GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan — The Rich and Helen DeVos Foundation will officially end. The organization has funded numerous ventures in Grand Rapids. Notably, donations from the foundation created the Helen DeVos Children's Hospital and Richard DeVos Heart and Lung Transplant Program.
Rich suffered from heart disease for years, once saying his heart was working only at 10%-15% capacity.
"I worried a little bit when I was waiting for a new heart, whether I would ever get one because we were almost at the end of the old heart keeping going, so, matter of days or weeks they said," said Rich DeVos once.
In 1997, he had a heart transplant that saved his life. It was a highly specialized "domino operation." At the time, he had to travel to the United Kingdom to have the operation.
"Because of the fond attachments that he developed to the surgical staff there, ultimately, it was when Mr. DeVos set up the endowment for the heart and lung transplant program here," said Dr. Edward Murphy, Richard DeVos Endowed Chair for lung transplantation, "Dr. Khaghani, one of the surgeons involved in his care in Great Britain, actually came over here to participate in the founding of the program."
This led to the creation of the Richard DeVos Heart and Lung Transplant Program in 2010.
"Patients with heart disease and lung disease in West Michigan now can feel very, very comfortable to know that every single aspect of heart care and lung care is offered here," said Dr. Murphy. "There's no reason to leave West Michigan to get care elsewhere."
"Rich's vision was for there to be world-class care, he really didn't want mediocre programs," continued Dr. Murphy. "He wanted this program, this transplant program to be outstanding in every way. And it's a pleasure to be part of it, because it really is. There's elements of research, education and patient care that are second to none."
In 2022, the program celebrated its 300th lung transplant since the program was founded.
Meanwhile, the vision Rich and Helen DeVos had for children's healthcare in West Michigan was being realized.
"They had that great vision, that great faith and energy that if that was needed, if there was an unmet need in our community, and if they had the opportunity to positively impact that, they were going to be part of that story," said Dr. James Fahner, executive director for philanthropy for Helen DeVos Children's Hospital. "I think Helen always had a very, very special place in her heart for children, and for children's healthcare in particular."
Helen DeVos Children's Hospital opened in 1993 and moved into its current building on Michigan Ave. in 2011. According to the hospital, it has more than 250 pediatric specialists. It has won numerous U.S. News & World Report rankings nationwide.
"I think it's hard now to recall a time, not that very long ago, when if a child was newly diagnosed with a catastrophic illness or injury, more times than not that child, even in the middle of the night, was put in an ambulance or a helicopter or a car, and sent across state, or even out of state, to get to the services of a full-service Children's Hospital," said Dr. Fahner. "Now, we have world-class care right here in Grand Rapids for our children and our families. That's a very, very precious gift."
Staff at the hospitals have fond memories of Helen visiting the hospital, which Dr. Fahner also said she was reluctant to name after herself.
"It wasn't just the philanthropy, it was that they gave up themselves," said Tina Freese Decker, President and CEO of Corewell Health. "They participated in the events, they were part of the community. You know, Helen would read books to kids in the children's hospital, and they would show up to the holiday parties, the Halloween parties and things like that, just to be part of people's lives."
Rich DeVos was also instrumental in the merger between Butterworth and Blodgett Hospitals. Spectrum Health was formed after the U.S. District Court approved the merger of the two major Grand Rapids health systems in 1996.
"Rich knew that the combined strength of Blodgett and Butterworth could create something positive and really unprecedented for our region," said Freese Decker. "He was the one that pushed us forward. He led the conversations, he even worked with the government to help move forward. I do credit him, and many of our other leaders in the community, but him with that vision of making health better for all of Michigan."
The legacy continues to live on, through their endowments and their children. The DeVos family gave $50 million this year to be split across Helen DeVos Children's Hospital, the Joan Secchia Children's Rehabilitation Hospital and Pine Rest Pediatric Center of Behavior Health.
Of that amount, $20 million will go toward establishing a permanent endowment for the Child and Family Life Team, which will support nearly 40 professionals as they work with children and families in the hospital.
"The program includes child life specialists, and child life assistance, that also includes school teachers and music therapists and an art therapist," said Freese Decker. "Because when you are in the hospital, you forget that you usually would go to school, or you'd be able to run around and play or you'd be able to take art classes or music classes when you're home. And so, it's really important to have that have that bit of familiarity."
"I know that I have always been a better person and a better physician because of their mentorship, because of their love and compassion for our work and for their leadership in this community," said Dr. Fahner.
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