Donor Stories

Personal challenges, life-changing opportunities spark passion to change health care During her decade at Bridgeport Hospital, Gina Calder has met many patients, and heard stories both heartbreaking and inspiring. She remembers one young woman in particular: a patient at Bridgeport Hospital’s Primary Care Center who wanted to attend Yale University. “Academically, she could have done…

“What’s a nice retired guy like you doing in an Emergency Department like this?” is a conversation starter that Bob Kilton has probably heard more times than he would care to admit, but one of which he never grows weary. You know just by the way he smiles, a slight grin that sets of a…

The Boehringer Ingelheim Cares Foundation teams with the Norma Pfriem Breast Center to increase healthcare access. Access to care. This principle started the partnership between the Norma Pfriem Breast Center and theBoehringer Ingelheim Cares Foundation (BI Cares), nearly 10 years ago. BI Cares is the independent nonprofit arm of pharmaceutical leader Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., based in Ridgefield, CT.…

A cardiac patient and his family donate to the new Hybrid OR. Southport residents Bill and Donna Waltrip crisscrossed the country during his years as an executive in the airline industry, living in Denver; Washington, DC; Miami; and New York City. Originally from Tulsa, OK, the couple were childhood playmates. They met in a treehouse. “Bill belonged to the…

The Bridgeport Hospital Auxiliary supports the hospital,one project at a time. The all-volunteer Bridgeport Hospital Auxiliary partners with Bridgeport Hospital and its Foundation to raise funds for specific projects. Since its inception almost 60 years ago, the Auxiliary has contributed over $4.5 million to Bridgeport Hospital. “We have a chance to look at what is needed both inside and…

A Westport family was inspired to give back and help others. Being socially conscious was a lesson that Simin and her late husband, Herbert Allison Jr., instilled in their sons, John and Andrew, since they were young. “Our mother was always volunteering when we were growing up, supporting different causes and helping people,” said her…

The Klein Family Foundation supports educational and patient care programs at Bridgeport Hospital. 2004 was set to be a great year for John and Carla Klein.  Both of their children, Kristen and Eric, were about to get married. But that June, they were stunned when the fun, loving and courteous patriarch, John, received a diagnosis of stage 2…

Much of Dorothy Edgerton’s life has been associated with Bridgeport Hospital. As Bridgeport Hospital changed over the years, Dorothy Edgerton was there to see it. “I was born there in 1927, went to nursing school there, worked there, had numerous surgeries there and delivered my two children there,” said Edgerton. “I have a lot of connections to Bridgeport Hospital.”…

Weston’s Douglas Aaron gives back to Bridgeport Hospital through his nonprofit organization. Douglas Aaron always knew he wanted to serve others.  Raised in Weston, CT, his parents instilled this appreciation of service in him and his four siblings. After earning his Bachelor of Arts degree from Bowdoin College, he worked at a firm that invested…