Recently, we spoke with Yvonne Wood, a longtime Cape Ann resident and supporter of both Beverly and Addison Gilbert Hospitals, who recently made the lead gift of $1.5 million to support the Beverly Hospital Birthing Center. Now having named spaces at both institutions—the Walter and Yvonne Wood Birthing Center at Beverly and the Walter and Yvonne Wood Cardiology Diagnostic Suite at Addison Gilbert—we wanted to share more about her relationship with these hospitals, why this community is so important to her, and her reasons for giving.
We are so grateful for your generosity over the years. How did your relationship with Beverly Hospital begin, and how has it evolved?
We have been summer residents of Cape Ann for 38 years. During that time, my husband, Walter, had many visits to the emergency room at Addison Gilbert Hospital. He spent many weeks at a time at Beverly and Addison Gilbert Hospitals where he received impeccable care. Fast forward to 2024: I had COVID-19 and was treated at Addison Gilbert and was then sent to the Beverly Hospital ICU. The nurses were exceptionally compassionate, attentive, and professional, which made my stay very comfortable.
Given this experience and seeing how efficiently the hospital is managed, one does not think twice about giving back. I wanted to help in some small way so Addison Gilbert and Beverly Hospitals can continue to have excellent care for all North Shore residents.
What about the Birthing Center and maternity services at Beverly Hospital inspired you to make such an incredible gift?
After a tour of the existing birthing center, I could see that updates were needed. It is time for a new approach to elevate the high standard that this hospital has always had. It is exciting to think of a new facility where all future babies and their parents can enjoy warmth and comfort. It will also be a wonderful workspace for all the dedicated nurses and doctors.
There is a matching component to your gift, and we are grateful for this chance to inspire others to follow in your footsteps. Can you share why the match was important to you?
The matching component of $500,000 is a way in which the kind people of Cape Ann could get involved and take part in contributing toward making the updated Birthing Center a reality. It is my way of getting people together for a common goal.
Can you speak more broadly to the vital nature of the hospitals and why it’s a critical community resource that you have continued to invest in?
The answer is so easy. Both my husband and I received excellent care while in both of the hospitals. This is our way of saying thank you and giving back to Cape Ann. Hopefully lives were saved at Addison Gilbert Hospital in their new state-of-the-art cardiology department, which was an exciting and rewarding project for me. Supporting Beverly Hospital and naming the space the Walter and Yvonne Wood Birthing Center leaves a family legacy that shows we were rewarded for a lifetime of working.
Now is the time to give back and make life rich and meaningful. Having helped toward the Birthing Center goal is an absolutely rewarding experience. Just making someone’s life a little easier, that’s the joy of it all.