Roper St. Francis Foundation announces $100 million Imagine Campaign to transform healthcare in the Lowcountry

Campaign launches with historic $20 million lead gift from the Medical Society of South Carolina

The Roper St. Francis Foundation on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, launched Imagine: The Campaign for Roper St. Francis Healthcare, a $100 million fundraising initiative that will run through 2030.

More than 550 donors and supporters of Roper St. Francis Healthcare gathered for the annual Roper Xavier Society Celebration at the Charleston Gaillard Center, where they celebrated the launch and a historic $20 million lead gift from the Medical Society of South Carolina — the second-largest donation to a healthcare system in the Lowcountry.

The Roper St. Francis Foundation plays a vital role in fundraising to support critical initiatives that ensure the continued success of Roper St. Francis Healthcare, a not-for-profit organization committed to its mission of healing all people with compassion, faith and excellence. The effort will help the organization advance key initiatives of the Roper St. Francis Healthcare 2030 Strategic Plan and address the Charleston region’s growing clinical needs well into the future.

The Imagine campaign is built on three critical pillars designed to drive transformation in healthcare for the Lowcountry:

• Delivering Outstanding, Compassionate, Innovative Care: Roper St. Francis Healthcare will drive significant investment to enhance care in the fields of Cancer, Cardiology, Neurology, Orthopaedics, Rehabilitation and Women’s Health, as well as attract and retain industry-leading caregivers.
• Transforming Health and Wellness Across Our Community: The second pillar will drive the creation of a Community Health Center of Excellence and Innovation; expand the Roper St. Francis Greer Transitions Clinic model to address needs of the underserved and underprivileged to additional communities; expand the mobile health program; strengthen workforce development and retention strategies; and nurture the existing workforce.
• Building the Hospitals, Clinics and Care Centers of the Future: Expanding, modernizing and relocating facilities that community members need and deserve is a crucial step toward building the healthcare system of tomorrow. This includes building a new 27-acre, 320-bed Roper Hospital campus; continued and expanded care across the Lowcountry, including a specialty care site in Mount Pleasant and a medical complex in Summerville; expanding and renovating Roper St. Francis Berkeley Hospital, Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital and Roper St. Francis Mount Pleasant Hospital; and creating a lasting legacy on the Charleston peninsula.

During the evening program, Dr. David Ellison, board chairman for the Roper St. Francis Foundation, highlighted the bold vision of the Imagine campaign, noting that it can be realized only through exceptional leadership. He introduced campaign Chairman Steve Mungo, a local philanthropist and executive chairman of Mungo Homes, and Honorary Chairman John Holloway, a long-time supporter of Roper St. Francis Healthcare and banking executive, acknowledging their invaluable leadership and unwavering commitment to the future of Roper St. Francis Healthcare.

Dr. Ellison announced that the Imagine campaign has already raised $50 million from individuals and foundations, plus $27 million from government grants and appropriations. He also shared the exciting news that this remarkable progress has been made possible by the $20 million lead gift from the Medical Society of South Carolina — the largest donation in the history of Roper St. Francis Healthcare that will serve as a cornerstone for the campaign, propelling the vision of world-class, locally based healthcare.

This campaign is a powerful reflection of our commitment to not only advance the state of healthcare in the Lowcountry, but to create a future where innovation, compassion and accessibility define every patient’s experience, said Dr. Megan Baker, interim president of the Roper St. Francis Foundation and senior vice president and chief operating officer of Roper St. Francis Healthcare.

“With the launch of the Imagine campaign, we are boldly starting the next chapter in the journey that will help determine our healthcare system’s legacy,” Dr. Baker said. “I am proud to be a part of this transcendent effort and invite everyone to join us as we imagine and bring to life a brighter future for healthcare in our community.”

About Roper St. Francis Healthcare

As a not-for-profit healthcare system, Roper St. Francis Healthcare chooses purpose over profits by putting extra money back into the system to help meet the health needs of the Charleston community. The healthcare system features four flagship hospitals: Roper Hospital, Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital, Roper St. Francis Mount Pleasant Hospital and Roper St. Francis Berkeley Hospital — all of which have earned “A” Hospital Safety Grades from The Leapfrog Group, an independent organization that evaluates patient safety records. In an emergency, the healthcare system offers six strategically placed emergency departments. With nearly 7,000 teammates, Roper St. Francis Healthcare is the Lowcountry’s largest private employer with more than 1,000 doctors representing almost every medical specialty, and it has earned status as a Great Place to Work. The system has nearly 700 beds and more than 120 facilities and services across four counties. Learn more: rsfh.com. 

About the Medical Society of South Carolina

The Medical Society of South Carolina is the leading association of physicians in South Carolina and has been at the forefront of advancing healthcare in the Lowcountry since 1789. Through its partnership with Roper St. Francis Healthcare and a dedicated network of physicians, the Medical Society of South Carolina plays a key role in improving the health and well-being of the region. In addition to their support of Roper St. Francis Healthcare, the Medical Society of South Carolina directs resources to support health-focused charitable programs and organizations across the tri-county area. The Medical Society of South Carolina has contributed philanthropically to many organizations, making a lasting impact on the Lowcountry.