Laura Hart Burdick Foundation

The mission of the Laura Hart Burdick Foundation is to provide social support and financial assistance to lung transplant patients and their families and to increase organ donor awareness so that every qualified transplant candidate might receive “the gift of life”.  

Laura’s friends and family wanted to do something to celebrate her indomitable spirit and recognize her legacy of concern and compassion for others.  They knew Laura would want something positive to come from her experience. 

Many generous donations were made in Laura’s memory, so it was decided that those donations should be dedicated to something she cared about deeply.  Laura was passionate about many things, but she had particular empathy for her fellow transplant patients who cope with the effects of chronic, life-threatening illness and who must endure months of separation from their loved ones, extended disruption of their daily lives, and loss of income at their time of greatest need.

During her transplant experience, Laura recognized the need for additional social support for these patients and their families as well as a need for assistance with expenses that are not covered by insurance. She expressed a desire to serve as an advocate to help patient families deal with these challenges.  In 2007, the Laura Hart Burdick Foundation was founded to fulfill these aspirations for her.

Many companies match employee and retiree donations to 501(c)3 charities, and most offer online access to their matching program application forms. Check to see if your employer can double your support for the lung transplant program at St. Joseph’s Norton Thoracic Institute.