GBMC is Part of Bond-Burdette-Tompkins Family and Keeps Theirs Together
Serious illness and healthcare decision-making are often a family affair. And for the Bond-Burdette-Tompkins family, giving is done together. So, it makes sense that the family's giving to healthcare would follow suit.
Wendy Bond has always instilled in her children - Tim and his sister, Shari Tompkins - the importance of giving back. When the discussion arose to participate in GBMC's Promise Projectcampaign, everyone was involved from the beginning.
The family's pledge and Wendy's bequest to The Promise Project will ensure all families have the space to be with their loved ones when they need it most.
"When someone gets sick, the hospital is focused on the care, and the family is focused on their loved one," Tim Burdette said. "Everybody in the family is affected when someone has a serious health problem, so you want your family member to be accessible, to be able to cheer them up and visit."
Lloyd Burdette, Tim's wife, was a volunteer leader for the campaign, working with her sister, Dr. Sarah Whiteford, to engage grateful patients in the project. With her involvement, "I was able to help my family understand the project better, as they were thinking about whether and what to give."
It wasn't until Tim, Lloyd, Wendy, and Shari started reminiscing about their lives together that they realized how much GBMC has been a part of their story.
"Think about how different our lives would have been if it wasn't there," Wendy said.
"Yeah, it would be a lot different. All the times we've used it," Tim added. "It's hard to imagine not having GBMC."
Tim was born at GBMC in 1969, and to Wendy's recollection, the single rooms were a huge selling point to the community. The Burdette and Tompkins families had children born here, and Gilchrist cared for their grandmother. In addition, family members and acquaintances are employed at GBMC, and generations have used the Emergency Department countless times.
"I used to go to that ER all the time as a teenager. They got to know me," Tim recalled.
"Remember the trampoline incident?" Wendy said. "And when your thumb got stuck in the sprocket?"
"Yeah, those were only a few weeks apart," Tim said among collective laughter.
What it came down to for the Bond-Burdette-Tompkins family was a strong desire to remain connected and close, even in times of health challenge and stress.
"I like the family-friendly rooms," Tim said about the patient rooms in the Louis and Phyllis Friedman building. "Visitors get their own space, a space to sleep. It's just a lot more comfortable to spend extended time in the hospital."
Lloyd described the impact of GBMC's verdant campus. "Beautiful, peaceful, outdoor places that you can go when you don't want to be sitting inside a hospital which isn't always the most comforting environment when a loved one is there or being treated."
"And the collaborative technology for the physicians was important," Tim said.
"And don't underestimate the value of ease of parking and the distance from your car to your appointment," Wendy said.
"I think I would be remiss in not mentioning the award for innovation GBMC received. That was such a huge deal," Lloyd said. "The Malcolm Baldrige award really struck me as being an important reason to encourage the family to support GBMC. GBMC is leading the way in terms of innovation for community hospitals across the country and that's pretty awesome. It says so much about GBMC and makes me so happy to have that kind of care here."
All the important pieces that make up GBMC's promise to the community were evident in the family's reasons for giving back.
"It's an investment in the healthcare future of our family and where we're going to be when we need care and when our parents need care and when our kids need care," Lloyd said.
Tim added, "A lot of times when you give a gift, you're giving just to help improve the institution. But when you give to GBMC, you have a chance to improve your community and your family. It's not just making the hospital better; you're improving your community."
GBMC was proud to welcome Wendy Bond into the Elizabeth Duncan Yaggy Society, after she documented her bequest intention to the institution.
The Elizabeth Duncan Yaggy Society honors loyal benefactors who have provided for GBMC in their estate plans or with a gift to GBMC that pays them a lifetime of income. Please contact us to learn more.
