ANDREA AND ED NOONAN

What was your first experience with Doylestown Health? 

Andrea: We’ve lived in Bucks County for 35 years. Our grandson was born at Doylestown Hospital, and he and our daughter were treated beautifully. Doylestown Hospital is a lifeline in our community, especially in times like these.

Ed: Our friends have also shared their positive experiences with us. We truly value the ready access we have to high-quality healthcare locally; institutions like Doylestown Hospital are the bedrock of this community.

What inspired you to participate in the Messages of Hope virtual event?

Ed: It was important to us to share our appreciation and gratitude for the healthcare workers putting themselves on the line every day to help people in our community. They take great care of people, and the capable doctors and nurses are always there for us. We take it as a given that we can turn to them, and that’s one of the many reasons we want to support them.

Andrea: At the same time, we observed how Doylestown Health was leading the way with the hospital as the “glue” holding the community together. We were encouraged that the hospital was working across Bucks County to protect vulnerable people at the onset of the crisis, especially with senior homes and nursing care facilities.

How do you hope your gift to Doylestown Health makes an impact? 

Ed: Andrea and I watch the news regularly and as we were learning more about this pandemic, we saw reports of the demand for PPE [personal protective equipment] just skyrocketing. We talked a great deal about what we could do to help that would make an immediate difference. Like another local healthcare institution we support, Doylestown Hospital is a vital part of this community and self-funded. We recognized that in a time of crisis like this pandemic, Doylestown Health would need to marshal resources more quickly and in greater quantities than imagined or budgeted for. So, it was even more important to us that the hospital have immediate support to keep the patients and staff as safe as possible.

Andrea: Doylestown Hospital is also a Top 50 heart hospital. That’s a real feather in their cap. We know the doctors and nurses will provide the very best care for patients because it’s what they do every day. That trust is so comforting, because we know we can rely on them if any one of us needs care.

Do you believe that Doylestown Health’s position as an independent health system sets it apart?

Ed: We know of and admire the Village Improvement Association of Doylestown (VIA). They are actually quite extraordinary with the tradition they began! In an era of healthcare consolidation, having a community-funded hospital is important. Decisions can be made for the community, by the community.

In these uncertain times, what do you hope for the future of Doylestown Hospital?

Andrea: We are grateful that we can give back and we hope that it makes a difference for people in our community for a long time.

Ed: I think it’s extremely encouraging that Doylestown Health is independent. Just like any other business, the hospital needs to spend cash, and people depend on them for their livelihoods. The ongoing capital campaigns are important, certainly, as is the annual and unrestricted support for times like these. I hope that folks in our community will continue to do what they can to support the hospital so it remains a vital and essential part of our community.