A historic gift
This summer, the Beaufort Memorial Foundation welcomed its largest-ever philanthropic gift, an extraordinary $2.5 million donation from Mary McCarthy.
A longtime Okatie resident, Mary’s transformative gift will have a lasting impact throughout the Lowcountry and support Beaufort Memorial’s mission to expand access to high-quality healthcare for the region’s growing communities.
“This remarkable act of generosity is a defining moment for our Foundation and for the future of healthcare in our region,” said Kim Yawn, Chief Development Officer for the Beaufort Memorial Foundation. “Mary’s gift will help us deliver care that touches lives for generations to come.”
When Yawn called to personally thank her for the historic gift, Mary recalled the excitement in her voice.
“Kim’s appreciation confirmed that I made the right decision. Beaufort Memorial is a community hospital. I am part of this community and leaving it better than when I arrived is what matters to me.”
That deep sense of belonging, entrenched in people and place, has guided Mary throughout her life. A native of Long Island, N.Y., she moved to the Lowcountry with her late husband Edward, and they quickly fell in love with the area’s natural beauty and neighborly spirit.
Just a few miles from her home lies the site of the upcoming Beaufort Memorial Bluffton Community Hospital, a cornerstone of the health system’s efforts to bring accessible, advanced care to southern Beaufort County. Mary’s gift will not only support this vital project, where the Emergency Department will bear her name, but also help fund two additional initiatives in southern Beaufort County: a new 5,000-square-foot primary care facility and the Hilton Head Island combination freestanding emergency department and urgent care center.
A lifelong educator, Mary spent over 30 years teaching kindergarten, drawing inspiration daily from the open hearts and curious minds of her students.
“Kindergarten is the best. They are such nice people,” she said. “They’re all so kind to each other. They look out for one another. They love each other.”
While many call teaching a labor of love, Mary prefers to call it “a labor of fun.” Her passion for nurturing others extends beyond the classroom. Following the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, Mary turned to nature and photography as a way to process her grief and reconnect with the world’s beauty.
“I was devastated, just like everyone else,” Mary recalled. “So, I began taking photos of the good things around me, moments of kindness, beauty, and connection in my community. It helped me remember that even when terrible things happen, there is still so much goodness in the world.”
That same mindset guided Mary when she began looking for an organization to carry on her legacy. She wasn’t interested in something generic; she wanted to support a place that was doing meaningful, compassionate work right in the heart of the community.
“It wasn’t just a coin flip,” she said. “I meant it, sincerely. People need hospitals. They need good hospitals. They need emergency rooms with people who think on their feet, who care for you first and guide you through. I hope this gift will help many people for years to come.”
Thanks to her generosity, thousands more in the Lowcountry will receive the care they need, when they need it most. And perhaps, in those quiet moments of healing, they’ll feel gratitude for Mary and the remarkable gift that made it possible.
