MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center Foundation

Mission Statement for MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center:
To improve the health and well-being of individuals, families and our communities.

Mission Statement for MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center Foundation:
To develop philanthropic resources to strengthen Saddleback Medical Center's ability to improve the health and well-being of individuals, families and our communities.

Saddleback Medical Center’s legacy of compassionate care is built on the generosity of our community. In 1969, a newly formed, active retirement community (known today as Laguna Woods) realized it needed a hospital to serve its booming population. The people responded. Land was donated, residents went door-to-door collecting money, and local physicians contributed equipment and time. Through this community partnership, Saddleback Community Hospital opened and admitted its first patient in 1974.

More than 50 years later, Saddleback Medical Center—as it’s now called—is a 248-bed hospital that is a member of MemorialCare, a nonprofit, integrated health care delivery system. Saddleback proudly serves patients of all ages across South Orange County and is widely recognized for combining clinical excellence with an unwavering commitment to the human side of care, treating every patient with dignity and compassion as we aim to improve the health and well-being of individuals, families and our communities.

Saddleback Medical Center Foundation, a separate 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1971, continues to partner with generous individual donors, corporations, and foundations from throughout the community to raise support for Saddleback Medical Center.

Philanthropy has a direct connection to the excellent care we are able to provide at Saddleback Medical Center. In the past five years, generous donors have strategically partnered with us to:

• Deliver exceptional care to an average of nearly 300,000 patients annually, including 20,000+ senior patients with age-friendly care each year in the Myrtle Dermody Emergency Care Center, an accredited Geriatric Emergency Department.

• Open the Women’s Health Pavilion, a three-story, state-of-the-art facility designed as a one-stop destination for comprehensive care at every stage of a woman’s life, bringing together obstetrics and gynecology, breast care, oncology, and wellness services under one roof in a welcoming, spa-like environment. The pavilion features the Sarah and Taylor Nederlander Breast Center, one of the largest and most advanced in Southern California, offering 3D mammography, ultrasound, MRI, and dedicated breast radiologists onsite for faster, coordinated, and personalized care in one convenient location.

• Expand access to 70% more patients to receive robotic surgery through the acquisition of a new Intuitive Surgical da Vinci 5 Robotic Surgical System, the most advanced technology available. The da Vinci 5 is also helping expand our robotic cardiac surgery program to meet the minimally invasive surgical needs of our cardiac patients.

• Provide thousands of cancer, cardiac, neurological, and orthopedic patients with personalized guidance from nurse navigators, ensuring they are never alone. These highly trained nurses coordinate care from diagnosis through recovery, providing compassionate, seamless support that improves outcomes and the overall patient experience.

Philanthropic support is essential to advancing health and well-being across South Orange County. Because Medicare and private insurance reimburse only a portion of the true cost of care, gifts to Saddleback Medical Center Foundation help bridge the gap for our hospital, enabling investment in life-saving technology, expanded access to care, and vital programs. As the population ages, with nearly 20% expected to be 65 or older in the coming years, demand for specialized, coordinated care is rising, making philanthropic partnership critical to sustaining high-quality, accessible care for our Orange County community.

Funding priorities include:

• Cardiac Care – philanthropy allows us to offer personalized support and state-of-the-art technology for minimally invasive cardiac procedures—including robotic surgery—at our MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute. Specific funding needs include cardiac nurse navigation and technology for robotic cardiac surgery.

• Women’s Health – philanthropy provides free services in our Women’s Hospital and Women’s Health Pavilion (including the Sarah & Taylor Nederlander Breast Center and our Community Education Center) that ensure smoother healthcare journeys and improve women’s overall health and well-being at all stages of life. Specific funding needs include breast center nurse and patient navigation, certified nurse midwifery, our Maternal-Child Health Resources Program (which includes maternity social work and our postpartum support group), our maternity concierge, and our Mommy & Me Postpartum Classes.

• Cancer Support Services – philanthropy funds essential patient support services from diagnosis through survivorship, complementing the high-quality clinical care we provide. Specific funding needs include our Angels Navigator Volunteer Program, our Integrative Oncology Program, cancer nurse navigation, and oncology social work.

• Age-Friendly Senior Care – philanthropy supports vital programs that improve the health and well-being of our senior patients in both hospital and community settings. Specific funding needs include our After Hospital Evaluation and Discharge Program (AHEAD), Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP), and Senior Communities Program (which offers educational outreach, connection to resources, and senior connection events).

• Nurse Navigation – philanthropy funds our patient advocates who help individuals and families understand diagnoses and coordinate care, providing personalized support to streamline the healthcare journey. Specific funding needs include nurse navigators in the following areas of care: cancer, cardiac, neuroscience, orthopedic, and interventional radiology.

• Nursing Education – philanthropy helps our Magnet-designated hospital prioritize continuing education for our nursing staff, which expands their expertise and enables them to serve our patients with better care. Specific funding needs include nursing certifications and scholarships (including endowments) for higher education, including advanced nursing degrees.

More than 50 years ago, residents of the retirement community known then as Leisure World (now known as Laguna Woods) raised funds to build this community hospital. Today MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center serves South Orange County, from Irvine to San Clemente, including the following cities and communities: Aliso Viejo, Capistrano Beach, Dana Point, Foothill Ranch, Irvine, Ladera Ranch, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest, Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Trabuco Canyon, and Tustin.