To the Editor:

I am very concerned about the situation in our community regarding the two hospitals.

In 1987, when I moved to Brunswick my wife found a wonderful doctor at Parkview who treated her holistically for seven years until her death. During those years I became very involved at Parkview, and when a capital campaign was inaugurated, I made a personal leadership gift which was the largest gift to Parkview from a living person at that time.

Later I was asked to serve on the committee to select a new CEO and was the only person who was not a Seventh Day Adventist. During the process of interviewing candidates, I realized the hospital would benefit from having someone who would be actively involved in Greater Brunswick. However, I was the only one to vote for the person who wanted to be involved that way. As a result, I chose not to make another substantial gift to Parkview. I wanted the whole community to benefit, not just the Seventh Day Adventist Church.

When Mid Coast Hospital conducted their capital campaign for the new hospital, we were approached for a leadership gift. The new facility offered an opportunity to give to the well-being of the whole community, and we made a generous gift that supported the philosophy of promoting wholeness in relation to prevention and healing that is now demonstrated at Mid Coast and reminiscent of the atmosphere at Parkview that I had admired.

Mid Coast is the community hospital for our area. It is administered by local people who have an interest in the well-being of the whole community. I can find no legitimate reason for the two facilities not to merge, and there are many financial savings that would occur. The only issue should be what is best for our whole community. Past situations that prevented a meeting of minds are not valid in 2012 and should now be overcome.

Ralph T. Perry
Orr’s Island