Legacy Society member stories
Taking the long view of wellness…
“Most people at Upstate Medical University who have known me for many years have realized that I'm always doing something special, from lung cancer surgery, laboratory research, clinical trials, research in the Upstate Cancer Center, and now as Upstate’s first chief wellness officer. I've always been looking for the place where I could not only fulfill something that I thought was important, but something that was useful for the Upstate community as a whole.”
So states Dr. Leslie Kohman, who has been working with the Upstate Foundation for decades to fulfill her priorities to improve the health and well-being of the members of her community served by Upstate Medical University. Her support of the Upstate Foundation always takes a wide perspective in terms of what she can fund that will have the greatest long-term impact.
“My participation seems to be just a natural transition because I am nurturing the place that nurtured me,” she said. “I joined the faculty of Upstate Medical University and found it a place to thrive because nobody impeded me when I wanted to change focus. I feel that I'm useful to the organization and especially to the community, and that makes me feel really good.”
A more recent focus for Dr. Kohman is well-being for physicians and nurses, as a result of her appointment as chief wellness officer at Upstate.
“The pandemic and the post-traumatic stress of our health care workers will extend for at least 10 years, so it's really important to me that we have resources to help them,” she said, adding that the Upstate Foundation has worked with her to identify creative ways to raise money, and also to recognize and fund specific initiatives that support Upstate’s medical staff in this very difficult time.
“The Foundation helps me accomplish what's needed to carry out my personal vision and priorities,” Dr. Kohman explained. It is vision that prompted her to make a legacy gift, recognizing that Upstate is going to have needs long after her service has ended. She has donated a life insurance policy, designating the Upstate Foundation as its beneficiary, which she hopes will inspire others.
“When it comes to talking about legacy giving to others, especially those who think it won't matter, I always say to them ‘your gift is the only one that matters.’ It matters to you. It matters to what you give to, and that's what's important,” she said.
“I tell people to contact the Foundation. Look at the website. Even if you don’t want to establish your own fund, there are so many funds to which you can contribute. The Foundation’s reputation and financial rating are wonderful. They make legacy giving easy and value me as a donor.
“Leaving a legacy gift makes great sense. It’s not about how much you give. It’s your personal expression of caring,” Dr. Kohman concluded.
For more information about ways to create your own personal Legacy, contact your financial advisor or call Carolyn Hendrickson, director of legacy giving at the Upstate Foundation, at 315-464-6490.