The Hancock Health Foundation received a $1 million gift from longtime Greenfield resident Carole Bloodgood to help fund a permanent, on-site PET/CT scanner at Hancock Health. The investment will reduce patient wait times and improve early detection and treatment for patients across the region.
The gift is part of the foundation’s $3 million Future in Focus campaign to bring advanced imaging technology to Hancock Health. Currently, patients rely on a mobile PET/CT scanner available only once per week, which can delay appointments and care.
Bloodgood’s decision to give was deeply personal. After living in Greenfield for 60 years, she and her husband, Tom, relocated to Columbus, Ind., in early 2023 to be near family and so he could receive full-time care. He passed away just six weeks later. As part of his care plan, Tom used the mobile PET/CT scanner at Hancock Health multiple times, often facing scheduling challenges and weather-related complications.
In honoring his memory, Bloodgood chose to support a solution that would make care more accessible for others in the community they loved.
“Tom believed strongly in giving back, and we were always grateful to have quality health care close to home,” Bloodgood said. “I’m pleased to support something that will help so many patients and families. I know that would make him smile.”
PET/CT scans help doctors detect cancer, heart disease and neurological conditions earlier by showing how organs and tissues are functioning. Demand for these scans at Hancock Health has increased by 60 percent over the past three years.
“We now treat a wide range of complex conditions, and having an on-site PET/CT scanner will help our physicians diagnose and treat patients more quickly and accurately,” said Dr. Julia Compton, vice president, Oncology Service Line, Hancock Health.
Foundation leaders say the donation significantly accelerates progress toward the campaign goal and brings the hospital closer to installing the new equipment.
“We’re honored by this incredibly generous gift and what it will mean for our patients and our community,” said Nancy Davis, executive director of the Hancock Health Foundation. “This investment will have a lasting impact for years to come.”
With strong community support, the foundation is moving forward with plans to purchase the scanner and prepare a dedicated space for the new technology, expanding access to advanced diagnostic care for patients throughout the region.
To learn more about the Hancock Health Foundation’s initiatives visit: https://www.hancockhealth.org/about/foundation/.