Daughter’s Legacy Is Paying It Forward at UAMS
| LITTLE ROCK — When Pauline Wagnon’s mother was diagnosed with cancer in the mid-1940s and treated for free and cured at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), Wagnon set her mind to paying it forward.
Wagnon, of Camden, passed away in September at age 89, but left behind a $185,268 life insurance gift to UAMS that not even her family knew about.
Her family gathered in her honor Dec. 22 as her stepson, Nick Wagnon, and stepdaughter, Tommie Stockley, presented the gift to Lance Burchett, vice chancellor for institutional advancement, and Tim Dockery, director of planned giving.
“She always made an effort to find some kindness for the less fortunate and in turn she never failed to show appreciation when an act of kindness was bestowed upon her,” said Nick Wagnon. “This is the reason we are here today. Despite her family not having the financial ability to pay for medical services, UAMS accepted Pauline’s mother, Virginia Thompson, as a patient and provided her the best care possible.”
Burchett presented the family with the Society of the Double Helix Award, which is presented to individuals, foundations, corporations and organizations that contribute more than $100,000.
“This story about the matriarch we are celebrating here today is incomparable in my quarter of a century of work in higher education,” Burchett said. “It truly is an honor to gather this group here today – the members of the family and members of UAMS staff that have played a role in this extraordinary gift.”
Several members of Wagnon’s family spoke about her kindness, generosity and frugality. Jami Ellis, director of supply chain logistics at UAMS and the granddaughter of Wagnon, said she is humbled by her grandmother’s gift.
“She has showed us such an example of how we all need to think about what we do can to give back,” Ellis said. “UAMS is a wonderful place to work, and it has provided a lot of opportunity for me. It is a pleasure to work at a place that strives to give the best possible care to our patients and does so much to better the health of our state with accessible health care and research. My grandmother’s gift to UAMS will help us to continue the great work we do here. It’s wonderful to be a part of it.”
UAMS is the state’s only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; a hospital; a main campus in Little Rock; a Northwest Arkansas regional campus in Fayetteville; a statewide network of regional campuses; and eight institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Translational Research Institute, Institute for Digital Health & Innovation and the Institute for Community Health Innovation. UAMS includes UAMS Health, a statewide health system that encompasses all of UAMS’ clinical enterprise. UAMS is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. UAMS has 3,275 students, 890 medical residents and fellows, and five dental residents. It is the state’s largest public employer with more than 12,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses, Arkansas Children’s, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube or Instagram.###