Kauai hospital gets nearly $3M donation for facility upgrades

LIHUE — A Kauai hospital has received a donation of $2.75 million toward its emergency department and trauma fundraising campaign.

Husband and wife Peter Stengaard and Jennifer Gross donated to the Wilcox Medical Center in Lihue, one of three hospitals on Kauai, The Garden Island reported Tuesday.

“A little goes a long way here. It’s critical to find spots where more money can amount to so much more than its initial worth,” said Stengaard, a part-time resident on the island.

The family is committed to investing in the community and supports humanitarian efforts, education and healthcare through their William, Jeff and Jennifer Gross Family Foundation, which donated $19.5 million in 2019 to 45 nonprofits worldwide, Stengaard said.

“Good healthcare begins and ends with the systems around it that bring in the medical staff, funding and materials needed to ensure high-quality care and access to cutting-edge research,” Gross said.

About $4.3 million has been raised toward their $5 million campaign goal to upgrade its facility, including building two trauma resuscitation suites and converting semi-private observation bays into private treatment exam rooms, hospital officials said.

Wilcox Medical Center is the only Level III Trauma Center on the island and was also Hawaii’s first Level III Trauma Center to be verified by the American College of Surgeons, hospital officials said.

“The generosity of the William, Jeff and Jennifer Gross Foundation will greatly impact the health and well-being of the residents and visitors of Kauai,” said Jen Chahanovich, president of Wilcox Medical Center and CEO of Kauai Medical Clinic. “The Gross family gift will help us expand our facilities and invest in new technologies and equipment that will benefit Kauai families for generations to come.”