Sharp HospiceCare Purchases South Bay Property for Region’s First Hospice Home

Susan and Scott McMillin

Sharp HospiceCare announced the purchase of its first South Bay hospice home. Located in Bonita, the 1.1-acre property will be the latest site of Sharp HospiceCare's unique living environments, designed for patients and their families facing a life-limiting illness.

Sharp's hospice homes — custom designed and built in established, residential neighborhoods — are the only places of their kind in San Diego County that combine around-the-clock hospice care with an intimate, comfortable, homelike setting. Sharp currently operates two homes located in the neighborhoods of La Mesa and Del Cerro.

"We are thrilled to announce the purchase of this property and how it brings us one step closer to serving the needs of families and communities in the South Bay," says Suzi K. Johnson, vice president of Sharp Hospice Care. "Throughout the nine-month search for this home, the McMillin family has been an integral partner. We are grateful for the ongoing support that the McMillins have provided during this process — through their generosity, compassion and resources."

Members of the McMillin family — including Scott McMillin, chairman of the board of McMillin Companies; his wife, Susan; his brother, Mark; and the McMillin family matriarch, Vonnie — have donated a combined total of $500,000 to help fund Sharp HospiceCare's efforts. Scott and Susan serve as co-chairs for Sharp's Homes for Hospice Campaign, an initiative to expand its unique hospice home model-of-care throughout San Diego neighborhoods. In addition, Scott is a member of the Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center Board and Sharp HealthCare Board.

The budget for the South Bay hospice home is $1.7 million. Current plans for the property include the teardown of the existing structure in order to rebuild a new home. Lead architect/designer for the project is Richard Yen and Associates. Completion of the home is planned for summer 2013.

More than $2.5 million has been generously donated by grateful hospice patients and their families, community leaders and Sharp HealthCare employees and affiliated physicians. Additional funds will be invested in an endowment to support future operations of the home.

Sharp HospiceCare held its largest annual fundraising event at the end of August — the Sharp HospiceCare Benefit Regatta — to raise money for the Homes for Hospice campaign. Co-hosted with Coronado Yacht Club and Cortez Racing Association, the two-day event netted more than $240,000.

For More Information
If you are interested in making a gift to support the families and patients in need of residential hospice care, contribute to the Homes for Hospice campaign.

Families, friends, physicians, other health care professionals and community representatives are welcome to call Sharp HospiceCare anytime to learn more about Homes for Hospice. For more information or to arrange a tour of Homes for Hospice, please call 619-667-1900.

To find a Sharp-affiliated physician, search for San Diego doctors or call 1-800-82-SHARP (1-800-827-4277), Monday through Friday, 8 am to 6 pm. To learn more about Sharp's hospice care services, visit Hospice Care in San Diego.