Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center Foundation

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Remember Your Roots

The first hospital in St. Lawrence County, Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center opened in 1885 as the Ogdensburg City Hospital and Orphan Asylum. Although always a community-owned organization, it was managed by the Grey Nuns, Sisters of Charity, until 1976. The hospital's name changed twice: first in 1918 to A. Barton Hepburn Hospital to honor the local banker and donor, and again in 2000 to Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center in recognition of an exceptional gift from its own Dr. E. Garfield Claxton.

The hospital was the home of a nursing school, with its first graduating class in 1905 and the last in 1968. With an innovative group of caregivers and community members, Claxton-Hepburn was the first to bring many new services to the region, including an artificial kidney machine in the late 1960s, long before many urban hospitals had one. In the 1990s and 2000s, the county's first dialysis center and comprehensive cancer center were constructed. Today, Claxton-Hepburn serves as a regional referral center for dialysis, radiation and medical oncology, psychiatry, and wound healing.

Build a Better Tomorrow

In order to provide meaningful support to the Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center, the Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center Foundation was formed in 1984. Our goal is to faithfully serve our community by listening to and advocating for their healthcare needs and concerns. We engage the community to make these needs a reality. Over the years, the foundation has invested over $46 million in new or renovated healthcare facilities and services for the people of the North Country. Over $21 million of that investment has come through the contributions of thousands of donors and the hard work of hundreds of volunteers who care deeply about the quality of life in their community.

How Can You Help the Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center Foundation?

Supporting the Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center Foundation is one important way to defend the future. When you become a donor, you join the ranks of The Defenders Society, our special donor recognition program. Every donor, no matter the size of the gift, helps us provide the best possible care and services to the deserving residents of the North Country. Make a difference today.

Donate Life

There are many different ways to give:

• Gift time
  • Engage with our mission: Attend events. Become a volunteer. Be an advocate in the community.
• Gift resources
  • Invest in the health of our community: Make a tax-deductible donation to the foundation. Gifts can support a fund of your designation and can also be used to pay tribute to someone important in your life. Donate now.
• Gift the future
  • Create a legacy of health for future generations: A bequest to the foundation is more than just a line in your will; it's a way to ensure that Claxton-Hepburn can continue to provide the best care available for many years to come.

Contact Our Foundation Team

Peter Sinagra, Executive Director

Stephanie Wyant, Development Officer