Expressing gratitude through gift planning

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Expressing gratitude through gift planning
Gay Johnson (left) and Governing Council member Pam Fantus at the groundbreaking for the hospital's modernization campaign in 2022

Gay Johnson credits the medical staff at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center with giving her husband, Daniel C. Johnson, an extra 10 years of life.

“Prior to 2011, Dan had had strokes and brain surgery and was being cared for at another hospital system,” explained Gay. “Then in 2011, I broke my leg. One afternoon, I was craving M&M candies, and I asked him to go to the store to get some. While he was out, he was mugged and severely injured.”

The person who found Dan called 911, and he was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic. He developed pneumonia and was intubated and unconscious for three weeks. He also had multiple blood transfusions.

“I was at the hospital every day, and I got to know the wonderful staff. My husband had some health challenges while he was there, but his care team was phenomenal. The teamwork was incredible, as was their communication with us.”

While Dan was in the hospital, Gay also volunteered with the Advocate Illinois Masonic Development Council. And when the Johnsons wanted to show their gratitude, they decided to make a gift in honor of some of their nurses.

“We felt it was a meaningful way for us to say thank you. The nurses loved it, and it made us feel great too,” shared Gay. “I was pleased that the nurses were recognized for their outstanding work in a public way.”

After Dan passed away in February 2021, Gay wanted to continue to support the hospital and honor her husband’s memory.

“Dan and I have been earners and savers from the day we were married. I met with Advocate’s gift planning team, which shared the advantages of an IRA charitable rollover,” she said. “By rolling over my IRA to a charity, I could support a cause that’s important to me instead of giving our money to the government in the form of taxes. I also realized how much more I could give by contributing via IRA distribution.”

In addition to being a tax-savvy way to make a gift, the amount taken from your IRA, in the form of a qualified charitable distribution or QCD, can count toward your annual required minimum distribution. Additionally, QCDs can be used to make pledge payments. One can also access a QCD to make a gift that can pay you income for life.

Gay has made two very generous gifts in this way: In 2021, she donated to the Advocate Illinois Masonic Presidents Fund, and in 2022, she gave to Phase II of the hospital’s Patient Pavilion and Modernization campaign.

"Donating to honor our care team was a good, special thing I was able to do.”

About gift planning

Advocate Illinois Masonic is now part of Advocate Health, a not-for-profit organization that relies on philanthropy to help fulfill our health care mission. Whether you want to make an impact today or support us in the long term, we can help you and your adviser create a gift plan that meets your charitable and financial goals.

Learn about gift planning or contact John Holmberg, VP of Gift Planning, for more information.