A Gift Today for the Children of Tomorrow
Maria Assaraf and husband, John
"I'm proud of how we are thinking outside the box, and really growing our Hospital into a transformational healthcare system."
—Maria Assaraf, Chair
Rady Children's Hospital Foundation Board of Trustees
"There are so many things I'm proud of at Rady Children's," says Maria Assaraf, chair of the Rady Children's Hospital Foundation Board of Trustees. "I'm proud of how we are thinking outside the box, and really growing our Hospital into a transformational healthcare system that benefits children not only here in San Diego, but around the world."
It is her devotion to San Diego children that lies at the heart of Maria's support for Rady Children's. A San Diego native, Maria was born with congenital scoliosis. Children's Hospital (the name of Rady Children's at the time) was unable to provide the therapies that she needed, so Maria's family had to travel to UCLA for specialized spinal care.
"Not only did we have to leave San Diego for treatment, but multiple back surgeries cost hundreds of thousands of dollars," she says, "and it was only because of the generosity of others that I was able to receive care."
Maria and her husband, John, want to ensure that other families don't have to travel out of the area or struggle to pay for their child's healthcare. The two have made Rady Children's the focus of their charitable giving with gifts of both their time and financial resources, including a gift in their estate plan.
"We want kids in San Diego to have access to the absolute best medical care close to home," she adds. "And because of our dedicated community of donors—they do. Rady Children's is at the forefront of medical technology and research, and together we are changing the face of pediatric healthcare."
Charitable giving has become a guiding value in Maria and John's family. "We truly cannot have a healthy society unless children receive the best possible healthcare," Maria adds. "We have decided to leave a legacy of the blessings that we received in our lifetime and pay it forward in order for others to do as well."
There are many ways you can support the future of healthcare for children in our community. To learn more, contact Elise Webster at 858-966-7537 or ewebster@rchsd.org.
Information contained herein was accurate at the time of posting. The information on this website is not intended as legal or tax advice. For such advice, please consult an attorney or tax advisor. Figures cited in any examples are for illustrative purposes only. References to tax rates include federal taxes only and are subject to change. State law may further impact your individual results. California residents: Annuities are subject to regulation by the State of California. Payments under such agreements, however, are not protected or otherwise guaranteed by any government agency or the California Life and Health Insurance Guarantee Association. Oklahoma residents: A charitable gift annuity is not regulated by the Oklahoma Insurance Department and is not protected by a guaranty association affiliated with the Oklahoma Insurance Department. South Dakota residents: Charitable gift annuities are not regulated by and are not under the jurisdiction of the South Dakota Division of Insurance.