Major donation boosts Norwalk Hospital plans
NORWALK — Carol Bauer described Norwalk Hospital as “the health care monument on the hill,” and with a $20 million donation from her and her husband George, the facility is about to see a monumental expansion.
The New Canaan couple's contribution will help Norwalk Hospital construct and renovate the new 188,000square-foot Patient Pavilion, the largest expansion project in the hospital's history. The project is the centerpiece of “Building Our Future. Together. The Campaign for Norwalk Hospital,” a $250 million investment over the next five years by Nuvance Health for the Norwalk Hospital community.
“It positions us well for the future. It's such a great reflection of the Bauers' longstanding commitment to the community,” Dr. John Murphy, president and CEO of Nuvance Health, said Wednesday at an event to announce the donation. “I also think it will serve as a catalyst to a lot of other donors in the community to come forward and commit to the hospital's bright future.”
Carol Bauer echoed his sentiments, also seeing Wednesday's announcement as a kick-off for the community to take part in the campaign.
The new patient pavilion will feature 60 single-bed private rooms, a new labor and delivery unit, a 17-bed postpartum unit and a new newborn intensive care unit (NICU), a state-of-the-art intensive care unit (ICU) and step-down unit, and the latest medical equipment and technology, according to Nuvance Health.
The campaign will also support renovations through the hospital and its outpatient facilities, and a deeper investment in staffing and community-based health care programs, according to Nuvance Health.
George Bauer noted that some of the buildings date back to the 1920s and “really are in bad need of repair.”
“It's oftentimes better to replace than repair and that's what we're doing,” Bauer said of the hospital's initiative to re-balance its inpatient and outpatient services across the facility.
In past years, the Bauers helped to establish the Jeffrey Peter Bauer Newborn Intensive Care Unit in memory of their infant son, the Bauer Emergency Care Center, and the Carol Bauer Nursing Scholarship.
Carol Bauer also served on the hospital's Board of Trustees for 19 years and was the first woman elected as board chair. She has volunteered at the hospital for over 40 years and is a certified chaplain. George Bauer serves on the Board of Directors for the hospital and both have served on the Norwalk Hospital Foundation Board of Directors.
“We are forever grateful to Carol and George Bauer, who have dedicated their lives to serving others. They continuously take action to ensure their neighbors have access to the best possible health and wellness services,” Peter R. Cordeau, president of Norwalk Hospital, said in a statement.
The Bauers' gift will directly benefit the hospital departments of cardiovascular, cancer, emergency medicine, surgery and women's health services, according to Cordeau.
“We are incredibly honored by the Bauers' incredible investment in health care for this community. We're only able to make this expansion a reality through the generosity of our community, and their leadership gift will set the stage for others to follow. They're not only incredibly generous philanthropists, they truly believe in this community,” said Grace Linhard, chief development officer of Nuvance Health.
Other community members committed to supporting the Bauer Family Patient Pavilion project through philanthropy and leadership include Nancy and Eugene Beard, Len DiNardo and family, Christian J. and Eva Trefz, and Gregory D. Smith, who is the campaign co-chair with George Bauer.