Philanthropic Leadership Awards Dinner

Philanthropic investments in Baylor Scott & White Health help propel programs that give more patients access to promising treatments, bring comfort where needed, and save lives in our community. It’s why BSW Dallas Foundation celebrates the transformational gifts of charitable donors and the professional advisors who help make their extraordinary giving possible.

At the fifth  Philanthropic Leadership Awards Dinner held in February at the office of Perkins + Will,  the generosity of donors Jeff and Carmen York, and their  financial, tax, and legal advisors, Brian Cloud and Joe Nolan (RGT Advisors), Kelly Gillette (Armanino, LLP) and Val Cronin (Underwood Perkins), were honored.

Diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in 2015, Jeff was given less than two years to live. He was determined to beat the odds. After researching his options, Jeff came to BSWH for his care, where he was successfully treated.

During this process, Jeff recognized that not everyone had the means or lived close enough to life-saving cancer treatments. Grateful for his care, he began looking for a way to give back and learned about plans to build a Hope Lodge in Dallas. Located on the Baylor University Medical Center campus, Hope Lodge Dallas will offer free accommodations for cancer patients treated at Baylor or other hospitals in Dallas who live more than 40 miles away.

“When cancer hits, you go from bullet-proof to completely out of control in a heartbeat. That’s why I’m supporting the work of Sammons Cancer Center through Hope Lodge.

During the dinner, Jeff told the audience how Kelly introduced him to her colleague, Cynthia Krause, attorney and Vice President at the Foundation, and how his advisor team collaborated seamlessly in structuring and helping the Yorks complete a complex gift of $4.7 million for Hope Lodge.

“Baylor saved my life, and they save the lives of so many people,” Jeff said. “That’s why I chose to give back, and my advisors had the collective expertise and desire to help us make it happen.”

“We worked pretty seamlessly,” said Kelly. “We each knew our part, worked together and shared information, making it easy for Jeff while being sure we were on top of his needs.”

“Jeff was clear from the beginning that what had been done for him at Baylor had changed his life,” Brian said. “It was then that I could really zero in on what his passion was from a charitable perspective.”

“Everyone played a part,” said Joe. “That’s the greatest thing about this gift. I’d tell anyone that without the cooperation among Val, Kelly, Cynthia, Brian and me, it doesn’t come together like this.”

“At the end of the day, it’s what’s best for the client, not the advisor,” added Val.

“The best part of what I do as a financial advisor is to be a steward to people like Jeff—to take his combination of good fortune in life, hard work, and adversity, and help him think through how he takes care of his family and the causes that are important to him,” Brian added. “Jeff York is the shining example of what it is we want to accomplish.” 

For more information about how we collaborate with advisors, Hope Lodge or gift planning, contact Cynthia Krause at 214.820.7928 or Cynthia.Krause@BSWHealth.org.