Maui Health Foundation secures $4.1 Million to fund state-of-the-art MRI

Thanks to the generosity of three donors, Maui Health has secured $4.1 million in funding to install a new, state-of-the-art MRI system at Maui Memorial Medical Center. More than 4,500 MRI exams are performed at Maui Memorial each year, making this investment the highest imaging priority for Maui Health, and essential to protecting the community’s access to critical diagnostic imaging.

Maui-based philanthropist Ed Freedman’s Stable Road Foundation committed $2 million to seed a matching fund for the project, continuing an ongoing partnership that includes significant support for Maui Health’s Heart, Brain & Vascular program, including medical equipment such as the Impella heart pump and two heart-lung machines, as well as helping fund the new Clinical Decision Unit expanding our Emergency Services, scheduled to open this December.

In quick response, the Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation offered $500,000, and Maui residents Nan and Wayne Kocourek stepped up to gift $1.6 million to complete the funding. 

“We are incredibly grateful to Ed Freedman’s Stable Road Foundation, Nan and Wayne Kocourek, and Oprah Winfrey whose generosity made this project possible,” said Melinda Sweany, Chief Philanthropy Officer for Maui Health Foundation. “Their commitment to advancing healthcare on Maui demonstrates what is possible when philanthropy and community come together to invest in the health of our communities.”

The new Philips Ingenia Elition 3.0T will provide extraordinary image quality and perform exams up to 50% faster compared to Philips scans without Compressed SENSE, with no compromise in image quality – empowering a faster, smarter and simpler path to confident diagnosis.

Additionally, the system’s 70cm bore, comfort mattress and immersive audio-visual experience are designed to help keep patients calm and guide them through MRI exams, elevate the patient experience and help improve patient care. 

MRI diagnostic imaging at Maui Memorial is essential for procedural, inpatient, and acute evaluation on island, supporting emergency, neurologic/stroke, cardiac, orthopedic, vascular and oncologic care. Overall demand for these services has surged 47% in five years to meet community needs, with no signs of slowing.

“We’re proud to partner with Maui Health because they make an incredible impact on the lives of our Maui community,” said Ed Freedman, founder of Stable Road Foundation. “We’re grateful to all our supporters who helped fund this project for trusting us to be the steward of their gifts. Together, we’ll ensure the people of Maui receive exceptional healthcare when they need it most.”

Installation is projected to be completed by end of summer 2027. A temporary mobile MRI unit will be on site during that period so imaging diagnostics can continue on island without interruption.

“Every MRI tells a story that can change a life,” says Sweany. “Whether it’s detecting cancer earlier, diagnosing a stroke faster, or helping a physician determine the best course of treatment, this technology will literally touch thousands of patients each year. We are deeply grateful to the donors who made this extraordinary investment in Maui’s future.”

Over the past eight years, Maui Health Foundation has raised more than $65 million to support lifesaving care and the health care professionals who provide it across Maui County. Recent projects include the expansion of Maui Memorial Medical Center’s Emergency Department with the establishment of a new Clinical Decision Unit, the acquisition of Maui’s first da Vinci surgical robot, and the construction of 31 homes for health care professionals. For more information, visit mauihealth.org/foundation.

Maui Health Foundation was established in 1997 through the generosity of Richard North, a Kīhei resident and grateful patient. Deeply moved by the care he received at Maui Memorial Medical Center, North left the majority of his estate to create a foundation dedicated to improving healthcare for our community.

Today, that legacy continues. The Foundation now supports the entire Maui Health system—Maui Memorial Medical Center, Kula Hospital, Lāna’i Community Hospital, and the Maui Lani Outpatient Clinic—helping to fund critical equipment, programs, and services that ensure access to exceptional care across Maui and Lāna’i.

Maui Health Foundation is dedicated to the philanthropic support of the Maui Health hospitals. As a private, nonprofit organization, we work hand in hand with Maui Health to be a lifeline for patients by supporting patient care, advancing programs and technology, and creating healing environments for all who walk through our doors. Donations support the health of the island communities across Maui County and can include gifts of cash, property or securities, corporate grants, bequests, and employer-matching contributions. www.mauihealth.org/foundation.