(GRINNELL, IA – June 8, 2022) In a time when rural Iowa obstetrics (OB) departments are closing, UnityPoint Health® – Grinnell Regional Medical Center’s (GRMC) OB Department is expanding, thanks in part to generous donors like Larry and Echo Jansen.
“There are two things a community needs for survival and success,” Larry says. “It needs a strong school system and a strong hospital. We want Grinnell to be an attractive place for young people to grow their families.”
This belief led Larry and Echo to pledge $50,000 toward the expansion of GRMC’s OB Department.
“If we see something that we think is important and have the ability to assist, that’s what we try to do,” says Larry.
Echo’s excitement shines when she talks about becoming a first-time grandmother. This new role created a spark that also encouraged the Jansens to want to give back to local maternity services.
“Having maternity services available locally not only serves parents-to-be, but also extended family members, business owners and the communities at large in the GRMC service area,” says Echo.
The Jansens have a history of giving back to the Grinnell community and are actively involved in their respective churches and many community groups. Larry currently sits as vice chair of GRMC Foundation Board of Directors. He was also instrumental in the Grinnell Mutual Board of Directors’ decision to donate a transformational gift that resulted in bringing the da Vinci Robotic Surgical System to GRMC.
“Larry and Echo’s generous 2021 pledge toward the expansion of GRMC’s OB Department shows an admirable and inspiring level of commitment to the community and the hospital,” says Donna Fischer, GRMC Foundation’s Director of Development. “We are fortunate to have Larry and Echo’s support for this critical project.”
Believe what you do makes a difference, because it does. Gifts of all sizes make an impact on the programs and services offered at GRMC. One hundred percent of every dollar donated to the GRMC Foundation stays local.
Visit unitypoint.org/grinnell/foundation for more information about the GRMC Foundation or to make a gift.
