The Robert E. Reed Gastrointestinal Oncology Research Foundation (The Reed Foundation) has supported UAB for over 15 years and contributed more than $1.5 million to fund gastrointestinal cancer research and patient care under the direction of Vice Chair of the Department of Surgery Martin Heslin, M.D.
As an extension of their support, The Reed Foundation has partnered with Blue Spring Living Water, a small, local business that bottles water from a spring in Blount County, to donate water a few times a week to UAB and frontline health care workers.
Last week marked their first donation to UAB, and both the Reed Foundation and Blue Spring Living Water plan to continue to donate for as long as they can. Currently, the organizations are splitting the cost of the water, and Executive Director of the Foundation, Hannon Davidson, is grateful to be working with Blue Spring Living Water.
“Blue Spring is a very generous company, and part of the goal is to support their business as well,” said Davidson. “Our team is currently working on a donation page for our foundation website for anyone in the community who would like to donate to this drive.”
The Reed Foundation was formed in 2002 while Robert Reed was battling pancreatic cancer. The foundation’s goals are to increase awareness and understanding about all gastrointestinal cancer as well as to financially support research and patient care at UAB, led by Vice Chair of the Department of Surgery Martin Heslin, M.D.
“It is certainly a blessing to have such great partners during this challenging time,” said Heslin. “We appreciate the help of the Reed Foundation and Blue Spring Living Water and stand ready to serve the people of the great state of Alabama.”
To learn more about donations, visit the UAB Ways to Help website, which lists additional ways the community can help efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
If you would like to make a donation to UAB or the Department of Surgery amid the COVID-19 outbreak, please visit our giving page, reach out to surgcomm@uab.edu or UAB School of Medicine Executive Director of Development for Strategic Planning Jessica Towns.