Wednesday, August 9, 2023
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Hank and Laurel Greer expand their generosity with a significant contribution to Roper St. Francis Healthcare
A recent gift from Hank and Laurel Greer will expand the Roper St. Francis Greer Transitions Clinic program into Berkeley County, bringing a new array of services, including advanced cancer screenings, to residents.
A significant contribution from philanthropists Hank and Laurel Greer, naming donors of the Greer Transitions Clinic at Roper St. Francis Healthcare in North Charleston, will expand services into Berkeley County. This latest gift continues and grows the Greers’ past philanthropic investments to Roper St. Francis Healthcare dedicated to providing life-changing and life-saving care.
“Hank and Laurel Greer are changing the lives of so many in our community and we are deeply grateful to them for helping to support programs such as the Greer Transitions Clinic that are at the heart of our mission,” said Dr. Jeff DiLisi, president and chief executive officer of Roper St. Francis Healthcare. “This transformational gift will help us continue to increase access to care in the Lowcountry. It is an honor to partner with the Greers on this exciting expansion of services.”
Hank and Laurel named the Greer Transitions Clinic in 2019, but prior to their involvement with the clinic, they have been steadfast supporters of cancer care and increasing access to cancer screenings through the Hank and Laurel Greer Colorectal Cancer Screening Program with Roper St. Francis Healthcare. They have also been an integral part of the preparation to launch Roper St. Francis Healthcare’s first mobile health unit, which will be on the roads this fall.
“While we both came from very humble beginnings, we are blessed to be in the position we are now to give back,” said Mr. Greer. “We have seen firsthand the incredible capabilities and accomplishments of the physicians, nurses and caregivers. It is a joy to be able to give back during our lifetime and to see the difference Roper St. Francis Healthcare is making in the lives of so many,” added Mrs. Greer.
The Greer Transitions Clinic improves care coordination as a one-stop-shop where unfunded and underfunded patients with no primary medical home can visit with board-certified physicians, receive preventative care, connect with social services, receive financial assistance, transportation subsidies, birthing classes, food, clothing and so much more. The clinic has been transformational to the residents of North Charleston, seeing nearly 2,000 patients a year and reducing emergency department visits for patients of the clinic.
Additionally, the Greers’ gift will establish a fund to provide screenings at the Greer Transitions Clinic. These screenings will result in early interventions for prostate, breast, colorectal, and other cancers and will greatly increase access to cancer screening for underserved patients in North Charleston and Berkeley County.
“Without insurance, a person would need $168,000 over their lifetime for their recommended annual screenings,” said Dr. Bob Oliverio, vice president and chief medical officer of ambulatory care and population health for Roper St. Francis Healthcare. “That number represents so much more than a cost – it is a huge barrier to living a cancer-free life for many in our community. Expanding services in Berkeley County through an existing clinic in Moncks Corner is truly going to save lives.”
“With a passion for increasing access to life-changing and often lifesaving care for all, the Greers have made a tremendous impact on care at Roper St. Francis Healthcare,” said Stacy Waters, president of the Roper St. Francis Foundation. “We are immensely grateful for their generosity and deep alignment with our mission of healing all people with compassion, faith and excellence.”