Mary McCarthy leaves a lasting impact with $2.5 million contribution – largest in Beaufort Memorial Foundation’s history
Special to The Island News
The Beaufort Memorial Foundation recently welcomed its largest philanthropic gift in the nonprofit’s 40-plus-year history this summer with an extraordinary $2.5 million donation from Mary McCarthy.
A longtime Beaufort County resident, Mary’s gift will have a lasting impact throughout the Lowcountry and support Beaufort Memorial’s mission to expand access to high-quality healthcare for the region’s growing communities.
“This remarkable act of generosity is a defining moment for our Foundation and for the future of healthcare in our region,” said Kim Yawn, Chief Development Officer for the Beaufort Memorial Foundation. “Mary’s gift will help us deliver care that touches lives for generations to come.”
When Yawn called to personally thank the Okatie resident for the historic gift, Mary recalled the excitement in her voice.
“Kim’s appreciation confirmed that I made the right decision. Beaufort Memorial is a community hospital. I am part of this community and leaving it better than when I arrived is what matters to me.”
A native of Long Island, N.Y., Mary moved to the Lowcountry with her late husband Edward, and they quickly fell in love with the area’s natural beauty and neighborly spirit.
Just a few miles from her home lies the site of the upcoming Beaufort Memorial Bluffton Community Hospital, a cornerstone of the health system’s efforts to bring accessible, advanced care to southern Beaufort County. The Emergency Department at the new hospital will bear her name, and her contribution will also help fund current and future initiatives for expanding access to care throughout the county.
A lifelong educator, Mary spent more than 30 years teaching kindergarten. While many call teaching a labor of love, Mary prefers to call it “a labor of fun.” Her passion for nurturing others extends beyond the classroom. Following the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, Mary turned to nature and photography as a way to process her grief and reconnect with the world’s beauty.
“I was devastated, just like everyone else,” Mary recalled. “So, I began taking photos of the good things around me, moments of kindness, beauty, and connection in my community. It helped me remember that even when terrible things happen, there is still so much goodness in the world.”
That love for photography, and for capturing the spirit of a place, was something she shared with her late husband. Together, they traveled the world, documenting people and places through candid photographs that revealed the unique character of each community they visited. Their shared mission was simple but powerful: to find and celebrate the good.
Her choice this year to support the Beaufort Memorial Foundation was deliberate and full of heart.
“It wasn’t just a coin flip,” she said. “I meant it, sincerely. People need hospitals. They need good hospitals. They need emergency rooms with people who think on their feet, who care for you first and guide you through. I hope this gift will help many people for years to come.”
