Fundraising Underway For Milford Regional Expansion

Milford Regional Medical Center Officials from Milford Regional Medical Center and EMC Corp. attended a fundraiser for the hospital's proposed expansion in October. Pictured from left to right are Milford Regional CEO Francis M. Saba; Dan Fitzgerald, vice president of global real estate & facilities at EMC; Paul F. Fitzgerald, senior director of EMC's North American facilities, and John Burns, chairman of the Milford Regional Healthcare Foundation

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By Emily Micucci

Ten months after announcing plans to add 60,000 square feet to accommodate an expanded emergency department and intensive care unit, Milford Regional Medical Center officials say fundraising is taking shape.

Officials at the non-profit hospital hope to pay for much of the $40-million project through fundraising. Martin Richman, vice president of philanthropy at Milford Regional, said $1.7 million has been publicly donated in the last year, though the hospital has received more giving commitments that have yet to be disclosed.

'The Right Project At The Right Time'

According to Richman, space limitations at Milford Regional, which translate into a lack of privacy when the hospital is crowded and patient beds are moved to hallways, are well known in the community, making the project one the local business community deems worthy.

"We feel we have the right project at the right time, and the right mission, and we feel we're getting a good response," Richman said.

But, it's a long road to $40 million. The project is still in the design phase, and hospital officials must still figure out exactly how to pay for it. For starters, proceeds from three major fundraising events over the last 12 months have been allocated for the project. Most recently, Milford Regional raised $600,000 at its annual Melange fundraising event hosted by Hopkinton-based EMC in October, which included performances by jugglers, fire spinners and an aerialist.

The Community Says 'Yes'

Milford Regional President Edward J. Kelly is encouraged by early contributions for the expansion project, which was first proposed at the hospital's annual meeting in January.

"Everything indicates that what we've initially outlined is on track," Kelly said, noting that the healthy response to the Melange fundraiser is a good indication that the community is saying "yes" to the project.

The proposed expansion includes two new, 30,000-square-foot levels to be added to the existing 283,000-square-foot facility on the 14-acre campus. Kelly said he hopes construction will begin sometime in 2013, with the new departments opening in 2015.