A blessing that lasts

Long-time supporters leave a legacy gift in honor of the care they received over the last 20 years.

Bill and Jackie Meacham of College Station began their relationship with Baylor Scott & White long before the hospital was built in the Brazos Valley. It all started when they lived in Cameron, Texas, and supported the hospital in Temple as part of a donation matching program with Mrs. Meacham’s employer.

When Mr. Meacham had a heart attack in the middle of the night in 2004, he was rushed to the emergency room in Temple, where they placed a stent and got him quickly back on his feet. Grateful for the care Mr. Meacham received, the couple wanted to do more. Over the years, they have supported many projects on the Temple campus, including heart research and Baylor Scott & White McLane Children’s Medical Center.

“They saved my life,” Mr. Meacham says. “They’ve taken care of us, and now we want to take care of them.”

Mr. and Mrs. Meacham have been involved with Baylor Scott & White in many capacities. In 2008, Mr. and Mrs. Meacham moved to College Station and were asked for their input on a new hospital to be built in the area. From the time the hospital opened in College Station up until the pandemic in 2020, they volunteered every week at the concierge desk, helping patients get where they needed to be. Mr. Meacham now serves on the Development Advisory Board for College Station and they both remain involved in fundraising activities.

In 2018, Mrs. Meacham was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent surgery followed by radiation therapy, utilizing the very equipment the couple had helped to fund through philanthropy. She is now in remission, and they are both just enjoying life at 85.

In honor of the care they received and their relationship with the hospital, Mr. and Mrs. Meacham decided to establish an endowment fund through their estate that would benefit cardiology and the Cancer Center at Baylor Scott & White in College Station.

 “After experiencing the care of Baylor Scott & White firsthand, we want others to feel the same level of compassion we felt,” Mrs. Meacham says.

“We support things we believe in, and we believe in Baylor Scott & White,” Mr. Meacham said. “It’s a blessing to be able to help other people, and it’s something lasting that will continue to help for years and years.”

Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Meacham, for your unwavering support and generosity.

To learn more about how you can leave a legacy gift, visit our Gift Planning site.