Philanthropist Marianne McDonald Donates $3 Million to Benefit Sharp's Chemical Dependency Treatment Programs

Partnership creates the new McDonald Center at Sharp HealthCare

SAN DIEGO —  Sharp HealthCare and philanthropist Marianne McDonald, PhD, announced a multimillion dollar partnership today to benefit the hospital system’s comprehensive inpatient and outpatient chemical dependency recovery programs and form the new McDonald Center at Sharp HealthCare.

McDonald, a longtime supporter of substance abuse programs locally, is joining forces with Sharp’s experienced team at Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital and Sharp Vista Pacifica Hospital to strengthen treatment options for San Diegans facing drug and alcohol addiction.

“Sharp is proud of our long history of providing quality care to patients battling addiction,” said Kathi Lencioni, senior vice president and chief executive officer of Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital and Sharp Vista Pacifica Hospital. “This partnership with Professor McDonald allows us to further our mission of being a source of hope and healing for patients and their families affected by this illness. This is yet another example of Sharp’s commitment and dedication to meeting the health care needs of our community in a caring and hopeful environment — what we call The Sharp Experience.”

In March, the McDonald family entered into a formal agreement with Sharp to create the McDonald Center at Sharp HealthCare. The agreement includes a $3 million gift to the Sharp HealthCare Foundation from Professor McDonald that will be used to expand patient access to Sharp’s drug and alcohol treatment programs. This is the largest gift to benefit behavioral health services in Sharp’s history.

“Chemical dependency treatment is about more than just addressing addiction. It’s also about showing people compassion during a most challenging time in their lives and in their families’ lives,” said Professor McDonald. “This new partnership makes so much sense because Sharp HealthCare values the personal connections made with patients and truly cares about recovery beyond the hospital walls. Sharp is at the forefront of helping to provide a healthier future for our community and we could not be happier about our collaboration.”

The McDonald Center at Sharp HealthCare will include all of the chemical dependency programs currently housed at Sharp Mesa Vista and Sharp Vista Pacifica, such as medically supervised detoxification and rehabilitation, day treatment, outpatient and inpatient treatment programs, evening outpatient sessions and an aftercare program that extends recovery into a lifelong process. The programs will continue to be staffed by Sharp’s experienced clinical team, including its affiliated physicians specializing in the treatment of drug and alcohol addiction. It will completely encompass the inpatient rehabilitation hospital Sharp Vista Pacifica, which will be renamed the Sharp McDonald Center.

“Our new partnership with the McDonald family provides a major gift to the Sharp HealthCare Foundation, but more importantly, it allows us to specifically use those funds to build and enhance our drug and alcohol treatment programs — a cause very close to Professor McDonald’s heart,” said Bill Littlejohn, senior vice president and chief executive officer of the Sharp HealthCare Foundation. “We are honored to have her philanthropic leadership at the Foundation and her advocacy for those battling alcoholism and drug addiction.”

Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital has demonstrated its commitment to behavioral health and substance abuse programs since opening in 1963. The hospital treats patients ranging in age from adolescence to seniors and features a 15-bed dedicated chemical dependency unit. As the region’s most comprehensive and experienced provider of behavioral health services, Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital is recognized nationally as a leader in caring for people with psychiatric and substance abuse disorders.

Sharp Vista Pacifica, a residential chemical dependency recovery hospital, has treated more than 7,000 patients since its opening in 1989. Services include inpatient detoxification and rehabilitation, day treatment and evening outpatient programs, comprehensive family programs and an active aftercare and alumni program. Staffed by a multidisciplinary team that includes psychiatrists, nurses and clinicians with specialty training in addiction medicine, Sharp Vista Pacifica offers state-of-the-art substance abuse treatment in a 16-bed residential setting.

About Marianne McDonald
Marianne McDonald, PhD, is a celebrated author, playwright and scholar. She is a professor of classics and theatre at the University of California, San Diego, and is well-known in the academic community for her work on ancient Greek drama, mythology and modern versions of ancient classics in film, plays and opera.

In addition, she provided philanthropic support to the Scripps McDonald Center in La Jolla, which provides treatment of drug and alcohol abuse. In 2011, she partnered with Sharp HealthCare to continue her mission of providing compassionate, hospital-based chemical dependency treatment by creating the new McDonald Center at Sharp HealthCare.

Professor McDonald has six children, a black belt in karate and plays classical piano and harp.

About Sharp HealthCare
A 2007 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recipient, Sharp HealthCare is San Diego's most comprehensive health care delivery system. It is recognized for clinical excellence for services in cardiac, cancer and multiorgan transplantation, as well as orthopedics, rehabilitation, behavioral health and women's health. Sharp HealthCare has been widely acclaimed for its commitment to transform the health care experience for patients, physicians and staff through an organization-wide performance improvement initiative called The Sharp Experience. The Sharp system includes four acute-care hospitals, three specialty hospitals, two affiliated medical groups and a health plan.