This year’s employee giving campaign is off to an exciting start. Raising Hope at Work now combines the UF Health Shands and UF College of Medicine campaigns, harnessing The Power of Together.

For more than a decade, employees have demonstrated incredible generosity through the Raising Hope at Work campaign. Last year, UF College of Medicine faculty and staff participated for the first time.

Brian L. Hoh, M.D., FACS, FAHA, FAANS, a UF College of Medicine neurosurgeon, was a Team Champion during last year’s campaign, a title given to a department’s team leader.

“The department of neurosurgery achieved 100 percent faculty participation and contributed nearly $400,000 in support of the UF Health Neuromedicine Hospital,” he said.

Neurosurgery faculty members were inspired by the work and achievements of the department’s first chairman and internationally renowned neurosurgeon, Albert Rhoton Jr., M.D., who passed away earlier this year.

“Every member of the neurosurgery faculty felt personally indebted to Dr. Rhoton for the legacy that he built here at UF,” Hoh said. “It was important that we honor his work by contributing toward naming some part of the UF Health Neuromedicine Hospital in his memory.”

Hoh added, “We were also inspired by the 100 percent participation of the UF Health Shands Hospital Neuro ICU Unit 82 and Neurosurgery Unit 11-5 nurses. We are all a team.”

Justine Abram, M.S.N., R.N., CNRN, Neurosurgery Unit 11-5 nurse manager, emphasized the importance of investing in her team’s future together.

“Our unit is committed to Raising Hope at Work because this is going to be our new home,” she said. “We think of ourselves as a work family.”

This year, employees can contribute to support the UF Health Heart & Vascular Hospital and UF Health Neuromedicine Hospital, or the George T. Harrell, M.D., Medical Education Building.

Stephan J. Moore, M.H.A., FACHE, CMPE, UF Health Shands Transplant Center administrative director, is a Team Champion for his area, and encourages his staff to participate by discussing the campaign at each meeting. Moore strives to personally thank those who participated in previous campaigns and show his appreciation for their commitment to UF Health.

“We are fortunate to be part of such a dynamic and growing academic medical center where we can truly participate in owning our future together by contributing in whatever way we are able to the campaign,” he said.

As we work toward our greater goal of improving health care, we ask for your help. Please join Raising Hope at Work by supporting our latest initiatives in patient care, research and education. Your gift is an investment to create a strong and successful future for UF Health.