Date: 06/23/2021

News Release

The Next Century of Care: Keeping Our Promise campaign kicks off to support Blue Hill’s new hospital

Blue Hill, Maine (June 22, 2021) - Northern Light Blue Hill Hospital announces The Next Century of Care: Keeping Our Promise, a capital campaign that will set the foundation for the next 100 years of healthcare on the Blue Hill Peninsula and beyond. The campaign will provide funding to replace the existing hospital building and upgrade the Sussman Health Center.

“We have a vision to preserve care close to home for our next century, and the Keeping Our Promise campaign is the key to making it a reality,” says John Ronan, FACHE, president, Blue Hill Hospital. “The campaign provides a once in a lifetime opportunity to design and build a new hospital to serve this community’s specific needs. It will be our healthcare home for generations to come.”

The patient and family-focused new hospital will be a comfortable environment for healing with lots of privacy for patients and views of the water from every inpatient room. The facility will include all private patient rooms with the latest in technology and patient comfort, a full-service emergency department, lab and imaging services, rehabilitation services, and more.

The $19 million project will be funded through the Keeping Our Promise campaign and support from Northern Light Health as well as historical donations made to the hospital over the years. The campaign will be led by a volunteer campaign committee comprised of local community leaders, businesses, donors, healthcare providers, and hospital staff.

Nancy Hatfield, a resident of East Blue Hill and the Capital Campaign Committee Chair, has deep connections to the hospital. Nancy was born on the front lawn of the hospital more than 80 years ago when her mother, who was out on the water with her family, couldn’t make it inside of the hospital in time to deliver. Nancy’s husband Charlie Hatfield was a well-known board member of the hospital for many years. “It’s difficult to imagine our community without Blue Hill Hospital. It has been such an important part of our lives for generations,” she says. “It’s a big reason why people choose to live here, spend summers here, and retire here. It’s the largest employer in the area. This is our hospital, and now is the time to come together as a community to ensure its future.”

Joining Hatfield on the campaign committee are Verena Stoll, Vicki Bartholow, and Edward Griffin.

Noting the community’s early enthusiasm for the project, the campaign committee and the Blue Hill Hospital Foundation are looking forward to quickly ramping up the fundraising effort to raise the money needed for the new hospital by the end of 2022. According to Ronan, the project would not be possible without the community’s support.

“At a time when rural hospitals are closing across the country, the Keeping Our Promise campaign will help Blue Hill Hospital chart a different course,” he says. “We are very appreciative of this community’s generosity over the years, and we hope that our friends continue to be as passionate as we are about protecting this special resource. Together, we will make this new hospital a reality—that’s our promise to every person who walks through our doors.”

Naming opportunities are available to recognize the support of individuals, families, and businesses and in honor or memory of loved ones. Every gift stays local to support the project. To contribute, please click here or call Ruth Calas, Director of Philanthropy at 207.374.3411.