Valleywise Health Foundation Receives Major Grant for Naming of the New Arizona Burn Center at Valleywise Health
Historic milestone made possible by the Diane & Bruce Halle Foundation
Valleywise Health Foundation has received major grant funding from the Diane & Bruce Halle Foundation to support the naming of the Diane & Bruce Halle Arizona Burn Center, currently under construction as part of the new 10-story Valleywise Health Medical Center, scheduled to open in late 2023.
“A new burn center has been a long time coming,” said Dr. Kevin Foster, director of the Arizona Burn Center at Valleywise Health. “With the support of the Halle Foundation, this will not just be a new facility, but a new way of caring for patients. This will be the premier burn center in the country.”
Established in 1965 under the leadership of the late Dr. MacDonald Wood, the Arizona Burn Center was recognized in 2000 by the American Burn Association and the American College of Surgeons’ Committee on Trauma with its highest level of burn care recognition under the leadership of the late Dr. Dan Caruso. Since that time, the Arizona Burn Center has been nationally verified six times and remains Arizona’s only nationally verified adult and pediatric burn center.
Treating some of the most complex and traumatic burn and wound cases, the Arizona Burn Center at Valleywise Health is one of the nation’s largest and busiest academic burn centers, with 5,000 outpatient visits and more than 1,000 inpatient admissions each year. Serving the entire Southwest region, this renowned center for innovation, research and world-class clinical burn care has excelled in facilities built in 1971, not designed for the unique needs of burn and wound care patients.
“We look forward to putting this impactful gift from the Diane & Bruce Halle Foundation to work,” said Valleywise Health CEO Steve Purves. “Our world-class team will now have the modern, progressive facilities to match their level of care, and the ability to maximize both the acute and long-term physical and psychosocial needs of burn survivors continuing their recovery.”
The new 75,000 square-foot Diane & Bruce Halle Arizona Burn Center was designed from both the patient’s and clinician’s perspective, bringing the functions and features of burn care excellence into one location. The design philosophy and physical layout will foster a sense of safety, openness, collaboration and peer support in recovery and responsiveness — which are key in addressing the trauma associated with burns — as well as a patient’s long-term recovery. The single-floor evidence-based design will allow all members of the burn care team to interact easily. Other new features include a dedicated pediatric wing, family support rooms, space for research and teaching and more.
The Diane & Bruce Halle Foundation works with community organizations to strengthen the daily opportunities and lifelong outcomes for the people and communities in Arizona. The organization currently supports human services, health and medical, education, arts and culture and spirituality for underserved populations and communities through grantmaking.
“The Halle Family Foundation board members realize the devastation and pain related to burn patients and we are inspired to help,” said Diane Halle. “May this grant allow the Arizona Burn Center team to provide a safe and supportive healing environment for burn patients and their families. We are proud to support the next chapter of burn care excellence at Valleywise Health.”
“As a burn survivor and recipient of the expert care provided at the Arizona Burn Center, I have a very personal perspective of the importance of this generous gift from the Diane & Bruce Halle Foundation and the lives it will impact,” said Valleywise Health Foundation board chair John Hoopes. Many may not know the public health mission of Valleywise Health includes a center of excellence in burn care until they need it, like I did. This investment recognizes the importance of that mission and will provide our clinicians the facilities they need to lead nationally and internationally and give burn patients access to a range of world-class care as they recover and thrive.”
“What an honor it has been to work with the Diane & Bruce Halle Foundation,” said Valleywise Health Foundation’s vice president of development Kate Fassett. “We look forward to the months and years ahead as the Diane & Bruce Halle Arizona Burn Center leads in burn care, research and education, resulting in better care for burn survivors around the world.”
