A Lifetime and Beyond of Committing to Others

Ensuring quality healthcare for all was important to Hawthorne Society donors Susan Lay Atwell and her husband, Anthony Atwell. That commitment led to the establishment of the Susan Lay Atwell Annuity Lead Trust upon Susan’s passing in 2019.

“My mother was passionate about quality healthcare for everyone,” said Mimi Rodgers, daughter of Susan and Anthony and Trustee of the Susan Lay Atwell Annuity Lead Trust.

The Atwell’s support of Texas Health began long before 2019, however. One of the first areas the Atwells supported was the Wellness for Life® Mobile Health Program. Mimi says, “Mother would have loved to drive that big bus herself if it meant delivering essential health services to those who would otherwise go without them!”

In 2012, Anthony participated in a Scrubs Day event at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas. He was impressed by what he saw, leading he and Susan to sponsor a new operating room and contribute to the pulmonary research fund at the Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine (IEEM). “They were thrilled with the impact of their gifts and became regular donors,” said Mimi.

In 2024, the Susan Lay Atwell Trust provided an incredibly generous $2 million gift to endow the Susan Lay Atwell Chair in Pulmonary Research at the IEEM. That gift was especially important to the family because Susan faced a long and tough battle with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

“While attending an event at IEEM last year, I was truly impressed by the pulmonary research and programs offered there,” said Mimi. “Dr. Babb and his team are genuinely passionate about their work, which made me realize this is precisely the kind of support my mom would have wanted.”

Mimi added, “It would warm my mother’s heart and delight her to know the positive impact that the Trust she established is making and will continue to make. She valued being a good steward throughout her life, and the thought that her legacy would endure for years to come would surely make her smile!”