gifts can be designated for a specific entity, service line, or program at Doylestown Health that is important to you. To share your intentions and to learn more about the additional benefits of planned giving, such as recognition opportunities to honor your future investment, please contact the Doylestown Health Foundation at gifts@dh.org or 215.345.2009.

Join us and make a gift today. For more information about Doylestown Health Foundation and giving opportunities at Doylestown Health, please call 215.345.2009 or email gifts@dh.org. Thank you.

About Doylestown Health Foundation

As the philanthropic arm of Penn Medicine Doylestown Health, the Doylestown Health Foundation raises funds to safeguard the future of excellence in patient care and to improve the quality of life for all members of our Central Bucks County community and beyond.